Whether your law firm is a brand-new practice just starting out or you're running a well-established law office, a virtual receptionist can be key to drive new business, keep current clients happy and ensure the overall success of your practice.
Lawyers are busy professionals. They're often in court, holding meetings with clients, preparing briefs and facing mountains of paperwork. They're not always at their desks or in the office to answer incoming calls. That's why a virtual receptionist makes so much sense: A professional virtual receptionist such as Easybee can handle incoming phone calls for a law firm and ensure clients are directed to the right lawyer. Here are seven ways a virtual receptionist helps a law firm's operation.
Hiring a full-time in-house receptionist is expensive. When you factor in the time it takes to interview multiple candidates and the cost to pay them a full-time salary and benefits, including health insurance, retirement, etc., the total can run upwards of $40k or more, depending on experience. More experienced receptionists may expect a higher salary.
Compare that to the cost of an Easybee virtual receptionist and the choice is clear. Easybee charges clients based on the number of minutes they require per month, from as few as 50 minutes to as many as over 1000 minutes. With that kind of flexibility, you can choose the amount of minutes you need, whether it's to cover your regular receptionist's vacation or to replace a full-time employee.
Imagine this: A client calls your law firm, hoping to speak to their lawyer, but instead they reach voicemail because their lawyer is busy with another client or in court.
When your law firm employs a virtual receptionist, it ensures that person speaks to a real, live person when their call is answered, and they'll feel more satisfied knowing their request is being handled. Easybee virtual receptionists can forward calls and relay messages to the right person, improving customer satisfaction.
Furthermore, more than two-thirds of individuals say they usually won't call a business back if their call isn't answered the first time, and for a law office, this can mean missed opportunities for new clients and new business.
Suppose your firm does employ a full-time assistant. When a virtual receptionist is fielding incoming calls, it frees up your assistant to complete other tasks, including helping you conquer that mountain of paperwork, sending emails and maintaining your court calendar.
A virtual receptionist can also make sure the right calls are forwarded to the right people. This is especially helpful if your law firm has multiple practicing attorneys.
Every working professional knows that first impressions matter. Someone who is calling your law firm for the first time because they need legal assistance with taxes, real estate purchases or family disputes — whatever your law firm may happen to specialize in. A virtual receptionist answering your law firm's phone makes your company sound professional and organized. It gives potential and current clients a positive impression of your law firm's day-to-day operations.
Law firm attorneys are not always at their desks, and a virtual receptionist can forward incoming calls to the correct attorney who may be busy in court or holding meetings outside the office. This type of accessibility is important for clients who need immediate assistance.
For law firms located in urban areas or that serve diverse populations, Easybee virtual receptionists offer bilingual services. More than 30 million people in the United States speak Spanish at home, and law firms can increase customer satisfaction by offering these services to their Spanish-speaking clientele. While the company is based in Miami, Florida, it has offices in El Salvador, Central America. This allows Easybee to provide bilingual answering services to law firms and other small businesses with clients who speak Spanish as a first language.
Many callers can become irritated if their call isn't answered by a live person (and goes to voicemail instead) or if their call doesn't reach the right person. Transferring callers around your law firm not only wastes valuable time and resources, it can also contribute to clients feeling increasingly frustrated in situations that are already stressful. Virtual receptionists ensure calls are routed to the right person the first time.
Contact Easybee Virtual Receptionists for Your Law Firm
If you're a law office interested in trying out virtual receptionist services from Easybee, you can contact the company directly via phone or their website. Find out how professional, efficient virtual receptionist services can make a big difference in the customer satisfaction and overall success of your law firm.