Communication is Key. How Can You Improve?

Communication is a skill that we use constantly every day. But, are you really communicating effectively with your clients?  Clients now have access to more information, and as a result they are more empowered and demand more transparency.

This means more communication for you – and you need to do it well to keep your clients happy and to maintain your own sanity.

The 5Ws:

What is your client communication strategy?  Do you proactively communicate with your clients on a regular basis where you are the first to initiate the conversation?  Or is the only time you talk with clients is when they initiate a call with a question or because they want to debate a charge on their bill?

As attorneys you are familiar with the 5W approach for gathering information and problem solving: Who, What, When, Where, Why.  To create better habits and to make your client communication as effective and as timely as possible, you should also apply the 5Ws to your client communication plan.

• Who do I need to communicate with?  
• What do I need to communicate?
• When do I need to communicate?
• Where do I need to communicate?
• Why do I need to communicate?

You should be answering the 5W questions regularly throughout the life of the matter and reaching out to your clients accordingly.

Don’t Forget the 1H:

Just as in the process of gathering information, the other important consideration in client communication is the 1H: How.

• How do I communicate?

And, how you answer and act on this question can mean all the difference to your client’s satisfaction.

Communication – The How:

Think about how you access your bank account, medical records or test results, or even your child’s grades.  You probably access this confidential information online in a secure environment.  You no longer have to go to the bank to review your account balance or transaction history, your medical records are not sent to you as an attachment in your personal email account, and you can check your child’s grades anytime you are curious about their performance.

We all now prefer to communicate online, and you should consider this approach in your law firm to increase your client satisfaction.  It isn’t always convenient for your clients to have to meet with you in your office and be handed a stack of paper to review.

However, sending emails that are unencrypted with a legal disclaimer at the bottom is a way to communicate online, but it is not a secure communication method.  If you don’t encrypt your emails, you are sending an open invitation to hackers putting your entire firm at risk.  The ABA has even realized the importance of data security, and in May it released ABA Formal Ethics Opinion 477, which requires attorneys to evaluate the confidentiality of every communication and then determine and use the most secure communication method required.  It is no longer an option to ignore security risks.

The Client Portal Best Practice

Many small law firms have adopted a modern way to securely and effectively communicate with clients online through a client portal.  A client portal allows you to share documents, forms and messages and collaborate with clients in a secure environment.  And, client portals are standard in cloud-based legal practice management solutions so you can take advantage of this client communication best practice while also streamlining and automating other clerical tasks in your law firm.

A client portal also helps you fulfill your ethical duty of secure client communication because messages sent and received through the client portal are secure and encrypted eliminating the need to evaluate the security need of each unique communication.

Read this cloud security checklist to learn what questions to ask and what features to consider when selecting a cloud-based solution or client portal.

Client communication is key to keeping your clients happy.  Consider how you communicate and if a client portal would improve communication with clients at your firm.  If you are ready to give it a try, start a free trial of Firm Central to see how a client portal can transform your client communications.