Why Every Law Firm Should Use A Client Portal

There's a reason why law firms today increasingly use some sort of client portal. It's because they offer attorneys and clients alike a host of benefits that simply can't be found elsewhere. From reducing administrative costs to improving communication, there's no doubt that client portals are a valuable tool for any legal practice. Keep reading to learn more!

Key Components Of A Client Portal

First, let's look at some key components that make up a typical client portal. While there are many different types of platforms out there with standard features, Case Status is able to offer a variety of unique features that clients won’t find elsewhere. Here are a few examples:

Reminders & Scheduling

Lawyers and clients are constantly dealing with deadlines, and a good client portal will have features that help them keep track of these important dates. 

Schedule Appointments

The most obvious benefit of a client portal is the ability to schedule appointments with clients and vice versa. Traditionally, this would be done over the phone or in person. But with a portal, clients can easily schedule appointments online 24/7.

This is not only more convenient for everyone, but it also frees up law firm staff time so they can focus on more pressing matters.

Automate Reminders

Once an appointment is scheduled, you can automatically send reminders to your clients through the portal. This way, they'll never have to worry about forgetting their appointment or rescheduling it at the last minute.

Note that this goes both ways! If your firm tackles multiple cases simultaneously, you can use the portal to remind them of deadlines and upcoming appointments related to their other cases.

Automation

As the world becomes increasingly digitized, there's a growing demand for automation in every industry - and the legal field is no different. Client portals can automate many of the tedious tasks that lawyers have to deal with on a daily basis.

Client Tasks

Clients often have to complete specific tasks in order for their case to move forward. But rather than having to track them down and remind them constantly, you can use a client portal to automate this process.

For example, let's say you need your client to complete a questionnaire. With a portal, you can send them the questionnaire electronically and set it up so that it's automatically submitted to you once they're done. No more chasing down paperwork!

Document Collection

Clients who need to submit documents or fill out forms can do so easily through the portal. This not only saves you time but also helps to reduce errors. Clients can also submit photographs or videos directly to the law firm through a portal. 

Communication

One of the most important aspects of any legal case is communication. Emails can be insecure, and phone calls are easily forgotten or misinterpreted. But with a platform like Case Status, you have a written record of all your messages that can be easily referenced later on, creating a third party audit trail. 

A client portal provides the most secure, convenient way for you to communicate with your clients.

Firm Insights

Client portals can also give you valuable insights into your firm. By tracking how often clients log in and how long they spend in the portal, law firms know that their clients are informed about their case (and calling less). Case Status also allows law firms to track Net Promoter Score (more below).  

Dashboard View Of Cases

A central client portal dashboard gives lawyers & clients a snapshot view of all their current cases. It's an efficient way to track the status of cases, upcoming deadlines, and client communications.

Portals also make it easy to find and retrieve important documents. Rather than searching through email attachments or file folders, you can simply log into the portal and access everything you need in one place.

NPS Tracking

One of the best ways to measure client satisfaction is through Net Promoter Scores (NPS). NPS is a metric that gauges how likely a client would recommend your firm to others. Case Status is the only client portal that allows clients to leave feedback and for firms to track their NPS scores.

By tracking NPS scores over time, firms can identify trends and take steps to improve client satisfaction. This is a valuable metric for any law firm that wants to improve its business.

Key Benefits For Client Portals

Now that we've gone over some of the features of client portals, let's take a look at the key benefits they offer:

Cut Down On Inbound Calls

By automating tasks and providing information online, client portals can help to reduce the number of inbound calls that law firms receive. Since there is no more need to chase down clients for information or documents constantly, firms can see a significant reduction in the number of calls they receive.

Many of our customers report a reduction of 70% or more. This is a huge time saving for any law firm and frees staff to focus on winning cases.

Increase Referrals

Your firm's best source of new business is probably referrals from existing clients. Client portals make it easy for clients to share your firm's information with others, and they can help you increase the number of referrals you receive by 5-10 times. One law firm had an 800% increase in referrals over the first three months of becoming a Case Status customer. 

By providing a central place for satisfied clients to leave reviews and testimonials, client portals make it easy for firms to generate new leads.

Save Time 

Finally, client portals can help you save a lot of time by keeping clients informed and updated on their cases. Gone are the days of waiting for information or updates. With a portal, everything is available in one place, and clients can log in to get the latest information whenever needed.

Conclusion

Overall, client portals offer a number of benefits that can be extremely helpful to law firms. If you're not already using a portal, now is the time to consider adding this powerful tool to your arsenal.

At Case Status, we offer the most powerful and easy-to-use client portal for law firms. Let us help your firm achieve all of the benefits we've discussed. Book a demo today to learn more about our portal and see for yourself how it can transform your firm.