In law more than many industries, integrity is vital. With people and their needs at the heart of everything, morals and principles are often our driving forces. Clients probably even come to you because of those values you present. They need to trust that you have their best interests at heart, after all, and understanding what makes you tick is part of that.
The trouble is that the legal industry, like every other industry out there, is currently facing significant changes. And, these shifts towards technology, in particular, could put that all-important integrity at risk.
While technology does have the potential to change things for the better, there is a flip side to that, especially for legal professionals. After all, technological capabilities are largely untested. As such, they leave any firm open to certain risks, many of which can do real damage to that reputation which matters so much to gaining clients.
Does this mean your law firm should turn away from advancements altogether? Not at all. Doing so would leave you behind and suffering from a lack of custom regardless. Instead, modern success is about making sure you keep your values firmly in mind as you embark on new processes. And, to show how that’s possible, we’re going to consider a few of the ways that you can keep your integrity intact where technology is involved.
Find new ways to implement old processes
One of the best things about technology is the way that it stands to make everyone’s lives easier. You can benefit from this without compromising anything by merely turning your attention to modern ways to implement old processes. Digital filing is probably the most common option here and can make processes and storage a lot easier for every member of your team. All you need to do to make it work is to turn to a trusted and secure storage solution.
You may also find that AI-based systems like Jumio's Netverify can make your life and that of your customer’s easier without losing anything. That’s because this system offers a digital way to gain identification clients would otherwise have to book up and bring to you. Again, security should be at the front of your mind here to ensure no unwanted parties gain access to sensitive information. But, once your systems are secure, solutions like these could soon improve your reputation rather than risking it. Given that these are processes you implement already, you’ll merely be enhancing the service you already offer. All without taking too much of a step away from what you know.
Don’t lose the human touch
When it comes to legal matters, the human touch is essential. Clients come to you at their lowest hour, and sometimes, sending an email isn’t going to be enough. That’s why you should work hard to keep the human touch strong in your firm, despite or even because of these advancements. For instance, far from making traditional phone lines obsolete as some believe, options like VoIP ensure you’re able to make your team easier to contact by phone than ever. That can go a long way towards making sure that clients always receive the personal support you pride yourself on.
Options such as an online chat box can also take your integrity that bit further. This is especially the case for clients who are facing embarrassing or complicated legal issues. That’s because your live chat options allow you to offer personal support to anyone, no matter what. And, that could see you gaining new customers without once risking the ones that you already have.
Remain respectful
One of the most potentially problematic advances for legal firms is that of social media. Any company now needs to have multiple social media accounts for the sake of everything from marketing to employment. Yet, if you aren’t careful, social media updates from your legal firm could come across as a little crass or even disrespectful. You offer a serious service, after all, and social media can often become a mockery.
The good news is that it is possible to make your presence known on social sites and still appear professional at all times. The trick is to think long and hard about the content you’re putting out there. Be sure that you strike a tone that your clients would appreciate and, whatever you do, try to avoid comic updates which could offend the people you work with and risk that integrity you’ve done so well at maintaining until now.
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