ARE YOU LAWYERING OR LABORING?

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7 Steps to Reduce Interruptions & Chores and Run a More Productive Law Firm in 2019

Deck link: http://bit.ly/lawpay-lawyering2019

Hi!

I’m Maddy Martin

Head of growth & education for Smith.ai, a call routing & virtual receptionist service for solo and small law firms, and other small businesses.

https://smith.ai

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GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Here’s what you’re going to learn.

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LEARNING GOALS

1. Identify distractions & time-consuming tasks
2. Understand communications systems that help you manage the business side of running a law firm or solo practice:
1. Phone systems
2. Call handling & virtual receptionists
3. Email
4. Text messaging
5. Web chat
3. The basics: How to start using these systems
4. Advanced techniques: How to maximize the impact of these systems
5. Your game plan for 2019: Reduce distractions & time-consuming tasks

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WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• Intelligently manage calls with complex call paths
• Automate lead capture & qualification
• Hand-off new client intake
• Streamline appointment scheduling, reminders & check-ins
• Consistently collect payments
• Monetize "bad" leads through systematic referrals
• Integrate your communications into your existing systems: CRM, calendaring software, billing systems, email, SMS/chat apps, and more.

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WHO CARES?

You should, according to the

2017 Clio Legal Trends Report

1.9 hours

1.2 hours

2.9 hours

2 hours

The average time an attorney spends on billable work per day.

Of those 2.9 hours, the top 3 tasks are office administration (16%), invoicing (15%), and configuring technology (11%).

The average time spent each day on admin tasks.

33% of 6 hours/day not spent on billable work goes toward business development, indicating the importance of generating new clients.

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ARE YOU LAWYERING OR LABORING?

86 percent

39 percent

23 minutes

2 out of 3 potential clients

The average amount of attorneys’ earnings that is ever collected.

How much faster law firms get paid when they accept credit cards.

How long it takes to recover from an interruption. Attorneys are interrupted ~6/day, so that’s a ~2-hour loss per day.

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Folks who say their “decision to hire” is most influenced by an attorney’s responsiveness to their first call or email.

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ARE YOU LAWYERING OR LABORING?

WHAT THIS MEANS

Dilemma 1:

• Interruptions kill your productivity. You want to minimize interruptions.

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• Potential clients demand quick response times. You want to maximize responsiveness.

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WHAT THIS MEANS

Dilemma 2:

• Invoicing & chasing down late payments drain your time. You want to minimize time-consuming billing tasks.

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• You need (and deserve) to get paid. And not after a collections agency takes a 30-50% cut. You want to maximize revenue.

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WHAT THIS MEANS

Dilemma 3:

• Technology (software & services) makes you more efficient. It’s particularly important for solo/small-firm attorneys. You want to automate & sync tasks, processes & data.

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• In a small practice, you have no/limited IT or admin support. You can’t spend all day learning & configuring technology. You want simple, intelligent tools.

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WHAT THIS MEANS

Dilemma 4:

• Having more control over your practice is one of the top reasons you’re in a solo/small firm. Control relates to: methods, schedule, practice area, etc. — but also work/life balance. You want to maximize your control of your work/life balance.

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• Balancing work and life means creating a plan for sustainable growth. You want to create & maintain boundaries.

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WHAT THIS MEANS

Solution to these dilemmas:

• Adopt cost-effective & efficient systems for:
• Routing & tracking
• Calls, emails & web visitors
• Filtering
• Qualifying potential clients
• Referrals of “bad” leads
• Intake
• Basic (preliminary) & complete
• Scheduling
• Call-backs & appointments

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WHAT YOU CAN DO

These systems must:

• Be affordable (without commitment)
• Be customizable (at the start & ongoing)
• Be easy to use & monitor
• Be comprehensive (multiple comm. channels within one provider: fewer bills, less management)
• Integrate with your processes, systems & software
• If human, have reasonable discretion (as someone in-house would)

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TERMS & DEFINITIONS OF COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

Let’s get the lay of the land.

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Understanding how potential clients can reach you

Potential clients typically reach you via:

• Phone
• Email
• Text
• Website (also: Facebook page)
• Chat
• Contact us form

�Let’s review how these communication platforms work in the context of a law practice.

