At Abogados NOW, we’re great at sending law firms new clients, but sometimes our partners’ firms aren’t ready for the volume of new clients we bring them. With the following three simple tips, you can prepare your firm for the influx of clients we can bring it:
1) Have a bilingual or Spanish-speaking intake team ready to go.
The importance of first contact absolutely cannot be overstated. Although most U.S. Hispanics speak at least some English and many speak English fluently, a large number of Hispanics prefer to do business in their native Spanish. If you want to serve your new clients well, you need a Spanish-speaker as their primary point of contact. Not only will delegating primary contact to Spanish-speakers ensure the best interaction and clearest communication between your firm and your new clients, but it will also make a tremendous first impression on your new clients.
Many members of the Hispanic community may be coming from places of emotional distress, unknown residency status, or general distrust of law firms. Having a bilingual employee as the first point of contact immediately builds a familiar environment that welcomes the client in. Ensure that your bilingual employee can address immediate fears or uncertainties right from the get-go.
If sensitive topics such as residency are not immediately addressed, clients may feel that it’s safer to withhold potentially vital information. A blanket disclaimer addressing these sorts of topics can prevent such a situation from occurring.
Bilingual employees should also be appointed as primary contact for clients you end up accepting. This ensures that sensitive information is properly conveyed to the attorney without fear of mistranslation.
Lastly, a bilingual employee will likely better understand the cultural nuances of your local Hispanic population. ALWAYS conduct thorough research when looking into the legal problems and pain points most common in your local Hispanic community. However, having a bilingual employee will not only accelerate this process, but also help you better explore nuances you may have otherwise missed.
2) Have client legal materials translated into Spanish and move beyond translation.
Legal work requires lots of paperwork. If you want to serve more Hispanic clients, you need to translate your forms into Spanish. In your efforts to connect with the Hispanic market, remember that mere translation of your intake materials isn’t sufficient. The most effective way to resonate with Hispanic communities is to combine translation with cultural competency.
Consider conscripting the aid of your bilingual employees or hiring a native Spanish-speaking professional translator or copywriter to overhaul your Spanish assets to specifically include cultural references, targeted Spanish dialects, appropriate adages, and relevant social or legal issues affecting the population.
3) Make sure a dedicated service line and after-hours service is available in Spanish.
Get rid of your bilingual-option automated attendant or phone answering system. Our research reveals that when a Spanish speaker calls your law firm and encounters an English response, there’s a potential 60% chance they’ll disconnect the call. To remedy this, we advise securing a dedicated Spanish line.
Furthermore, in the event that a bilingual or Spanish-speaking staff member isn’t available to answer during regular business hours, ensure your voicemail is set in Spanish. This allows callers to comfortably leave messages in their preferred language, knowing they’ll receive a response tailored to their needs.
Lastly, sometimes, people in emergency situations contact law firms after hours. To address this, ensure your after-hours communication options are accessible in Spanish. This includes setting your voicemail in Spanish, deploying a bilingual chatbot on your website, or engaging a Spanish-speaking virtual assistant to answer the phone if you accept after-hours calls.
At Abogados NOW, we’re ready to send your firm a steady stream of new Hispanic clients. Using the above tips, you’ll be ready to serve them!
