Should 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.

How many intake professionals should I have?

To determine the number of intake professionals you’ll need, you should assess your data. If you are generating quality leads, your intake team will only be able to handle about six calls each per day, and that’s if they ONLY work in intake and never have two callers at the exact same time – neither of which is likely. In a perfect scenario, someone is always waiting for the next call.

What should my intake team do in between calls?

I like to give the intake team a break from constant talking on the phone, especially if someone on the intake team is having a tough day. Being in a poor mood is not good for business. It makes it difficult to be empathetic and provide effective solutions to your caller. A good leader recognizes this and takes that individual out of rotation. On quiet days, responding to reviews, checking in on former clients, calling on local referral partners are all wonderful ways to build the brand. Intake specialists should also update firm details, provide training to new call handlers, review calls, and consistently improve their craft by reading guides like this.

How long should intake take?

My friend Scott Blackburn collects fantastic data from the countless calls his team handles as an outsourced call center. About 32 minutes out of every hour is spent actively engaged with a caller. The average call (including disqualified leads) is only 5 – 7 minutes, but an intake itself is averages between 30 and 45 minutes.

How many calls per day should each person be able to handle?

Given the average call length and time to complete an intake, plus the record-keeping required after that call and the number of disqualified callers in between, it’s a very full day for your team to take 8 calls.

What are the benefits of using an outsourced call center?

An outsourced call center ensures that no call goes unanswered. Employees are trained for the practical and emotional skills necessary and in many cases, are incentivized (based on fee structures) to sign clients. Data collection, accountability and training are all emphaszied.

How should my team greet a caller?

For the love of Pete, please ensure that your callers do two things: Introduce themselves and ask the caller for their name!

How quickly do I need to respond to a lead?

A vast majority of leads hire the first lawyer they speak with, so if you receive an inquiry, an immediate response is imperative. If you aren’t immediately responding to leads, their online search continues and another attorney is exercising his speed to lead.

How many times should I follow up with a prospect?

A “pleasantly persistent” follow up sequence ensures that your potential client is contacted in a variety of ways over the subsequent 5 – 7 days. KerriJames very successfully employs a 21-point follow-up strategy for new leads. We also employ a follow up sequence for pending retainers.

What should I do if a prospect fails to return a retainer?

A follow up strategy shouldn’t be limited to getting the client to say yes. You have to be equally persistent if you have delivered a retainer that has yet to be signed. These are hotter than hot leads and you need to make yourself available to clarify points of the agreement, discuss further, answer any questions, etc.

What data points should I be tracking?

There are endless data points to track to improve your firm’s ability to attract and retain new clients. For the purposes of intake, the very minimum you should collect is:

• Number of Calls (from specific call sources)
• Number of qualified callers
• Number of signed clients
• Cost per lead
• Cost per client
• Calls handled by day/specialist/time

What are some options for lead management tools?

There are countless lead management tools available for law firms. What you should evaluate is their ability to connect all your lead sources from phone calls to social media accounts, your Google Business Profile, landing pages, contact forms, etc. You also want to control the language and cadence of any messaging built into your system and ensure that you control the data. Needless to say, here at KerriJames, we are pretty darn proud of what we’ve created with LOOP as a completely custom solution for law firms who want to leverage technology without sacrificing their personal touch.

How can I leverage a good intake experience to generate new business?

If your intake team is doing a great job (and if they aren’t already, I’m sure they will be soon!) you’ll want to have them request a review at the moment of burden-transfer. Remember, your caller entered the conversation with a heavy weight and has handed it off to someone who has made them feel supported and confident in the decision to hire an attorney. Ask for an intake-specific review to seize this moment! Online reviews elevate your digital reputation and help generate new business online while happy clients are sure to share their experience personally with potential prospects. Give your new clients an experience they WANT to share with the world.

For additional resources, visit www.kerrijames.co/resources