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Phone Systems: Landline, Cloud/VOIP & SIP (Softphone)

• Landline:
• Connected to phone jack in the wall
• Pros: Can be bundled with internet, independent of power grid, no dropped calls
• Cons: No mobility, limited carriers, hardware required, contracts

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Phone Systems: Landline, Cloud/VOIP & SIP (Softphone)

• Cloud/VOIP
• Internet-based phone service
• Pros: Mobile, many providers reduces cost, unbundled, scalable, no contracts
• Cons: Depends on internet quality
• SIP (Softphone)
• Softphone protocol that turns an internet-connected device like a computer into a phone
• Pros: Computer & tablet function as phone
• Cons: Cost is in addition to cloud phone service

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Phone Services: IVRs, Call Centers & Virtual Receptionists

Forms of call routing & handling:

• Robots vs. humans:
• Call routing (IVR) vs. live call handling
• Semi-robots vs. humans
• Answering service vs. receptionists
• Humans vs. optimized humans
• Abroad vs. domestic receptionists
• Dedicated vs. distributed receptionists
• Remote vs. in-house receptionists

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Phone Systems & Services: Potential Issues

Watch for these common complaints & problems �that impact leads & clients:

• Phone systems
• Ring delays (latency)
• No tracking or analytics (how will you track marketing ROI?)
• Routing & tracking services
• Click-to-call (limits usefulness)
• Receptionists
• Limited impact (answer/transfer/message vs. workflows & integrations — consider time-to-conversion impact)
• Poor or inconsistent adherence to directions; inaccuracy
• Lack of professionalism (you want an “in-house” feel)

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Email Systems

• Pretty self explanatory, so let’s consider advanced features that drive efficiency:
• Organization & prompts
• Scheduled sends
• Reminders
• Rules
• Contact form connectivity
• CRM connectivity
• Marketing campaigns
• Lead nurture drips
• Standalone bulk email tools
• Mailshake
• Yet Another Mail Merge (Gmail)

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Text Messaging

VOIP phone with texting

• Text from your main number or direct line
• Mask your personal number
• Works via phone, computer, tablet

Apps & software that increase earnings & speed up communication:

• Time Miner: Crawls your calls and texts, and logs your billable time spent with clients in those channels.
• Zipwhip: Securely communicate with clients about cases, and share documents via text message. Each interaction is logged in your case management software, so nothing slips through the cracks.
• CRM/PM Software: Some CRMs & practice management software feature texting; mostly automatic, like client alerts

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Web Chat (Onsite, Facebook & Beyond)

• Robot
• Low cost and lightning-fast
• Stock answers to common questions
• Appointments, links to more information, forms, etc.
• Escalation or service extension via email/phone
• Human
• Low (self-staffed) to medium cost (outsourced)
• Pay per contact, chat, or lead (definitions vary)
• Lead capture, qualification, intake, scheduling, links, etc.
• Watch out for: Self-staffed but unattended. Common, and then it’s just another “contact” form.
• Both
• Automate routine answers & escalate to human via chat or phone as needed

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TERMS & DEFINITIONS OF SOFTWARE & SERVICES

Let’s get the lay of the land.

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Understanding how potential clients are handled

Potential clients can be handled by you and in-house staff, and/or:

• With remote/virtual services:
• Paralegals
• Bookkeepers
• Receptionists
• With software:
• Call routing & tracking
• CRM / client intake / marketing automation software
• Case / practice management software
• Calendaring software
• Payment / billing software

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LEAD

CONVERSION FLOW

Here’s how those communication channels factor into your law practice

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Reviews

Referrals

Local Listing

PPC

Social Media

Content

Technical SEO

Link Building

Lead Sources �(Generation)

Contact �Methods

Response �Methods

Phone

Email

Text

Web Chat

Attorney�

In-house assistant or paralegal��Receptionist service

Qualification

Good leads

Bad leads

Intake & Scheduling

Basic intake

Transfer

Call-back

Appointment

LEAD CONVERSION FLOW

Monetization

Referrals

Qualification

New client!

Full intake

Follow-up call

Email drip

Instant

Delayed

Conversion

GENERATE

CAPTURE

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Human intelligence + machine intelligence

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Step 1: Professionally and intelligently manage calls

• Greeting & menu: Establish a professional greeting and menu
• Routing: time of day, holiday, vacation & schedule adjustments
• Blasts & sequences
• Overflow call handling
• After-hours voicemail
• Office directory (partners, associates, paralegals, assistants, remote �staff & outsourced teams)
• Call & text from any device
• Mobile phone, VOIP desk phone, computer, tablet, SIP softphone
• Contacts (common callers & current clients)
• Block spam & unsolicited sales calls
• VIP (direct-transfer) & blocked-caller lists
• Marketing performance tracking
• Where did the call originate from, and did the source yield quality leads?
• Business monitoring & metrics
• Know answered calls & missed, the number of rings, duration, and more.
• Call recording: for record keeping, performance monitoring

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Step 2: Automate lead capture & qualification

