RAD Newsletter Sept 2009
Referral Attorney Service Standards
In previous articles we have discussed the various entities involved in the Pre-Paid Legal referral network, as well as the criteria for attorneys to join the network. In addition, Pre-Paid Legal referral attorneys are asked to meet certain expectations when dealing with Pre-Paid Legal members. These expectations are meant to ensure a high level of customer service and an open channel of communication between referral attorneys, members and provider firms.
- Understand the provider firm’s responsibilities to Pre-Paid Legal members:
a. Duty to determine member benefits
b. Duty to provide benefits under the contract
c. Duty to resolve complaints (member resolution requests) - Do a conflict check before you accept a referral assignment.
- Accept or reject a referral within 24 hours of the provider firm contacting you or your staff.
- Keep the provider firm informed of any attorney or staff changes at your firm.
- When a provider firm contacts your office and you accept a referral, please assist the member with their issue when they call (it may be the same day). Members should not have to wait for the referral letter to arrive at your office via mail in order to receive assistance. If you need referral paperwork before you can assist the member, please let the provider firm's referral dept know at the time of their initial call and they can fax or email the needed information to you.
- Call or email the provider firm at any time if you have a question about coverage on a referral.
- Respond to Pre-Paid Legal members within 24 hours of their call to you. If you cannot call, have a staff person contact the member to arrange an appointment/call back time.
- Explain the fees, retainer agreement and your discount to the member. Always explain the benefit of the Pre-Paid Legal referral to the client.
a. 25% discount on hourly billing
b. 25% discount on flat fee billing
c. Provide a reasonable discounted rate on contingency billing - Keep the clients informed of the status of their case.
- Give clients a timeline for their issue (general idea of how long steps will take).
- Keep detailed notes on each case and any calls made to/from the clients.
- DO NOT refer a Pre-Paid Legal client to another attorney. If you cannot assist a member who has been referred to your office, please call the provider firm’s referral department and let them know. You should also advise the member to contact their provider law firm for assistance with another referral.
- Keep open communication - contact Pre-Paid Legal or the appropriate Pre-Paid Legal provider firm with any questions or problems.
WOW Training: Focus
I promise to not only hear, but listenA common complaint attorneys hear from clients is that they did not feel like they were heard. You may provide counsel to countless clients with similar issues. However, for your client the issue is often new and extremely troubling. It is important to make sure your client knows you are listening.
Here are some simple steps that will help convey your focus.
Understand the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is the physical act of receiving sound, but just because you hear doesn’t mean you are listening. Listening is the mental act of hearing with thoughtful attention. It can be difficult to listen actively with all of the world’s distractions. Taking the extra time to actively listen to your clients will improve your ability to convey focus.
Prepare yourself to listen. Try to start each client meeting or phone interview with a clean slate. Turn off your computer monitor and your cell phone. Leave behind thoughts about your other cases and personal issues. Free your mind of biases and assumptions about your client.
Read between the lines. A client who is facing a particularly troubling issue or is confused about legal technicalities may have trouble expressing their concerns. Try to get to the heart of the clients concerns. What is troubling them and what can you do to help them with their situation?
Ask questions that help confirm your sense of the conversation. Do not ask questions that make a client feel as if they are being interrogated. Use questions as a means to help the client begin to reach their own conclusions.
Confirm your understanding. Summarize your understanding of the conversation. If something is unclear to you, clarify it with the client immediately.
Law Firm Websites: A Front Page Checklist
There are many reasons why attorneys should have a well-designed and informative website. A member who is referred to your office will often search for your firm online. If they cannot find your firm online or if they cannot find pertinent information on your website, you will not make a good first impression.
The most important aspect of your website is the front page. If you have a poor front page, visitors will not stick around and will be less likely to contact your firm. The following tips will help make the most of your front page.
Contact Info. Your firm's address and phone number should be easily visible without scrolling down the page.
Page Links. All page links should be easy to read and find without scrolling. Important page links such as the contact page, attorney bios and resources should be grouped together.
Up-to-date Design. If your site was designed several years ago it may appear dated. Things change fast online, and your website needs to keep up. An outdated website gives visitors the impression that the attorney is also dated.
Keep it simple. The front page of your website should be simple, clean and uncluttered. Only the most vital information and design details need to be included. Google is a great example of effective simplicity. While law firms need to convey more information than the Google home page, their front page should only include what is necessary.
If you have questions about website design or maintenance you may contact PrimeLegal LC via email at contact@primelegal.biz or by phone at (804) 545 2512.
