In my new role providing marketing support to law firms I regularly talk to Partners and Marketing Managers and as such have become a bit of an expert on call handling approaches. Usually my calls are answered promptly and professionally, but unfortunately not always. Probably the most bizarre experience occurred when I rang a commercial firm in London. I called via switchboard mid morning and received no answer, so rang back and this time I was transferred to an answer machine and a standard BT message! Maybe given the firm’s international focus they don’t receive many important calls in the morning, let’s hope not anyway. I also had some disappointing experiences with regional practices, particularly a firm with 4 offices and apparently no switchboard cover at any. With no direct line numbers published on their website it was impossible to get through.
Maybe I’m just impatient and clients and potential clients are more forgiving, but somehow I doubt it. Admittedly these strange experienced were via switchboard and the receptionists may have had some emergency to deal with. So what happened when I use direct lines? Well often it’s more frustrating. I’d guess that in 75% of cases a direct line will take you straight to voicemail. Obviously lawyers can’t be available 24/7, after all they need time for client meetings and briefings and actually doing the work, but I fear that many find it a bit too easy to switch their phone to voicemail rather than having to answer it. Voicemail may be convenient for lawyers, but for me and I suspect many of their clients it’s a turn off. We don’t want to speak to a machine, in fact we would rather speak to their colleague, as then we could find out where the lawyer is and the likelihood of speaking to them that day.
If you’re getting call handling right it’s probably going largely unnoticed, after all you’re a professional organisation so you are expected to answer calls promptly and politely. However, as that’s the expectation when you’re slow to answer calls or regularly divert calls to voicemail it’s noticed and my guess is that it grates with clients.
Initial impressions do count, so here are some suggestions to help you get it right:
- Don’t be complacent and assume that everything is running smoothly.
- Monitor how quickly calls are answered via your switchboard (aim for within 3 rings) and also check how many calls are being lost (i.e. they hang up). Your telephone supplier should be able to provide this information to you.
- Don’t overload receptionists with tasks that draw them away from the phone.
- If you have several offices consider centralising the call handling in one office and employing a dedicated switchboard team. This leaves the other receptionists free to meet and greet and perform other administrative tasks.
- Makes sure that everyone in your firm knows what’s expected of them in terms of call handling. Adopt a standard greeting and encourage all personnel to take responsibilities for ringing phones.
- If you work in an open plan environment set up pick up groups so colleagues can answer each others calls.
- Set up diverts to secretaries for calls not answered within 3 rings, rather than diverts to voicemail.
- Monitor call handling, preferably through mystery shopping, checking via switchboard and direct line. By playing back samples of the good and bad calls your lawyers and support staff soon appreciate what it’s like from the client’s perspective.
- Ensure that direct dial numbers appear on business cards, websites and other promotional literature.
I look forward to talking with you soon!