• Identify must-have criteria for leads
• Standardize questions to identify qualified leads
• Implement workflow for qualified leads
• See “monetize ‘bad’ leads” for unqualified-lead workflow
• Incorporate new-client call-back or appointment
• Determine policy on consultations:
• Length (15 minutes to 1 hour)
• Format (phone, Skype, video chat, in-person)
• Consider comfort level, personalization, ease of use
• Free or paid
• Outsource process as much as possible
• Inbound calls > trigger workflow
• Inbound emails & contact-form completions > trigger call-backs > workflows
• Leverage services with best-in-class technology, e.g., ZIP lookup vs. “Let me Google that for you”

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Step 3: Hand-off new client intake

• After lead capture, complete client intake
• May occur before or after appointment booking or first appointment
• Same as lead capture, identify required questions without overloading
• Aim for ~5-10 questions
• Balance completeness with cost/necessity (especially if outsourcing)
• Standardize for all clients or client groups by practice area
• E.g., Different forms for family law vs. social security disability)
• Consider document upload option
• Always ask lead for source (“How did you hear about us?”)
• Outsource with clear instructions & non-login accessible URL

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Step 4: Streamline appointment scheduling, reminders & check-ins

• Add public-facing booking page on your website
• Integrate with your calendar
• Make more or less visible online based on your needs & comfort level
• Accessible (must know URL or be included in workflow, e.g. lead nurture drip) vs. obvious (in main menu)
• Free vs. fully featured
• Integrations for payments and intake forms
• Multiple appointment types & durations
• Multiple coworkers (round-robin)
• Booking with approval
• Outsource calendaring tasks, via inbound and outbound calls
• Appointment booking
• Reminders (reduce cancellations/no-shows)
• Rescheduling
• Outsource non-confidential client check-ins to receptionists.
• Helpful for busier periods. Be proactive. Informed clients are more satisfied.

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Step 5: Consistently collect payments

• Accept online payments
• Higher collection rate outweighs fees
• Embed on website or link offsite
• General payments or specific invoices
• Credit card & ACH
• Increase accuracy
• Log texting time: Time Miner & Zipwhip
• Outsource payment collection
• Consultations
• Deposits
• Retainers
• Invoices
• Past-due payments

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Step 6: Monetize "bad" leads through systematic referrals

• First: Review relevant rules & liability for referrals & referral fees
• See for example:
• Referral fee dos and don’ts
• Referral fee rules from your state & local Bar association. e.g., Florida’s ethics packet on referral fees
• Then, in accordance with all pertinent rules & your comfort level:
• Think back to lead qualification criteria
• Identify “bad” (read: unqualified) leads
• Make a list of all attorneys & firms you recommend by practice area
• Share list with staff or receptionist service, including instructions for identifying correct firm to recommend to “bad” lead
• E.g., based on location, practice area, cost
• Systematically earn revenue when lead engages recommended firm (such fees may be upwards of 40%)

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Step 7: Integrate your communications into your existing systems

• Record keeping
• Call & text within CRM
• Log business texts in CRM
• Add & update records in CRM:
• New lead contact information
• Post-call notes
• Activity logs (e.g., new appointment)
• Triggered workflow actions (new lead-drip addition)
• Project & document management & workflows
• Document generation
• Email integration
• Signature requests
• Incoming & outgoing e-faxes
• Example: Chi City Legal

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Step 7: Integrate your communications into your existing systems

• Operations
• Call recording in lieu of live meeting transcriptionist
• Dictation software: 3-4x faster than typing
• Conference call “convening” services
• Notifications, e.g., call transfer requests via SMS or Slack.
• Marketing & new business growth
• Automatically add new leads to email nurturing “drips”
• Performance tracking for SEO, PPC, retargeting, etc.
• Volume
• Quality (conversion rate)
• Cost (both generation & capture)
• Referrals & paid marketing channels
• Dedicate a phone number & route with high priority

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YOUR 2019

GAME PLAN

(READ: HOMEWORK)

It’s up to you now.

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What to do next for 2019 success

• Track your time for one week:
• Billable & non-billable work
• Tag all non-billable work:
• Self (continue doing)
• Streamline (cut/reduce/ease)
• Automate (w/ software or app)
• Outsource (w/ service)
• Prioritize fixes by greatest time consumption, importance (lawyering) & urgency
• Consider Eisenhower Decision Matrix
• Tips:
• Qualification & payments are often most time consuming & most easily outsourced
• Data entry & lead follow-up are most easily automated
• Address top 3 in next 30-60 days, depending on scope, cost & difficulty.
• Wait 1-2 months to re-stabilize. Fix or address another 1-3 per quarter.
• Assess impact of fixes every quarter: savings, earnings, leads, clients, work/life balance, stress levels, sleep quality, etc.

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THANK YOU!

Questions?

Email: maddy@smith.ai