Client management can be one of the greatest challenges for a law firm. Managing client intake, handling client communication, and nurturing relationships can take away a significant amount of your resources. Fortunately, a streamlined legal practice management software system can handle all this and more for you and your legal team.
What is a CRM?
A Client Relationships Management (CRM) system is a platform designed to manage all client interactions and relationships. A CRM tracks all potential leads and current clientele, allows for automated messaging, stores and shares are digitized documents, and so much more.
Top 7 Reasons Your Legal Team Needs a CRM
Maybe you believe the system (or systems) you have in place are working for your law firm. But streamlining all tasks to one powerful system can do a lot for your firm’s growth and client relationships. Consider the following six reasons your law firm needs a CRM system:
Organized Client and Lead Information
Organization is one of the key benefits of structured system, and your CRM solution implements it from the very beginning. Starting with an automated client intake process, you can immediately obtain and store your new client’s information.
After they complete their electronic client intake forms (an integral part of establishing a paperless legal system), all pertinent information becomes populated into your CRM. A contact is created, an account established, and the appropriate attorney can even be contacted regarding the prospective client.
Your CRM software can also collect and store information on leads. Marketing automation on the CRM can help nurture your leads by sending emails or SMS messaging. These integrations can help you build your law firm’s clientele exponentially, just with single system.
More Effective Client Communication
With your law firm CRM software system, your firm has access to a secure client portal. This online platform allows clients to message their attorneys in confidence regarding legal matters or anything else. Secure documents can be shared safely through the portal—with clients, colleagues, or other collaborating parties. The level of security within this portal is incredibly high—the same level offered by online banking platforms, ensuring all legal documents remain safe and confidential.
With the ability to message their lawyer at the click of a button, your clients will enjoy more prompt and effective communication. You can freely share deadlines, reminders, or updates with them, allowing them to feel as though they’re truly a part of the case.
Digital Document Management
Many law firms are aiming to become paperless, meaning they have all legal team documents digitized. Even if your firm is not entirely paperless, the ability to immediately access files from wherever you are is a huge asset to your productivity. This is especially true if you’re still working remotely. Share or edit documents with your clients, colleagues, or team members instantly.
Though digitizing your files may take some effort (it doesn’t have to be yours—you can outsource the task to a professional company), it’s worth it in the long run. A CRM system will store, organize, and keep your legal documents secure. You’ll save both time and money by abandoning your off-site file storage and using a CRM to store and retrieve secure documents.
Along with digital files is the ability to digitally sign documents. Most superior CRMs enable eSignature, allowing you to have documents signed by clients right away. This can expedite cases and offer an improved customer experience.
Scheduling and Reminder Capabilities
A law firm CRM software system can ensure your attorneys aren’t double booked and sending out individual confirmation messages can take up a significant amount of your valuable time. A CRM system can handle those tasks for you and, likely, with more accuracy. Attorneys can schedule automated follow-up messages, notifications about payment deadlines, and book appointments for all attorneys at your firm.
An integrated calendar feature ensures your team members never miss a staff meeting or client appointment. And you’ll never have to worry about an attorney being double booked. Invite clients or leads to meetings automatically via the intake information acquired.
Automated Email Campaigns
Email workflows can benefit your law firm in many ways. And with all information on one platform, scheduling these marketing campaigns is even easier. A CRM can track leads and categorize them. Each trigger (let’s say a lead subscribes to your email newsletter or a client eSigns a document) will notify the system to automatically initiate the appropriate sequence of emails. Clients will continuously stay informed, and you can stay in continuous contact with leads.
Although social media is used as a powerful marketing tool in many industries, email marketing still has a significant impact. Email was found to be the best method to nurture then convert leads. So, if you’re interested in growing your law firm, automated email marketing through a CRM is the way to go.
One Streamlined Platform
Many law firms already have programs for most of the above tasks; however, they’re using numerous different platforms and apps. With a CRM, you have everything available to you on one single platform. This system simplifies your workflow and even your finances. By having all pertinent files and payments in one place, your team can be more efficient, which in turn makes your clients happier.
More Organized Practice with Custom Tags
Using custom tags can significantly improve the efficiency and organization of law firms. By using a CRM system, law firms can utilize custom tags to categorize contacts based on client relationships, prospects, professional connections, and more. The ability to filter these tags empowers law firms to extract valuable business insights, allowing for a strategic focus on high-value clients and a nuanced understanding of lead-generation tactics.
Grow Your Firm with a Powerful CRM System
You know your law firm has what it takes to increase its revenue. Your attorneys are incredible at what they do, and your clients appreciate your services. However, by implementing a law firm CRM software system, you can become as efficient and successful as possible.
