Top 3 Questions About Mobile Devices in Law Practices
The practice of law may not, in principle, have changed much over the last few decades (or ever). But, in action, mobile devices have changed the game, in a few big ways.
Where you may have been able to leave your work at the office in bygone years, now, your smartphone is like a virtual desk that can keep you chained to your work even while sitting on the beach. For those lawyers that are constantly in the race for new clients, being accessible 24/7 means being able to land the client that's calling attorney after attorney until they get one on the phone.
Below, you'll find three of the top questions about mobile devices in the practice of law today.
1. Is Your Mobile Site Losing Clients Because It's Too Slow?
If you are trying to get new clients via a website, or online advertising, and you're not reaching mobile devices, or your site isn't optimized for the mobile web, you're missing a huge demographic of consumers.
As mobile technology continues to improve, you can expect that consumers will be using traditional computers and laptops less and less. As such, you should always review your website and online advertising on a few different mobile device platforms to see what your consumers will see. It is particularly important to review your mobile site on older devices as well, as most people are not using the newest next big thing until it's a generation or two old and more affordable. Fortunately, there are websites that can emulate older mobile devices.
2. Does Your Law Firm Need an App?
There's an app for nearly everything these days, but does your law practice need one?
Depending on your potential and current clients, you may want to consider spending the money to develop a useful mobile app, but if it's not actually going to provide clients or other people with any real value, then it's not likely worth the cost. Rather than an app, having a client portal developed (that's also mobile friendly) is likely to please your clients just as much, and cost you less. (Just make sure it is secure.)
3. Does Your Law Firm Still Need a Landline?
Yes, you have a cell phone with unlimited minutes, but do you really want to be giving away that number to everyone? Can you really run a business from a cell phone, let alone a law firm? Like most legal questions, the answer is: It depends.
However, you should note that some courts still require attorneys to make telephonic appearances via a landline. You may want to think twice before ditching that old rotary, as a VoIP does not actually qualify as a landline in the eyes of the court. Though for clients, and anyone else, a VoIP phone could be just what the communications expert ordered.
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Related Resources:
- The Mobile Lawyer: New on the Scene, Always in Demand (FindLaw's Technologist)
- Lawyer Marketing Trends: 'Local-Mobile Searches' On the Rise (FindLaw's Strategist)
- How Mobile Phones Have Changed the Legal Profession (FindLaw's Technologist)
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