Patience
Plaintiff law firms understand that intake is the lifeblood of their firm. That means, in effect, that intake team members are vital to the success of the firm as a whole. Without a stellar intake team, firms struggle to sign up the leads they want and are often unable to convince potential leads why their firm is the right choice. Awesome intake specialists know how to make every single person who calls your firm feel heard and important. That, I think you’ll agree, is a superpower.
But what makes a great intake specialist? And where do you find them? In the current job market, finding and recruiting top talent is a monumental task. The Great Resignation (or the Great Renegotiation) has shifted the power dynamics towards those seeking employment rather than those trying to fill positions. Businesses are being forced to talk more about who they are, what beliefs they hold, what their vision is, and how they want to serve the communities in which they work. That’s all positive, in my opinion, but we’re still seeing that even firms who have put in the work and introspection are still coming up with empty nets.
Many law firms that are doing everything right in recruiting from defining their vision and mission to posting creative job ads to timely candidate response time find they are still struggling to secure top talent and that struggle has left holes in departments, most notably intake.
So, I say it’s time to get creative.
Let me explain. I recently had an amazing dining experience I want to share with you. (Stay with me – I promise this relates to how you can find the perfect intake specialist!) My husband and I were celebrating a milestone and made reservations at our favorite high-end restaurant. We knew we’d get to experience an incredible meal and a breathtaking view to boot! We snagged the best table in the house and were immediately greeted by our server, Lola. She met us with a warm smile, filled our water glasses, and took the time to ask if we were celebrating anything special. She took our drink orders, described the specials for the evening, and made a personal connection with us immediately.
Lola assured us this dining experience would exceed our expectations. Throughout the evening, she was perfection, ensuring we had everything we needed and communicating with us as if we were old friends. She was right – the experience was better than we ever expected. Sure, the food was good and the atmosphere was pleasant, but our expectations were exceeded due, in large part, to her. Her customer service skills, personal connection, and warm and friendly interactions turned a good experience into a stellar one.
It was on the way home from dinner when my “legal operations brain” kicked in. Law firm intake teams need Lolas! Those are the people who make an awesome first impression and turn a good experience into a great one. Lola is exactly who every industry should strive to hire, especially for positions that are client-facing.
Often, when it’s time to think outside of the box in terms of recruiting, Vista encourages our clients to search for team members with previous experience in the food or hospitality industries. Why? Because recruiting talent who are teachable, fit your culture, know how to connect with people, exhibit stellar customer service, and have professional and emotional intelligence can trump experience in our specific field. People who have worked in the hospitality industry have experience that is vital. They’ve developed:
Take a close look at that list. If I were to separately define what makes the perfect intake specialist, guess what? Every single one of these traits and skills would be on that list!
I like to refer to the intake team at a firm, alternatively, as the New Business Team. These team members are your front line and are responsible for turning leads into clients and building a solid book of business for your firm. Referring to them as such reminds both them and your leadership team of their critical role at the firm. Your new business team should be comprised of unique individuals who must be caring and considerate each time they communicate with leads through voice and text all while being professional. New Business Team Members must possess a skill set allowing them to think outside the box, be very organized, and be dedicated to the team.
Since this team is typically responsible for first impressions with potential clients, being able to shift from one phone call dealing with catastrophic injuries to answering the next with enthusiasm and professionalism can be very difficult. The team is constantly fostering relationships all while resetting and refocusing so they are “ready to go” for the next caller.
New Business Team Members don’t grow on trees! Once you find them, take care of them. It’s flawed logic to view the role of intake specialist as simply a stepping stone position at your firm. The skills the great intake specialists possess are hard to come by because they’re usually hard-earned and have taken years to develop. Those skills are valuable! So, here’s the takeaway:
Simple, really. The Lolas are out there. Now go find them!
