"Press 1 if you know your party’s extension….” We have all had that dreaded experience of dealing with automated customer service recordings. “Press 2 to hear answers to frequently asked questions about our services.” No matter what business you operate, most customers who call prefer to speak with a human being, not a computer system.

Even worse is connecting to a real, live person who is abrupt, rude or crass. This is not the first impression you want prospects to take away from your law firm–nor do you want your established clients to feel slighted. Do not allow this easily remedied behavior to drive business elsewhere. Take advantage of all the leads that are knocking at your door, and thereby maximize the ROI on all your marketing efforts.

When was the last time you listened to your intake specialists on a call? Watch this short video to find out what you may be missing.

An intake staff does not pick up bad habits in a day. They probably received some training when they were hired initially, or maybe they came in with a strong background in customer relations. You may have provided guidelines for interaction with customers. But it takes more than a one-time training session to instill good habits. It takes practice and a skilled coach to master important techniques.

Why isn’t your legal intake performing up to your standards? This two-minute video will give you a new perspective.

We all benefit from continual training in our jobs. Just as attorneys must seek CLE credits to remain certified under state Bar rules, it is important that your staff members are trained continually on best practices for law firm intake.