The client intake process is your biggest opportunity to start your client relationship off on the right foot. But for many law firms, the client intake process can become an afterthought.
Client intake may not be the most urgent matter on your to-do list, but it is critical for your law firm’s long-term growth and profitability. So how can law firms streamline the client intake process, reduce manual tasks, process new clients faster, and simultaneously improve the client experience? With Tabs3 legal CRM.
What is legal CRM?
Client relationship management (CRM) software is designed to help businesses streamline certain marketing activities and support new and ongoing client relationships. Legal CRMs, however, are specifically designed for law firms and their unique client relationships, intake processes, and compliance concerns.
A legal CRM combines the best parts of CRM technology with features for law firms including:
- Customizable intelligent intake forms
- Document automation
- Secure file sharing
- Automated texts and emails
- Data synchronization
With Tabs3 CRM, law firms can transform their client intake process from manual and tedious to an opportunity for building positive relationships without sacrificing billable hours.
How legal CRM eliminates common pain points for your law firm’s client intake process
No two law firms are the same, but many law firms experience similar growing pains as they work to scale and increase profitability. Here are some of the most common client intake pain points that legal CRM software can eliminate.
Problem: your law firm is having trouble attracting new clients
The legal field is a saturated market. If you’re not attracting enough qualified leads, CRM software may be exactly what you need to turn things around.
The solution: integrate your legal CRM with your website and build email drip campaigns
To convert leads into clients, law firms need both a stellar first impression and frequent touchpoint opportunities. Bridging your legal CRM and website can help you achieve this with just a few steps.
Take a look at your website
Is your website frequently updated? Intuitive? Is there a clear way to contact your firm or indicate interest? Do you have the right text to optimize SEO for your field and geographic location?
If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, it may be time for a website makeover. If you don’t have time to maintain your website, consider working with a third party that specializes in legal websites, like Tabs3 Websites.
Your website should integrate with your legal CRM to provide a smooth client intake process. When you use Tabs3 Websites and CRM together, you ensure that your potential leads will associate your firm with ease, convenience, and expertise.
Use your CRM to create personalized marketing campaigns with multiple touchpoints
Converting leads into clients typically requires more than one touchpoint, such as email, text, or phone calls. But this process can be incredibly time-consuming.
With legal CRM, you can create personalized, automated email campaigns to:
- Respond to client requests
- Schedule follow-ups automatically
- Track lead engagement throughout the intake process
Once someone submits their information, you can keep them informed about your law firm’s services, send updates or reminders, and slowly educate them on how your law firm can best address their needs.
Problem: your law firm’s slow follow-up times are costing you clients
When clients start looking for a law firm, they typically have a time-sensitive case or matter in mind. As such, most people will go with the first law firm that responds to their inquiries.
So, what can you do when leads reach out after hours, or on the weekend?
The solution: set up automated client intake triggers
Legal CRMs allow law firms to begin the process of client intake, even if a lead submits an inquiry over the weekend or in the early morning hours.
With Tabs3 CRM, law firms can set up smart intake forms for their website. Once someone fills out the form, it can separate qualified leads based on your predetermined parameters.
If a person could be a qualified lead, your legal CRM can send automated, personalized messages to encourage them to schedule a consultation, along with providing relevant information about your firm.
Once set up, these campaigns help continuously guide individuals through the client intake process, so you can focus on urgent matters without losing potential clients.
Problem: double data entry is taking up too much of your time and leading to client information discrepancies
The client intake process can be rife with manual administrative tasks, from follow-up calls to repetitive data entry.
The solution: use a customizable intake form to reduce double data entry
Tabs3 CRM enables law firms to streamline client intake with customizable, logic-based intake forms. These intake forms can be tailored to each area of your practice.
Smart intake forms can:
- Use logic-based conditioning, so your clients only answer relevant questions
- Separate qualified leads using pre-set parameters
- Sync client data with your practice management system
Because the Tabs3 CRM integrates with PracticeMaster, any client data generated can be synced between the two applications. This step reduces manual data entry, saving you time and reducing the potential for human errors.
Problem: your team is stretched too thin to dedicate time to the client intake process
With so many moving parts to the client intake process, it can be all too easy for important intake tasks to slip through the cracks.
The solution: use legal CRM to automate reminders, schedule consultations, and follow up with clients
The client intake process can require multiple phone calls, consultations, and other meetings. It’s important for your law firm to lead clients through these meetings with the appropriate calendar scheduling and follow-ups.
But with so much to do, it can be easy to miss these critical touchpoints.
A CRM can help law firms manage client intake with automated messages for:
- Scheduling meetings
- Reminding leads about upcoming meetings and consultations
- Sending follow-up documentation
- And more
Problem: your new clients don’t understand your law firm’s policies and procedures (like your billing process)
The intake process involves a lot of information exchange about your client’s legal matters. At the same time, it’s important for clients to learn about your expectations, policies, and procedures, including your billing and collections process.
The solution: build an email drip campaign for client onboarding
Make sure your clients have everything they need with an onboarding campaign through your legal CRM. This can provide critical information through the conversion process, such as:
- Where clients can go with their administrative questions
- How to navigate the client portal
- Frequently asked questions
- Introducing your firm’s team members and their roles
- A walkthrough of your billing and invoicing process
With this information, clients feel more prepared to work with your firm, and you can cut down on repetitive onboarding questions. Frequent touchpoints at the start of the relationship set the stage for a long-term relationship built on trust and communication.
Build a better client intake process with Tabs3 CRM
Grow your law firm and streamline your client intake process with Tabs3 CRM. Schedule a demo today to see how legal CRM can deliver a better client experience without sacrificing billable hours.
