When was the last time you used a chatbot? Perhaps you were doing your online banking, or asking about the return policy at your favourite clothing company? Either way, your enquiry was probably dealt with quickly and efficiently without the need to wait in a phone queue to speak to someone.
So it’s no surprise that chatbots are now making their way into the legal sector. Here are 7 reasons why you may want to consider one for your law firm’s website:
- They can generate PR for your firm.
Chatbots are big news, and more companies are adopting them to assist their customers. A great example of this is our creation, BillyBot – a junior clerk chatbot that has received some really positive and exciting commentary online. Using one can provide a great publicity opportunity – it’s a social media dream! It adds that extra edge to your site that other law firm sites can’t boast. This should also encourage word of mouth; if your clients are impressed with the efficient service of your bot, they are likely to recommend you to their friends or leave positive reviews on Google.
- Make site navigation easier
Rather than browsing your website, clients can tell the chatbot what they need help with and the bot will provide the link for them to follow. Using Google search results, they provide the client with the appropriate links, and the site command will limit the results to just your site. If the client is already on the correct page, the bot will alter the response it gives to provide further information, or nudge a member of your team to take action.
- Personal takeover
Should the enquiry be too complicated for the chatbot to understand or answer, it will ask if the client wants a human to take over, at which point it alerts a member of staff active in the office using a messaging service such as Slack (Instant Messaging Software). The member of staff who takes over will have access to the full history of the conversation, so will continue in the same window for the client. If no one is available, the chatbot will direct the client through the enquiry form process to gather the details so a member of staff can respond on the next working day. This will save you and your clients a lot of time in the long run.
- Filling in forms
The bot will collect all the information needed for a general enquiry or “let us call you back” form, which will then be sent to you via email, making the enquiry process simpler for yourself and the client, providing you with all the information you need to respond to the enquiry swiftly.
- Make your site more welcoming and interactive
Your website is often the first thing a client will see of your firm, and making it as welcoming, interactive and easy to navigate as possible will keep clients engaged. By automating simple, repetitive tasks, the chatbot provides an effective way of helping the client, whether or not people are in the office. With choices for the design of the chatbot, you can design the bot to your firm, so it blends seamlessly with your firm’s website.
- Calculator function
The bot can also act as a calculator for clients, for the purposes of conveyancing quotes, personal injury claims and other claims quotes. This allows the client to get a better idea of what their case will roughly cost, without needing a member of staff to help them calculate their claim.
- Provides an Online Payment interface
The chatbot can provide an interface for online payments via Stripe, meaning the client can pay easily and fuss-free. As internet banking has taken off, this function will appear very familiar to your clients.
For information on the chatbot we are currently developing, go ahead and download our Chatbot Product Roadmap.