Posted 7 December 2020

In 2020, law firms around the world faced the sudden upheaval of business-as-usual. The traditional office environment quickly became the kitchen table and firms were charged with finding new ways of maintaining business continuity in a socially distanced world. 

As we close out the year, many firms are preoccupied with how best to return to normal (or something close to it). Yet, as the pandemic continues, it’s becoming increasingly clear that ‘normal’ in the future may be something very different than what we’re currently used to.

However, one thing is clear as we head into the coming year: creating a connected client experience is imperative. Competition in the legal market is heating up and delivering a stellar customer experience matters now more than ever. In today’s legal market, many firms look the same to prospective clients - they fail to project a compelling value that distinguishes them from the competition. Yet, differentiation will be key in standing out in a highly competitive market - and mastering the remote client experience is essential. 

From client onboarding through to client service and execution, creating and sustaining a connected client experience is a must in 2021 and beyond. Here, we look at how firms are already using end-to-end automated legal technology solutions to build stronger relationships, drive profitable revenue growth and create differentiation through client experience.

Automated Client Intake and Onboarding

New clients may no longer be welcomed with a handshake, but there are still new clients and matters to accept. Given the work-from-anywhere world we’re now in, being able to quickly accept new clients and matters online, whilst ensuring regulatory compliance is crucial to keep business moving forward.

Traditionally, the client intake process at many firms has relied on manual and time-consuming processes, such as comparing and entering information across multiple systems. This approach not only creates a lack of visibility, but also presents a greater opportunity for key considerations to fall through the cracks. 

That’s why an increasing number of firms are turning to workflow automation to streamline processes, mitigate risk and increase profitability. A prime example of this is top-tier rated international law firm Wikborg Rein’s digital client intake solution. The digital solution, developed in collaboration with Sysero partner PSA Consulting, employs Sysero’s workflow technology to power intuitive web-based acceptance forms where new clients and cases can be registered. Once the necessary information is collected, it’s automatically assessed and verified against public registers and databases and the client’s identity is authenticated through their Bank Identifier Code. Any client or case that falls outside the requirements is automatically routed to a workflow for further assessment to ensure compliance. Once approved, the new client and case are automatically created in Wikborg Rein’s integrated internal systems. 

The new solution has empowered Wikborg Rein to transform client intake from a set of disparate and onerous tasks to a streamlined, quality-driven and comprehensive cloud-driven process. With faster acceptance and higher quality evaluation, Wikborg Rein can onboard more clients and get to work quicker with reduced risk. 

By moving your own firm’s acceptance processes to the cloud, you can empower remote users to quickly onboard new clients and cases, speed up intake and mitigate risk - all whilst creating a better client experience.

Digital Contract Management

In recent years, automated contract solutions have become a key driver of efficiency and productivity in today’s law firms. However, moving into 2021 and beyond firms will need to solidify and scale their ability to create, negotiate and execute contracts via the cloud. 

With lawyers, staff and clients all working from remote locations, it’s never been more challenging for law firms to effectively manage the contract lifecycle. However, legal automation technology solutions like Sysero are making it easier than ever for firms to create legally enforceable contracts from anywhere. 

With a cloud-based contract management solution, your firm can manage the entire lifecycle of a legal transaction - from initiation through to archiving and review - from remote and disparate locations. For example, using Sysero, lawyers can quickly generate new contracts from an online questionnaire, send to signatories for e-signing (signatories can even sign via their mobile) and then automatically file executed contracts as PDF’s in the firm’s DMS. 

By adopting an automated contract management solution like Sysero, firms can create a seamless contract management lifecycle and keep business moving regardless of where people are working. 

Self-Service Client Portals

As both lawyers and clients adopt remote ways of working, successful firms are finding new ways of providing quality service delivery with less hands-on support. One way that forward-thinking firms are adapting to this new world of work is by empowering clients to access on-demand legal transactions via self-service portals. 

While self-service portals aren’t a new idea, they are becoming increasingly in demand as firms try to uncover new ways to provide differentiated value to their clients in a socially distanced world. These cloud-based portals provide clients with the ability to generate their own firm-approved legal documents on a self-service basis. Clients simply find the relevant template within their law firm-managed portal and complete the required information via a guided online form. 

This self-service approach affords firms the flexibility to serve clients in a remote environment, while also creating service differentiation and boosting profitability. From the clients’ point of view, they receive high quality, on-demand service when and as needed from their firms. 

City law firm Bates Wells Braithwaite’s GetLegal portal is a wonderful example of how firms can connect with clients through self-service portals. Built using Sysero technology, the GetLegal portal provides the firm’s charity and nonprofit clients with on-demand access to the most commonly used legal documents - providing clients with the support they need with few required firm resources. 

As we approach a new year, now’s the ideal time to consider what opportunities lie ahead for your firm. At Sysero, we’ve helped some of the world’s leading law firms modernise their client experience with end-to-end legal automation technology.

To learn more about how we can help you build a more connected client experience in the coming year, get in touch with us.