Headline Results: • +35% consultation show-up/conversion • −50% after-hours within 30 days
Overview
A solo/dual-partner law firm was losing time and revenue to scattered intake, inconsistent follow-up, and late-night admin catch-up. By standardizing inquiry-to-intake workflows, implementing a lightweight CRM pipeline, and automating scheduling and client communications, the firm increased consultation conversions by 35% and cut after-hours work by 50% in the first month.
Challenge
- Inquiries arrived via email, voicemail, and website form with no single source of truth.
- Follow-up relied on memory; prospects fell through the cracks.
- Attorney handled routine admin at night, driving burnout and slower response times.
Objectives
1) Centralize all new leads and ensure consistent, timely follow-up.
2) Reduce attorney after-hours by shifting routine tasks to templates and automation.
3) Improve consultation show-up and close rates without adding headcount.
Approach
We focused on simple, compound wins that fit the current team and tools:
- Mapped Inquiry → Intake → Consultation pipeline with clear stage definitions.
- Implemented a CRM pipeline with auto-assigned owners, due dates, and next actions.
- Deployed canned emails and SMS reminders tied to pipeline stage changes.
- Added a 2-click booking link with calendar rules, buffers, and intake form.
- Introduced a 15-minute daily ‘Sweep’ routine to clear tasks and prioritize follow-ups.
- Set up a weekly dashboard of KPIs: time-to-contact, show-up %, and age of open leads.
Solution Details
CRM Pipeline Stages: New → Qualified → Booked → Consulted → Hired/Closed Lost
Templates & Automations:
- New Lead Acknowledgment (instant) with booking link
- Pre-consult confirmation + document checklist
- No-show/Reschedule follow-up sequence
- Post-consult ‘Decision & Next Steps’ email with payment/retainer options
Calendar & Capacity:
- 25- and 50-minute consult slots with 10-minute buffers
- ‘Office Hours’ rules to protect deep work and home time
Results (First 30–45 Days)
- +35% increase in consultation show-up/conversion to retained matters
- −50% reduction in attorney after-hours (admin handled during business day)
- Faster decisions from prospects via clear next-step emails and payment options
- Increased pipeline visibility; no dropped leads
Before / After Snapshot
Before: Disparate channels, manual reminders, last-minute prep, evenings lost to admin.
After: One pipeline view, automated nudges, templated comms, protected evenings.
KPI Framework
- Time-to-First-Contact: target ≤ 15 minutes (business hours)
- Consult Show-Up Rate: target ≥ 80%
- Lead Age in Stage: target ≤ 3 days
- After-Hours Admin: target ≤ 2 hrs/week
Tech & Process Notes
This deployment was platform-agnostic: any CRM that supports stages, tasks, and basic automations will work. We kept the stack lean to ensure adoption and documented the workflow in a 1-page SOP with a 3-minute Loom tour.
Client Voice (Optional)
“Once the reminders and templates were in place, I stopped doing admin at 10 PM. The pipeline tells me what to do next.” — Managing Attorney
Reuse & Scale
The same framework extends to referral intake, post-matter reviews, and retainers. Templatize once, then iterate quarterly based on KPI trends.
Work With Us
Want this for your firm? Book a Discovery Call. Ask for the ‘Inquiry-to-Intake Accelerator.’
