Is the Person Answering the Phone at Your Firm Qualified?

Have you ever made a call to a business only to be immediately put on hold and then misdirected to the wrong department? Chances are, you can remember this happening to you more than once. What happened next? Many people in this position hang up and call someone else. Even if they don’t do that, they want to. 

Now, picture that the person making the phone call isn’t you, it’s your client or potential client. Often, it is what happens in the first 15 seconds of the phone being answered that sets the tone for the whole relationship or potentially ends it right there. The person answering your phone isn’t just a receptionist; they are the most important person in your public relations department.  

At PaperStreet, we have seen firsthand how intake quality affects conversion rates. Even the best-designed website can’t compensate for a poor first impression if the wrong person is the one answering your phone. 

Why the Receptionist Role Is More Than “Just Answering Phones”

In many firms, the receptionist is the lead person on the intake team. In small firms, the receptionist is the whole team. When it comes to front-office staffing, focus on quality, not quantity. Your frontline staff needs to be laser-focused on customer service. Empathy is the key to success.

It starts with the greeting. It needs to be consistently warm and confident. Your receptionist’s tone can establish trust or destroy it.  For most people, calling a lawyer ranks right up there with calling the dentist. It’s something that you need to do, not something that you want to do. When the caller is potentially already on edge, the person who answers the phone can’t be frayed too. They need to be calm and ready to listen. 

The job description of the receptionist should prioritize answering the phones and greeting people. Be very careful about other duties assigned to the receptionist. Some potential issues include:

• Assigning the receptionist duties that take them out of proximity of the reception desk 
• Expecting somebody to be a multitasking wizard 
• Expecting the receptionist to satisfy every unmet need in the office because, after all, they are “only” answering the phone
• Not placing clear boundaries with your other staff members on what your receptionist may or may not do  

If your receptionist is being pulled in several directions at once, the person on the other end of the phone line will hear it in their voice. However, because they aren’t able to see what is going on, they may take the distracted tone as a commentary on the value of their business. At that point, all of the money you have spent on your marketing to generate that call has just gone up in smoke. 

What ‘Qualified’ Really Means in a Law Firm Setting

In law firms, “qualified” means something very distinct. Understanding confidentiality and the need to avoid offering legal advice is a given. But there are additional traits that define what makes a truly qualified legal receptionist: 

• They must be a clear communicator – Clients have to be able to understand what is being said.
• They must be trained in the art of active listening – When someone is upset, as clients often are, what they want is to be heard.
• They must have a professional tone – Your receptionist has to sound like they fit in an attorney’s office.
• They must not be easily upset – In a busy law firm, lots of things happen at once, your receptionist has to be able to roll with it.
• They must be patient – Clients can be unreasonable, staff can be demanding, and the receptionist must be able to work around the moods of others without taking it out on the next person who calls or walks in. 
• They must be tech-savvy – As if people skills aren’t enough, a great receptionist also has to be able to work with a computer and be comfortable with CRM and management tools. 

A qualified receptionist has to be the full package. They must be able to maintain their composure, show empathy, and possess the emotional intelligence to handle both staff and the public when they are upset. Remember, the reputational risk of a bad receptionist; clients rarely forget poor treatment. 

Training Makes the Difference

Good receptionists aren’t just hired, they are trained. It requires an investment of time and sometimes money. It’s an investment that will pay high dividends. 

A good way for a new receptionist to gain a full understanding of the firm’s inner workings is to shadow attorneys, paralegals, and other support staff. By seeing what goes on in the courtroom, conference room, and filing room, the receptionist will gain a clear idea of the workflow. This insight will allow your front desk person to answer questions from clients and potential clients about what happens beyond the lobby.

Role-playing can be a great tool for the whole staff. By working through scenarios beforehand, your receptionist will build competence in handling difficult situations as they unfold in real time. Consider role-playing the following:

• The difficult client
• The upset client
• The rude client
• The repeat caller
• The person who won’t take “no” for an answer
• The person trying to obtain confidential information
• The pushy opposing attorney
• The angry judge
• Your mother

The best way to learn the skills necessary to be a great receptionist is practice. Preferably, the practice will be with your team rather than with real clients. Working through these situations and receiving feedback and coaching on how you want these situations handled can make the difference between confidence and disaster.

Should You Outsource Intake or Keep It In-House?

As third-party answering services become more available and cheaper, many firms struggle with whether to outsource receptionist duties. The right answer to this question depends on the firm. Several things have to be considered:

• The firm size
• Type of practice
• Case volume
• Client expectations

In firms where the practice area dictates urgency, such as personal injury and criminal, it makes sense to have a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week answering service. In this type of practice, not answering the call often means they have moved on to your competitor before someone can return the call in the morning. 

For firms where urgency is less of an issue, but support staff is spread thin, it may make sense to have a default outside answering service during office hours when your staff can’t get to the phone. Done right, this can be a seamless solution when you aren’t yet at the point where you need another staff member. 

There are some practices where using an outside answering service makes less sense. The receptionist in a family law or estate administration practice often becomes a trusted voice to clients as they negotiate divorces or the death of a loved one. Likewise, in smaller communities, your receptionist is often the face of your firm. Clients and potential clients expect a person who is physically present in your office.   

Measuring Success: How to Know Your Intake Is Working

If you want to understand if something is working, you have to be able to measure it. Tracking how well your intake process works over time will give you a sense of what is going well and what needs improvement. Start by tracking these statistics:

• Number of phone calls a day
• Number of missed calls
• Number of calls from prospective clients
• Number of calls with prospective clients that result in the scheduling of a consultation

These numbers will tell the tale. If calls are falling through the cracks and going to voicemail, you need to adjust. If you have plenty of leads calling but none are scheduling a consultation, that is a sure sign that your intake process is broken. Also, your other staff should report when clients make positive or negative comments about the reception staff.  If clients are consistently reporting good or bad experiences, you need to take them seriously.   

Conclusion: The Voice of Your Firm Matters

The person who answers your phone is more than a gatekeeper. They are your first impression. Often, what the receptionist does or doesn’t do is the sole deciding factor on whether a potential client picks your firm or moves on to the next one. A qualified, well-trained receptionist is the person who has the power to turn a first-time caller into a long-term client. 

If you’re ready to improve the way your firm connects with potential clients, reach out to PaperStreet. We can help you evaluate your intake process, align it with your marketing goals, and ensure that every call counts.