When hiring a Pittsburgh legal answering service, it's important to take the extra time and find the right fit. A legal answering service does more than just picking up the phone; it contributes to a positive and professional experience for your callers. When you’re in a meeting, at court, or away on vacation, a legal answering service ensures that every call is handled with care.
A law firm may assume that legal expertise alone is enough to generate business and retain loyal clients. But research shows a different picture: customer service matters for law firms. In fact, fewer than 10% of clients who call a law firm actually get to speak to a lawyer, and over 40% of those leaving voicemails or submitting web forms wait two to three days for a response. Law firms that make responsiveness and customer service a priority stand to gain a competitive advantage, earn client repeat business and referrals.
If you are ready to hire a legal answering service, congratulations! You will realize the benefits and demonstrate your commitment to your clients and prospective clients.
But with so many answering services available , how do you select the best one for your firm? First, consider your needs in detail: will you be using the service 24/7, or only after hours? Will you be setting up call routing protocols, or only having the answering service take messages? Will you be using the answering service to qualify leads? These are some of the needs and preferences to consider. Next, let's review why and how to hire a Pittsburgh legal answering service that offers the best fit for your law firm.
Why Law Firms Choose To Hire A Pittsburgh Answering Service
Phone calls are a major part of the communication work for law firms. When handled correctly, they can generate business and help grow your practice. Here’s how hiring an answering service can elevate your practice to new heights:
- Reach The Next Level of Professionalism: First impressions matter for law firms, and legal answering services provide trained agents who handle calls with professionalism and care. Customized scripts ensure every interaction reflects your firm’s values, leaving clients feeling heard and valued.
- Reduce Costs: A legal answering service offers professional support at a fraction of the cost of a full-time receptionist.
- Stop Missing Valuable Calls: A legal answering service helps ensure that no call goes unanswered. This degree of responsiveness and accessibility fosters trust and loyalty.
- Free Up Billable Hours: By outsourcing call handling, your team can focus on billable work without interruptions. Answering services screen calls, schedule appointments, and handle routine inquiries, streamlining operations and boosting productivity.
- 24/7 Availability: Legal issues don’t follow business hours, and a 24/7 answering service ensures your firm is always accessible. This is especially valuable for practice areas like personal injury or criminal defense, where emergencies can arise at any time.
- Offer Bilingual Support: Serving diverse communities often requires multilingual capabilities. Answering services with bilingual agents expand your reach and ensure language barriers don’t prevent potential clients from seeking your help.
- Less Stress for Your Team: A legal answering service can reduce the noise and distraction of phone calls, enabling attorneys, paralegal, and other personnel to focus on their immediate jobs. This reduces stress and allows your staff to focus on more billable vs. administrative tasks.
Questions To Ask Before You Hire A Legal Answering Service
Selecting the right legal answering service is an important step, not to be taken lightly. Whether you're a solo practitioner or part of a large firm, your answering service will often serve as the first point of contact for potential clients. The quality of this interaction can impact your firm's reputation and client satisfaction. To make sure you hire a legal answering service that aligns with your needs for the short term and long term, here are five essential questions to ask when evaluating legal answering services.
- Do You Have Experience in the Legal Industry?
You will want to hire a service with a proven track record in the legal field. Ask about their experience working with law firms and whether their staff is trained in legal terminology and procedures. This step ensures that the answering agents can handle sensitive client inquiries effectively and maintain the professionalism expected in legal communications. - What Are Your Average Response Times?
In the legal profession, timely communication can be critical. Inquire about the service's hours of operation and whether they offer 24/7 availability. You may also wish to ask about their average response times for incoming calls and how quickly they can address urgent client matters. A responsive service can significantly enhance client satisfaction and trust. - How Do You Ensure Confidentiality Of My Callers?
Given the sensitive nature of legal work, it's essential to know how the answering service handles client confidentiality. Ask about their security measures, such as data encryption and access controls, to protect sensitive information. Understanding their protocols for maintaining attorney-client privilege is vital for compliance and trust. - How Do You Handle Lead Intake?
One of the most high added value services you’ll find in a legal answering service is lead qualification and intake. This service ensures that potential clients are not only greeted professionally but also thoroughly screened to determine if they are a good fit for your firm. By gathering essential details—such as the nature of their legal issue, timelines, and contact information—the answering service streamlines the intake process, saving your team valuable time. Lead qualification helps your firm prioritize high-value cases while reducing the time spent on unqualified leads or those that don’t fit your field of expertise. When looking to hire a legal answering service, be sure to ask about their lead intake capabilities. Look for services that offer customizable solutions tailored to your firm's needs - What Pricing Models Do You Offer?
Understanding the answering service pricing structure is important for budgeting purposes. You don’t want to receive unexpected bills or face hidden fees. Ask about their pricing models—whether they charge per call, per minute, or offer flat-rate packages—and what services are included in those costs. This information will help you determine which option aligns best with your firm's call volume and budget.
Find Your Legal Answering Service Partner At Pittsburgh Telephone Answering Service
Pittsburgh Telephone Answering Service offers specialized answering services for attorneys and legal teams, providing 24/7 support that extends beyond the limitations of in-house operators. Our carefully selected agents possess strong academic backgrounds and undergo rigorous training to ensure they can communicate with clients professionally and effectively. As you do your research and take steps to hire a legal answering service, consider our team. We encourage you to reach out with any questions. We are here for you!
