How Live Chat Is Changing Lead Generation For Conveyancers And Helping To Capture And Nurture Leads In Real Time. 

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How Live Chat Is Changing Lead Generation For Conveyancers And Helping To Capture And Nurture Leads In Real Time. 

As technology reshapes the very essence of how legal practices operate, we are all very aware of the value of the customer experience, particularly in a digital, fast paced and highly competitive conveyancing market.   Conveyancers need to offer a more digitally-savvy and 24/7 response to meeting the needs of clients and prospects and it’s where the value of live chat as a means to capture, nurture and convert leads in real time, can be seen.

With price comparison easier than ever before thanks to the introduction of pricing transparency guidelines at the end of 2018, conveyancers must now differentiate with customer service, responsiveness and accessibility.

Demonstrating a website’s return on investment by focusing on tracking web analytics and visitor numbers has its value.  But more so is the conversion of web traffic and how well a website performs as a lead generator. A web visitor on a conveyancing website is in the market for those services, however as most web visitors leave a website within 10-20 seconds[1] there is only a very small window to turn these people into prospects. A well-timed live chat pop-up can stimulate engagement and provide the information that potential new client is looking for quickly and with ease. Through live chat, you have the option to steer people to price information, answer FAQs and take their details for a follow-up call.  More than 41%[2] of chats to legal firms are new business enquiries, with property in the top three most common subjects, so capturing and handling these enquiries should be of paramount focus.

Despite research suggesting that only 28%[3] of legal firms have made pricing information more accessible to date, it’s likely that we’ll see prospects moving on and off websites much more quickly as they source the pricing information they need.  With most prospects seeking quotes from at least five solicitors before appointing one, we can see that live chat can be useful to show a customer-focused approach, share information with a human touch, and improve website dwell time. This ultimately, keeps your firm attractive for website visitors.

Understanding prospects and meeting their needs on their terms in a digital age, means being on hand to deal with enquiries as and when they happen, whether that’s at 6am or 10pm. When you consider that RightMove’s busiest time for property searches is 8pm[4], it’s not surprising that more than a third of legal-related live chats take place out of traditional opening hours and 16% are at weekends.  More than half[5] of all customers prefer to chat with someone in real time and online than over the phone, so firms that are accessible at those times will do well.

It offers some unexpected benefits too.  Enquirers via live chat tend to offer more personal information than through any other marketing channel.  They discuss their circumstances openly and share their concerns, fears and challenges with ease. It seems that the act of typing rather than talking helps prospects to be themselves and share the truth of their concerns, which presents a significant opportunity for conveyancers. These insights can improve customer understanding, give useful clues as to the appropriate style, tone and content of further communication and provide intelligence that can help to nurture prospects through the sales cycle.

Building empathy is an important part of this and it requires going beyond the factual, transactional and administrative aspects of customer communication to establish a more personal and affable connection. Live chat does all of that and can turn a faceless website into a more tailored and personal customer experience. The figures bear this out too. Live chat is proven to have the highest satisfaction of any customer service channel at 74% compared to 61% for email and 44% for phone[6].

With differentiation proving a real challenge for conveyancers, it is important to move beyond the status quo and think more holistically about how to appeal to customers.  Live chat can make websites work harder, show the personality and expertise of a business, make it accessible when it matters most and drive sales. It is the essential tool for customer care in a digital age and importantly, it can move the conveyancing conversation beyond cost.

By Claire Smith, Head of Business Development for Moneypenny.

Claire Smith

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