The only way to have an effective business relationship in the digital era is through clear and concise communication, and for lawyers, clear communication has never been more important. From communicating the progress of a case with your client to sending payment reminders — digital communication has broken down barriers and made the attorney-client relationship more transparent than ever before.
Properly utilizing a client portal for communication can do wonders not just for your client, but for your firm as well — especially when it comes to the billing and payment process. Let’s take a look at what a client portal is, and a few ways your firm can use Bill4Time’s client portal to enhance the communication experience with your clients.
What Is a Client Portal?
A client portal serves as a secured communicative bridge between attorneys and clients regarding the status of their cases, acts as a portal to store files and documents, and provides a holistic view of payment history and upcoming payment due dates, and other appointments.
The Benefits of Bill4Time’s Law Firm Client Portal
1. Secure Communication Between Attorneys and Clients
When handling matters and cases, information must always be confidential and secure. According to Rule 1.6: Confidentiality of Information, “Lawyers shall make reasonable efforts to present the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client.”
With an increasing number of cybercrimes, typical methods of communicating with clients through emails and phone calls may pose a concern if extra security measures aren’t put in place. However, using Bill4Time’s client portal can eliminate the worry of unsecured communication of sensitive information.
Before inviting clients to your client portal, lawyers should configure and modify the settings to their liking. For example, if you’re looking to send an automatic notification email to your client after you send an invoice, simply click “Yes” and then Bill4Time will automatically send the notification email for you. Once the settings are set to what you desire, invite your clients to the portal, and your clients can instantly view their invoices, outstanding balance, and payment history. They can also make online payments from anywhere, anytime, on any device.
2. Easy Payment Processing
Lawyers can also provide an easier and faster payment experience for their clients with our client portal. Oftentimes, lawyers receive late invoices due to an outdated and slow payment process, hence leading to a high accounts receivable. The traditional way for clients to pay may pose threats such as human errors, slow mailing time, or potentially lost checks. However, Bill4Time’s client portal allows clients to easily pay invoices at any time with just one click of the “Pay Now” button.
When making payments on Bill4Time, clients can utilize Bill4Time Payments to pay in multiple ways such as credit cards or ACH. At the same time, lawyers benefit from receiving payments quicker and staying 100% compliant with IOLTA, ABA, and state bar guidelines for accepting ePayments.
Better yet, Bill4Time Payments doesn’t require third-party services or integrations as it’s built natively in the software. When you activate Bill4Time Payments in your account, you get access to exclusive payment reports so you can stay on top of your cash flow. With Bill4Time Payments, law firms have proven to get paid 7 days faster than those who don’t use Bill4Time Payments.
3. Better Marketability and Brand Presence
While law firms should have an organized internal process to manage cases and matters, implementing marketing strategies and tactics are also important in order to bring in more business. And with 53% of merchants planning to expand their payment methods, upgrading your law firm payment methods may become a matter of marketability. As more and more people are adopting digital solutions, law firms have to keep up to stay on top of the competition.
A client portal with a law firm’s branding will also set a firm apart from its competition. When law firms implement a client portal, clients will gain a sense that the law firm is tech-savvy, modern, and highly secure. Law firms can extend their brand by customizing their portal and payment gateway with company logos, brand colors, and more. It will look as if your law firm has its own payment processing system, therefore enhancing overall client satisfaction and experience.
The Benefits of Implementing Bill4Time’s Client Portal Are Endless
As the world is getting more digitized, law firms need to catch up with the trends in order to scale their businesses. An easy-to-use client portal with the ability to gain a holistic view of payments is just one of the ways to improve client satisfaction.
If you’re interested in creating a stronger bridge between your law firm and clients, get started on the free trial or book a demo with our team to see what Bill4Time can do for your law firm.
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