Most industries today, even the legal sector, are clogged with paperwork and administrative duties and are actively looking to reduce such tedious, routine work.
If you operate a law firm, you know that your team spends a significant amount of their time on things that could be simply automated at the front-end. The solution? Chatbots for Law Firms.
Chatbots can answer queries on their own, automate laborious processes, schedule consultations, and more, in addition to being a concierge. Continue reading to learn how to get the most out of chatbots for law firms.
What is a chatbot?
Chatbots are popping up in nearly every sector, and the legal industry is no different.
Legal chatbots are an excellent method to streamline a work process and save time and money for law firms.
A chatbot doesn’t need to take a break or go on vacation. It is open 24/7 to give legal assistance to clients or leads who require it. It is also far more cost-effective and agile.
As a legal professional, you may think that legal chatbots will eventually replace you. But bots are like little assistants. They take care of the mundane duties, so you can focus on the ones that require your full attention.
What are the benefits of chatbots for your law firm website?
- They are cost-effective. Law firms no longer have to spend time addressing simple client or lead queries, thanks to chatbots. You can now focus on completing more billable hours by automating these simple but time-consuming tasks. Chatbots can also serve as the front desk receptionist for virtual law firms, so there would be no need to hire a virtual assistant or commit a person to answer simple questions from website visitors.
- They increase efficiency and profitability. A chatbot is capable of more than just answering queries. Lawyers can use chatbots to gather client information and book appointments. A chatbot simplifies the client intake process by replacing the need for a lawyer to accept a prospective client’s call and talk back and forth with them. A law firm chatbot can automate the client intake process, making it more efficient and, as a result, more profitable.
- They help your law firm stand out from the competition. By delivering quick responses, chatbots help your law firm stand out from the crowd. Clients can also get immediate replies instead of waiting for a live person to react with automated booking.
- They provide a client-centred experience. Chatbots offer a holistic approach beyond the initial contact with prospective clients. They can also store information about returning clients and can be programmed to provide quick case updates, answer FAQs and schedule follow-up consultations. Chatbots can provide clients with more options in this way, resulting in a genuinely client-centred experience.
- They assist law firms in lead generation. Cases and queries can arrive at any time, but lawyers are not always available. Chatbots can qualify a potential client and book appointments whenever a new lead comes in, providing law firms with the ability to generate leads 24/7.
- They can automate legal documents. For legal professionals, manually creating contracts and other legal documents from templates is laborious and time-consuming. Chatbots free up a lawyer’s time by automating and generating contracts, NDAs, and other forms of legal documents using keyword recognition.
Key takeaways
Lawyers and law firms used to have to sit down and work their way through tiresome paperwork, answering the same questions over and over again. But now, law firms can focus on what matters most—client relationships—thanks to the rise of new technology like chatbots that help automate and streamline operations.
A great way to start your law firm’s use of chatbots is through focusing on a practice vertical that would benefit from technology-driven client onboarding. For example, at Practice Proof we have designed and developed a wide range of chatbots for firms in diverse areas of practice, from estate planning, family law to compensation law.
If you need help automating certain functions in your legal practice, contact Practice Proof today.