It’s not quite business as usual out there! 2020 has thrown a spoke into all aspects of the economy, from the corner cafe to governments globally. While many of the abrupt changes made to how we operate day-to-day were necessary to face down the pandemic, the knock-on economic effects have been tough to adjust too. As we begin to settle back to normal, how can you ensure your law firm adapts to the ‘new normal’ and makes the very best of the COVID economy? Legal Typing has some top tips!

Be honest about the challenges

It’s ok to accept that business is NOT usual at the moment. We know that law firms are often held to very high standards by the public, and you don’t want to put off your clientele or let them feel that your service is impacted by the strange times around us. We’re all hoping that the ‘new’ normal will start looking more familiar soon. Yet there are going to be challenges ahead. There’s no better time to highlight problem areas (and identify potential problem areas in the first place) that have affected your business. Here’s some aspects to consider:

  • Look at the issues you may have interacting with clients. Things from the mundane (has reduced staffing created longer wait times?) to the less obvious (do you have hearing imparied clients who need mask accommodations?)
  • Concerns affecting your supply chain both up and down. Are people you work with not open? Have they changed lead times and how they work?
  • Challenges relating to your employees- especially the thorny issue of working remotely while maintaining client confidentiality.
  • Issues with physical infrastructure, all the way up to your office space. Do you need an office right now? How are you cleaning and sanitising it?

Once you’ve explored potential hangups, you’ll be thoroughly empowered to tackle them. It may feel ‘negative’ going to look for trouble, but in fact, you will be strengthening your core infrastructure and learning to work smartly.

Future-proof your services

It’s not just about getting through the current storm, however. Luckily legal services will always be needed, so you may not be facing the relevancy issue some companies are. Yet there can be no question that the public health threat has forced people to adapt to new ways of doing things. From drive-thrus to online services and remote working, some of the pandemic changes we’ve seen are set to stick around. It’s time to consider how you will implement automation and make remote and online solutions open to your consumers for good. Don’t get caught lagging behind change!

Look for smart alternatives

Now that you have a better idea of what’s needed to survive the COVID economy, it’s time to look for smart ways to achieve those goals. 

For starters, you’re going to need to think more creatively about how to reach your clients. Remember that many people are sheltering-in-place, and we also have the looming spectre of the year-end holidays diverting people’s attention away from legal services, especially traditional forms of advertising. You may also need to explore solutions for issues such as clients who don’t want to come into the office to collect paperwork face-to-face. It’s probably also a good idea to make sure you have a thriving online presence, and that your team is focused on getting swift resolutions to clients who contact you through online means.

A key component of weathering the COVID economy will, of course, be cutting costs around the office. Here, smart outsourcing is your friend. Take Legal Typing, for instance. We have the extensive know-how and legal experience to help you make the most of a tighter budget without compromising the quality of service you offer your clients. We offer a wide range of legal clerk services you can tailor to your precise needs.

Administrative work can already be a large overhead for smaller legal firms. You may not actually have the workload to justify a full-time salary position with benefits, yet you will be too stressed and overworked trying to divide the burden between existing staff members. It’s important that you’re free to concentrate on the actual revenue-earning aspects of your business, but handling the admin issues must get done or you’ll soon find yourself burning the midnight oil to clear the backlog- all without a penny generated.

As a small-to-medium business owner, it’s a difficult tightrope to walk. And that’s at the best of times! Right now, you can’t afford to waste a penny, yet you also have to find a way around the difficult logistics of having several staff members remote working. That’s why outsourced typing services like ours just make sense. We have the legal experience and typing expertise to ensure you get exactly what you need, and the tight turnarounds that ensure you have it when you need it too. Yet you retain full control of the process every step of the way, able to ensure ‘brand consistency’ throughout every report created through us, communicate directly with your experienced typist, and ensure the end product is exactly what you need.

Our team have copious experience specifically in the legal niche- many have decades of experience as legal clerks, and several have other law backgrounds- so you’re able to communicate ‘on your level’, and jargon and the intricacies of the law are completely familiar to them.

Trying to thrive through the COVID economy is not the easiest challenge, but with the Legal Typing team on your side, it’s one that your firm can weather. Why not get in touch with the team today?