HOW TO USE A CHAT FUNCTION
The first principle is do not call it CHAT especially if you are using artificial intelligence to simply ask questions and do not really have a live person available to chat.
If all that your CHAT function does is asks questions, then call it CONTACT US or LEARN MORE. It is not a CHAT if there is no real person with whom to CHAT. The best option is to route your CHAT to your receptionist or rotate your calls among your staff.
Click on the button below to learn how a law firm should answer the telephone instead of using a CHAT.
CALLING IT A CHAT WHEN IT IS NOT, IS DECEPTIVE – AND NOT GOOD FOR YOUR REPUTATION.
It is a fact that law firms that have a real person who answers greatly outperform CHAT systems that use AI to ask questions or go straight to a form to fill out. Potential clients get an impression in the first few seconds upon landing on your web page.
If a potential client was expecting to be able to speak with a live person and instead winds up simply answering questions, they will feel deceived. are suitable for addressing simple questions or providing quick assistance, they may not be ideal for handling complex inquiries or issues that require in-depth explanations. In such cases, customers may prefer speaking with a live representative over the phone or via email.
IS YOUR CHAT LOSING YOU CLIENTS?
Revise your call logs to see how many visitors disconnect before completing the CHAT versus those who remain to interact with your CHAT.
If you don’t have a person ready to handle CHATs, you can outsource it. See this link for some 3rd party solutions.
Marketing principle:
A basic principle of marketing is always that people want to do business with someone who treats them as an individual and who satisfies their needs. They often have what feels like an urgent problem; they need solutions, or at least a sense that they are not alone in trying to solve their pressing issue. When their call goes to an artificial question/answering system they feel that their concerns are not that important.
Contrast that with the experience of speaking with a live person. Having a human being answer a call creates an instant sense of being heard (rather than recorded). A live person can ask the right questions. l You will get more accurate information to respond to the potential client.
Critically, a real person can also give a caller a sense of when they can expect to hear back from you—people under stress, as prospective legal clients often are, appreciate knowing what to expect. By simply responding to a call with a live person you start to build a relationship with a prospective client for you, before you even speak to them.
OTHER REASONS NOT TO USE A CHAT FUNCTION
Here are some reasons why your law firm might choose not to use a CHAT function:
RESOURCES:
Operating a CHAT with a live person (either your staff or outsourced) requires dedicated resources, including personnel to respond to inquiries in a timely manner. If your law firm doesn’t have the capacity to manage incoming CHAT requests effectively, it could result in poor customer service and dissatisfaction.
PRIVACY CONCERNS:
If your law firm lacks the necessary security measures to protect sensitive information, it may be better to avoid implementing a CHAT function.
Limited Availability:
If your law firm has limited staffing availability, maintaining a CHAT function 24/7 may not be feasible. Inconsistency in availability can lead to frustration among customers who expect immediate responses.
Miscommunication:
CHAT conversations can sometimes lead to misunderstandings or miscommunication due to the absence of non-verbal cues and tone of voice. This can result in customer dissatisfaction or confusion about your products or services.
Ineffective for Complex Inquiries:
While CHAT functions are suitable for addressing simple questions or providing quick assistance, they may not be ideal for handling complex inquiries or issues that require in-depth explanations. In such cases, customers may prefer speaking with a live representative over the phone or via email.
User Experience Concerns:
Poorly implemented CHAT functions, such as ones with long wait times or clunky interfaces, can detract from the overall user experience on your website and may drive potential customers away.
CONCLUSION
Before deciding whether or not to implement a CHAT function on your law firm’s website, it’s essential to carefully weigh the potential benefits against these drawbacks and consider whether your law firm has the resources and infrastructure necessary to support it effectively.
It is highly recommended that you do NOT use CHAT and connect clients to a live person.
See this article by clicking on the button “How a Law Firm Should Answer the Telephone”.