What I learned from the first intake training session yesterday was some of the basic principles of doing an intake call with a potential client. First, making sure that I understand what are the needs of a client in contrast to just their wants. Secondly, the importance of making a good impression as soon as we answer the hotline, because clients will usually call other law firms who offer similar services and most of these law firms tend to sound the same. On the other hand, clients may be hesitant to make the initial phone call due to various factors such as previous misconceptions of attorneys in general or having a bad experience with a previous attorney/law firm. Therefore we need to make sure that we stand out from the rest of the competition in a positive way, by using the appropriate tone of voice, actually listening to the client’s situation/story, verbally recognizing/acknowledging that we can relate to what the client has gone through. Reassuring the client that they have called the correct place, making it clear to the client from the very start that we will be taking action and actually explaining to the client what I am planning to do. Third, making it clear to the client that we are well informed and have the experience to answer or address any questions or concerns they may have. Furthermore asking the client before the call has ended if they have any more questions. Lastly, I learned that it is okay to compassionately interrupt a client, to make sure that we always follow the rules of intake, to always be grateful that a client calls and answer each phone call like it’s your first because, at the end of the day, we have a job because of our clients. So in conclusion, after yesterday, I have already made small changes in how I answer ad calls by welcoming the client, taking more time to listen to what the client has to say, confirming that I have the clients’correct contact information and reassuring the client that they have called the right place.
– Alex Benavides, Schwartzapfel Advocates Ltd.
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