Small law firms are stretched thin. With limited resources and a never-ending workload, it’s no surprise attorneys and paralegals are stressed and burnt out. Luckily, cost-effective help is out there – if you know where to find it!
Hiring an answering service frees up hours of precious time. But it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all the options available.  For law firms, however, the key question to ask is this:
Should I choose a legal answering service or a generic answering service?
Understanding the difference is essential to make an informed choice that aligns with your law firm’s needs. Let’s break down 6 things to consider:
1. Legal knowledge
Legal answering services provide your law firm with a team of professionals who already understand the legal terminology you and your callers use. These receptionists skillfully address legal inquiries, identify different case types, and make your callers feel cared for and understood in their time of need.
Generic answering services, on the other hand, take calls from all industries – from law firms to hair stylists. Without specialization, their receptionists lack the legal knowledge needed to professionally assist clients seeking legal advice. This lack of knowledge is a poor reflection of the expertise your law firm actually provides and turns many callers away.
2. Client experience
Client satisfaction is crucial for any successful law firm. Legal-trained receptionists have the skills needed to communicate with your clients as if they were sitting right in your office! It’s hard to convey that same in-house feel with a generic answering service. Lack of specialization often makes it clear to your callers that your receptionist is outsourced.
3. Legal terminology and accuracy
Legal jargon is complex. Training and experience are necessary in order to ensure full understanding. Receptionists at legal answering services are well-versed in legal terms and complete intensive training to ensure accurate communication with both legal clients and attorneys themselves.
Generic answering services pose a higher risk of misunderstandings that lead to errors and confusion.
4. Customization and call scripting
Legal receptionists can do more than just direct your calls. Their understanding of complex legal terminology and procedures allows them to:
- screen and qualify new leads
- accurately determine the case type your caller is dealing with
- complete custom new client intakes by case type
- process payments and schedule appointments
- make outbound calls to collect information from clients and leads
Generic answering services will likely misclassify cases, creating more work for you – which is exactly what you’re trying to avoid!
5. Legal features and integrations
Legal answering services train their receptionists on the most commonly used LPMs and CRMs. Chances are, whatever you use at your law firm, they’re already comfortable with it. Plus, integrations with legal products are prioritized above integrations with generic products, because these are the products attorneys use!
Generic answering services lack legal-specialized features, meaning you’ll need to alter your processes to fit into their box. It’s common for large answering services to require that their clients use a certain scheduling platform or intake form software if they want to utilize those features at all.
6. Price
Why would an attorney consider a generic answering service when legal specialized answering services exist? The answer is price.
Generic services operate with less customization and no specialization. Legal answering services spend more on labor and training to ensure quality service, which is often reflected in the overall cost. However, these price differences are typically small, and law firms will see an increase in new clients and an improvement in reputation when working with specialists.
Conclusion
Let’s answer our initial question:
Should I choose a legal answering service or a generic answering service?
A legal answering service is the best choice for law firms. When you partner with a legal answering service, you’ll rest easy knowing that your law firm’s calls are handled with care, professionalism, and an understanding of the legal landscape.
Plus – small law firms need every trick up their sleeves to maximize efficiency and deliver exceptional client service to compete with Biglaw.
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