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8 benefits that a client portal will provide your law firm

Category: Blog, Client Management, Enhance Your Client Experience, Practice Management 14th July 2022

When 59% of SME law firms rank managing client communications and expectations as their number one operational challenge, it highlights those legal practices haven’t got the right client-focused tools to help streamline client collaboration.  

Utilising a client portal is the easiest way to provide a modern and convenient experience for clients that’ll exceed their expectations. With benefits for all involved, we’ve highlighted the top eight advantages of implementing a client portal into your firm.

1. Enhance client collaboration

The biggest misconception law firms have regarding client portals is that it reduces the human connection between a solicitor and their client. However, utilising digital tools for client collaboration does the opposite, it enhances it. Clients will have a better, simpler, and quicker experience by managing admin tasks through the portal, which will free up your time to dedicate one-to-one meetings where necessary and add that personal touch. Easily capture data, collaborate on documents, provide updates, and sign contracts via the portal for a transparent and convenient service that’ll win your firm more five-star reviews.

2. Enhance client collaboration

Provide real-time updates to your clients without having to send countless emails or have clients call the office. Case status updates, scheduled key dates, and upcoming tasks – that are updated in your case management solution – can be automatically published to the web portal for your client. If your firm offers the web portal via a mobile app, you can also utilise push notifications to improve communication and transparency.

3. Improve operational efficiency

An online portal gives your clients a self-service platform to upload their own documents and data. This removes bottlenecks and the manual admin of filing and inputting data into your case management software. All details uploaded by the client are automatically saved to their matter history helping to streamline your operations to speed up case progression and reduce errors. Reduce the resources you need for onboarding new clients and progressing a case by utilising a client web portal.

4. Attract new clients

The modern client is looking for a convenient and accessible way to keep up to date on their case and collaborate with their solicitor. By promoting that you offer a client portal and mobile app, new clients will see this as a benefit for choosing your firm over others. Similarly, clients who have experienced a stress-free service using your client portal, are more likely to recommend your firm to friends, or write a five-star review online.

5. Centralise data

Avoid unorganised client data and documents appearing in email chains, handwritten notes, sent in post etc and centralise all your related information via the client portal. Anything uploaded, shared, or added to the portal is automatically uploaded to the client’s matter history so it’s seamlessly connected to your case management solution saving time, improving security, and reducing errors. You can also choose to share as much or as little as you’d like with your client via the portal by simply ‘web enabling’ any document.

6. Attain signatures quicker

Offering electronic signatures to your clients is one of the easiest ways to speed up case progression. Compared to waiting days for a wet signature to return in the post, 82% of documents with electronic signatures are completed in less than a day, with 49% done in less than 15 minutes (DocuSign). E-signatures can easily be offered via a client portal so clients can conveniently sign documents whilst on the go from any device.

7. Strengthen security and protect your data

Sending sensitive data and documents via email carries risk. A client portal provides a secure way to collaborate with clients to keep their information safe. A fully integrated client portal is protected by the same security measures as your case management software, so your data is protected. Follow compliance best practices and demonstrate your quality client care by providing a portal to onboard and progress a case.

8. Improve your firm’s branding

A branded client portal and mobile app helps to promote your business more effectively to clients, highlighting your quality and reputable service. A strong brand aids your marketing efforts, helping to increase awareness so you can build stronger client relationships and attract new clients. Showcase your firm and compete with larger firms by providing a branded portal to your clients.

Enhancing your law firm with a client portal

Offering clients an online portal or mobile app not only provides benefit to the client, but your firm can reap operational, financial and compliance benefits too.

Reduce bottlenecks and the need for manual admin during the client onboarding and case processes by relying on the online portal to do the heavy lifting. Easily capture data, collaborate on documents, share updates, and more via the portal so your time can be spent on high-value tasks that further enhance the client experience or help you to scale your services with minimal resource.

Stand out from your competition and better compete with the larger firms by proving clients with a modern digital solution to case management. A client portal will enable you to effectively manage client communications and exceed their expectations.