The last few months have dramatically altered many aspects of our lives. In the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, weddings have been postponed indefinitely, schools have shut their doors, and much uncertainty about the future still remains. Even as businesses across the country are thinking about opening their doors once more, many law firms are considering the idea of continuing to operate remotely. For now, it seems that minimizing in-person interactions as much as possible is key to preventing the transmission of the virus, so let’s take a look at some ways you can continue to provide top-notch legal services to your clients from a safe distance.
Cultivating Authentic Connections
As meeting with clients face-to-face is not ideal at this time, you’ll have to get creative about the tools you can use to connect with your clients. A major pillar of a successful legal practice is building meaningful relationships with your clients, so it’s worth prioritizing client communications right now. Many attorneys have turned to virtual communication tools, such as Zoom or Google Meet, to replace in-person meetings with clients. While phone calls and email still work for smaller communications, the ability for attorneys and clients to see each others’ faces, hear each other’s voices, and observe nonverbal cues can cultivate a deeper sense of trust between them.
Consider Offering Online Scheduling
Another way to make yourself more accessible to your clients is to use an online scheduling tool. For many law offices, the process of receiving calls and emails from clients requesting a consultation, checking your schedule, then contacting the client to finalize the date and time can be cumbersome and time consuming. Instead, using an automated scheduling tool to designate some dates and times during which clients may self-schedule an appointment with you can substantially streamline the scheduling process. You’ll simply receive an alert that a client has scheduled a consultation with you—no extra work on your part. Plus, clients generally enjoy online scheduling, as it gives them control over when and how they contact you.
Looking Toward the Future
In this uncertain time, many attorneys are realizing that working remotely may be best for their legal practice. It’s safe to say that offices across the country will be evaluating their business practices and looking for ways to streamline costs and keep their employees and clients safe and well in the long term. Industry experts project that many attorneys and legal professionals will continue to offer their services remotely, perhaps only meeting clients face-to-face on rare occasions. Running your law practice remotely is likely to only grow easier as additional tools become available.
