Technology for law firms is essential, but clients expect personal service.

Technology is everywhere and must be embraced by all. Modern business, done by any business, needs to adopt technology in as many areas as possible to both reduce costs and enhance the services to its clients.

Law firms have historically been slow adopters, but for those that are perhaps quicker at the uptake, be warned. Clients, especially clients of law firms, expect a more personal service than in other professions. Often, in commercial, divorce and other litigation, details are complex and normally not best managed by email, for example.

Clients invariably want to call their solicitor or barrister and it's at this point that a bad use of technology can damage a firm's credibility. For example, there are many ways to implement telephone systems to allow calls to bounce around an office waiting, hoping, for someone to pick up the call. Ever called somewhere and heard a distracted, preoccupied voice on the line? If so, you've just been caught by the line bounce.

In slightly larger firms where there are perhaps one or two receptionists, the problem still exists when the inbound call volume and visiting clients reach a level where new calls are simply not answered. These are missed opportunities or disgruntled clients that may not choose your firm next time.

A great use of technology, along with a reliable human interface, on that critical first contact is to use a backup receptionist service. This works by having inbound calls routed to a London based dedicated team of 3 receptionists only when you need them. They answer with your firms name and then announce and if requested by you patch calls through to the correct staff member or partner.

Backup receptionist services, help London law firms connect with their clients 100% of the time in the way their clients expect. Find out more about this and other virtual office services here.