Lawyers offer society a very valuable service. They help people get the money they deserve after an accident, they help bring justice to those that have been wronged, and they keep people safe with how they handle cases in and outside of the courtroom. Unfortunately, sometimes society does not always like lawyers.
They can be the butt of many jokes, but one thing that people find that is lacking with legal representatives and teams is their customer service. In today’s day and age where everyone knows (seemingly) everyone, thanks to technology, it is important for people to see the good side of us. Here is how law firms can improve their image and customer service efforts.
Speak to People Without the Jargon
The fancy words and Latin might sound nice on paper and in the context of legal matters, but the average person has no clue what these mean. Customer service and matters of dealing with the public should be scaled back on the terminology and focus on talking to people like they are not familiar with the law at all. It can be tempting to use those big words, and while they do sound intricate and exquisite, they can be head-scratching to those that are wholly unfamiliar with the legal system. Plus, it makes lawyers seem more down to Earth.
Be More Transparent About Your Duties
Lawyers and their legal teams are excellent at what they do so there is no discrediting their work, but sometimes it can be a little foggy on what exactly it is that they are doing. Much like using the terminology, if you are discussing your ability to handle a car accident, refer to it with people as such. The professionals at a Dallas car accident law firm explained that looking for a lawyer should not have you wondering what state these people operate in if there is no obvious location listing, nor should it be confusing what it is that they are helping with. Being simple about what duties they offer and what it is that they specialize in can really make their customer service improve.
Update Your Approach to Technology
Another big problem for every field, not just legal, is the lack of adoption of technology. If you have ever found a business through a search engine then realized they had no site, or a poorly maintained social media presence, you are certainly not alone. This is a bad problem in the modern age of digital technology because there is no excuse for it. Creating a working site with some attractive graphics is not hard, and it can be done by anyone who spends enough time learning how to set up a site, so there is definitely no excuse from a legal business. Having an operational website, adopting technology for easier access to information, and a good social media presence is likely the easiest but most bountiful way to improve customer service.
Host a Meet and Greet
Now might not be the best time to do it, but a meet and greet to get to know the clients and put a face to names and vice versa for them really goes a long way in showing that they care about people. While the current health crisis is not exactly helping this kind of customer service relations, it could be a good time to show they are able to make things work under tight circumstances by hosting one over video chat software. The most important part is to come off as genuine people, not just suits and fancy words, but the secondary goal of showing some competence with technology is an added bonus to tack on to the previous point.
Do More Community Outreach
If a meet and greet is a micro strategy, then community outreach is a macro strategy. Community outreach is a huge part of customer service in the sense that it is a need to build a better brand. Helping out with fundraising or donating to local charities are simple ways to show that a firm cares, but it is not enough to just throw money around hoping people think that it cares, there needs to be a commitment to these causes. Hosting a fundraiser yearly and including more partners is another good way to show that there is a commitment to this charitable work too.
Being a lawyer is difficult for a lot of reasons, but one that jumps out is how they are perceived. Lawyers are not bad people contrary to what popular culture media want us to think, but regardless of that fact, it is never a bad idea for lawyers and law firms to improve their image and customer service like the points mentioned here.
