Knowing which legal call center offers the best answering service for lawyers is crucial. As the saying goes, time and first impressions are irretrievable. Lawyers and law firms are busy, and some calls and emails go unnoticed or occur during non-business hours. Missed calls, in particular, are wasted opportunities to qualify and obtain a new client.
Luckily, law firms do not need in-house intake agents for this. In fact, outsourcing to an legal intake answering service can be a great way to save time and money, improve productivity and efficiency, and get more qualified leads . Let’s take a look below at what law firm answering services provide.
What Does an Answering Service Do?
The primary function of law firm answering service is to answer incoming calls on behalf of lawyers and attorneys. The following solutions are also available from a legal answering services:
- Message Taking: The answering service takes messages for clients when they are not available to answer their phone. The messages can be relayed via email, text message, or fax.
- Call Forwarding: The answering service can forward calls to a client’s mobile phone or another designated phone number when they are unavailable.
- Appointment Scheduling: The answering service can schedule appointments on behalf of clients and manage their calendars.
- Customer Service: The answering service can provide basic customer service support, such as answering frequently asked questions and providing information about products or services.
- Emergency Dispatch: The answering service can dispatch emergency services, such as police, fire, or medical services, when required.
- Order Taking: The answering service can take orders for products or services on behalf of clients.
- Call Screening: The answering service can screen calls and filter out unwanted or irrelevant calls.
Overall, an answering service can provide law firms with a professional and efficient way to manage calls and ensure that their potential or current clients are always attended to.
5 Best Answering Services for Lawyers
There are many answering services available to help businesses of all types. But law firms need the right answering service to manage the unique needs of the legal industry and legal clients. Below, we offer an overview of five of the most popular answering services available to law firms.
Legal Conversion Center
Legal Conversion Center is one of the first call centers to provide specialized services for lawyers and law firms. LCC is a large company offering more than 100 years of combined experience in call centers and customer service. LCC is known for their quality, highly-trained staff, and ability to maximize conversions. Their intake services for law firms include intake, contract acquisition, web response, and Spanish support.
Lex Reception
Lex Reception is a popular option for law firms who want to work with a small business. The call center offers 24/7 availability, bilingual support, and full-time call center staff. There are drawbacks to working with a small business, however, such as less analytics and integration features.
Smith.ai
Smith.ai is a North American-based answering service dedicated to lawyers and law firms. What makes Smith unique is that it focuses on small and boutique law firms, in particular. Smith’s services include call screening and qualifying, setting appointments, and accepting payments.
Ruby
Formerly known as Ruby Receptionists, is one of the most popular answering services for lawyers and law firms with small-to-medium sized businesses. Ruby has a great reputation for customer service and quality. What sets this call apart is their mobile app, which allows lawyers to interact with the service anytime, anywhere.
Back Office Betties
Similar to Ruby, Back Office Betties is a well-rounded answering service that works for many law firms. What works great for Back Office Betties is their variety of services and bilingual receptionist support. One of the drawbacks to their service is that they do not have 24/7 availability.
What to Look for in a Law Firm Answering Service
Choosing the right answering service for your law firm is an important decision that can have a significant impact on the firm’s reputation and client satisfaction. Here are some factors to consider when selecting an answering service:
- Experience and Expertise: It’s important to choose an answering service that has experience working with law firms and understands the unique needs and requirements of the legal industry.
- Call Quality and Professionalism: The answering service should provide professionally trained operators who are experienced in handling legal calls and can provide a high level of customer service.
- Availability and Responsiveness: The answering service should be available 24/7 and able to respond quickly to urgent calls, such as those related to emergencies or court appearances.
- Customization: The answering service should be able to customize its services to meet the specific needs of your law firm, including call scripting and call routing.
- Security and Confidentiality: The answering service should have strong security measures in place to protect sensitive client information and ensure confidentiality.
- Technology and Integration: The answering service should use advanced technology and be able to integrate with your existing systems, such as case management software and appointment scheduling tools.
- Cost: The answering service should be cost-effective and provide transparent pricing, without any hidden fees or charges.
By considering these factors, you can choose an answering service that meets your specific needs and provides a high level of service to you and your clients. It’s also important to research and compare different answering services, read reviews, and ask for referrals from other law firms to make an informed decision.
What Makes Legal Conversion Center Different
Legal Conversion Center’s experience is one of the legal intake call center’s biggest draws. Additionally, the call center has been recognized as one of the first attorney intake service to offer contract acquisition services. LLC has worked with hundreds of law firms around the U.S. LCC employs highly-trained intake specialists to assist potential clients.
