Voice mail is killing you

Paraphrasing the commercial, (for those of you liviing on the West Coast, “Larry, you’re killing me!”), “… voice mail is killing your practice.”

An answering service company suggests in a recent advertisement: “Voice mail is killing your practice.” They back this up with a survey they claim shows the folling statistic: 7 out of 10 callers HANG UP on voicemail.

That means 7 out of 10 people who reach you do not leave a message. How much business are you losing? How many thousands of $$$ is your voicemail costing you per month?

A live opertor answering your calls is 3 TIMES more likely to get a message. Live operators convey the professional image that your business needs. Live operators have the ability to deliver time sensitive messages that voicemail cannot.

And before you can say that you don’t have the resources that a large firm has, let me suggest that your practice must be built on the foundation of service to the client, not on ease of operation for you, the lawyer. Only those practices that truly focus on the consumer – the client – will grow and continue to prosper.

I’m amazed that even some Bar associations are beginning to get this message. I was in a meeting just a few days ago where the message came across loud and clear: The Bar is seeking to become Member-centric, focusing on benefits that can be provided to members while still honoring its long tradition of protecting the public. These two concepts are not mutually exclusive. The trick will be to get staff to understand that and change … Even the Titanic can be turned around!

Become client-centric (consumer-centric; customer-centric) in your practice and your clients will quickly recognize the difference. That’s how a lawyer can build loyalty from his/her clients.

Categorized in: Management