Most law firm intake processes still rely on human agents, but change is slowly underway. For a long time, in these firms, human staff handled most of the daily procedures. From taking calls to following up with new clients and sending booking confirmations, processes were largely manual.
What is the downside of human staff handling regular and important legal intake processes?
However professional or efficient they are, after all, they are humans! They can occasionally develop illnesses or forget certain tasks. There are other factors beyond their control, too. That is why law firms are opting for AI call answering for attorneys.
These AI-based automated solutions streamline operations in a big way. These systems answer client calls, qualify leads, book consultations, and follow up automatically. They work constantly around the year, without a lapse.
- Begin with an analysis
Unlike some law firms, do not buy an intake system randomly. First, map your intake process on paper, step by step. The intake journey has five distinct phases. These are – initial contact, screening, booking a consultation slot, the client’s decision, and onboarding.
Every step that is repetitive, predictable, and doesn’t require human intervention can be automated. However, complex procedures that require human experience and analysis can be handled by law firm agents.
- Analysis and filtering calls
Your law firm may get hundreds of calls every day, for new inquiries or for existing cases, or both. It needs an AI system that filters and segregates all such calls aptly. The main thing here is that no inquiry should ever sit in a queue waiting for someone to notice it!
- Automated routing
While AI intake tools are getting sophisticated, they are still no match for human intelligence and experience. Some calls still need to be forwarded to law firm agents or even ace attorneys. Such AI tools evaluate responses to intake questions to determine fit and urgency. Based on the call type, it can forward it to the appropriate agents. This ensures agents can focus on more complex work rather than being overloaded with hundreds of calls every day.
- Automated follow-up with customizations
After the AI intake system books a call and sets a consultation slot, the work is not over! After the session, there can be one or more follow-up sessions. These tools can send automated follow-up reminders to clients without sounding robotic. They can be programmed to add customization nuances.
- Integration with other existing software
A law firm typically has a software ecosystem, on-premises or cloud-based. They use accounting and database applications, for example. The AI intake application must offer a solid, seamless integration with the existing software solutions.
- Checking the reviews
Before investing in law firm intake software, carefully review the reviews. Some brands may make tall claims about their products, but verified user reviews reveal the actual picture. It is also better to try out software before subscribing.
Final words
Choosing the right legal intake software is not that tough. You have to adopt a careful, systematic approach and explore portals like https://atty.ai/ for insights. Go through all the details on the site to understand what this tool is all about. Accordingly, you can take your call regarding what to do.
