Empathy and Insight: The Transformative Power of Psychoanalytic Listening in Legal Practice

4 minutesShould I have a dedicated intake professional?
The best part of an internal intake team is that they will know your firm, your process, your tools, your market, your attorneys, better than any outsourced team can. It’s important to note though that unless you have someone actively hiring, training, and managing this team, you may not achieve the desired outcomes. If you intend to place an emphasis on intake, then an in-house team can be a terrific asset to your firm. But if you don’t have the resources to do it well, trusted outsourced teams like Legal Conversion Center offer budget-friendly and effective solutions.

7 minutesIf your intake team is operating much as they did ten or even five years ago, you have fallen behind. Behind the times, behind the expectations of today’s empowered (and vocal!) consumer, and behind your competition.

3 minutesIt’s important that you hold your intake team accountable to your high standards and processes. Every call is a representation of your firm. Your intake team should be clear on your expectations and what you are looking to hold them accountable to, which is a mix of both key metrics as well as call handling protocol.

4 minutesI recently shared Intake Expert Chris Mullin’s formula for increasing phone conversions. P.A.S. – Problem, Agitate, Solution. This simple formula is an excellent, memorable and effective tool to help your team retain more clients. But, it is just one component of what Chris agrees is the overall call path your intake team should follow.

4 minutesThe majority of every hour your team spends as part of the intake staff should be on the phone. Mastering call handling will make your team far more effective – and efficient. Every call should follow a clear path from intro to retainer.

3 minutesIt bears repeating that intake is not a warm body position. With any client-facing role, it is important for your intake specialists to be in the proper mindset. You want them to handle calls with confidence and compassion, empathy and authority.

5 minutesOnboarding a New Hire

Training is not and should not be a single event. That said, initial training is essential for getting your new hire onboarded quickly.

5 minutes“Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.” Misty Copeland

A question I get a lot about intake is “What should I look for in a good intake specialist?” and while they say there’s no such thing as a stupid question, that’s not a question you need an intake expert to answer.

4 minutesOn a previous blog (link to Blog 1) we discussed how your firm needs to redefine intake to meet the emotional needs of your prospects. A simple adjustment to your intake department’s moniker or the intake team’s titles is a good place to start.

2 minutesThe question, “What is intake?” may seem a silly one to you, but to potential clients, it’s far from obvious. For firms, the intake process starts when a prospective client initiates contact. It ends with the signup of that person as a client.