In our latest Legal Case Management Jam Session, Confido Legal's Emery Wager interviewed Casita Simpson, the founder and CEO of Simpson & Associates, a company specializing in CRM design and paralegal support.
In a previous discussion, Emery and Casita shared how firms can establish and gain adoption of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). View that discussion here.
As a follow-up to that conversation, Casita and Emery discussed the critical aspects of building and scaling standard operating procedures (SOPs) from the client's perspective. Clients can tell when a firm has clear SOPs and when the firm is improvising. Each client interaction can be thoughtful and clear or confusing and ad-hoc. In this discussion, Casita and Emery discussed how you can map the client journey and implement SOPs that ensure client consistency and clarity.
Surprise and Delight Factor of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Not all valuable work is billable. When a new colleague asks you some important questions about how to do things or why certain strategies were used, you need to allocate some time to explain the step-by-step process to ensure everything is working accordingly. In this situation, Casita shared it is best to set up a procedure and give that to the person coming to work for you, ideally during the onboarding process.
She also explained that clients can easily tell the difference between a firm with tight SOPs and one that's more improvisational. Having well-defined SOPs can bring a "surprise and delight" factor because it sets clear expectations and communication standards. By having a clear SOP in place, you can set expectations with the client for when they will hear from you and when they will hear from your staff, freeing you from having to provide a customized response to every client inquiry.
Practical Steps for Law Firms in Implementing SOP Framework
Setting clear expectations right from the start ensures that both colleagues and clients understand their roles and responsibilities. Casita and Emery noted four practical steps that firms can follow to build and scale an effective SOP through their case management software (Also, see Choosing the right software for your firm).
- Begin with a comprehensive audit of the client lifecycle, focusing on what the client needs at each step in their journey with your firm. Identify areas of improvement, inefficiencies, and opportunities for automation.
- Build out the SOP like an internal handbook. Casita recommends creating an internal handbook based on SOPs for colleagues that will serve as a centralized resource for the firm. Include detailed instructions, best practices, and reference materials in the handbook to guide your colleagues in performing their tasks effectively.
- Record the process in a video. Since everyone has their own learning styles to process information, optionally create instructional videos to complement SOPs and the internal handbook. Continuous improvement means regularly assessing and adjusting SOPs.
- Implement the SOPs in your legal case management system. You can leverage case management software like Lawcus, Lawmatics, and Litify to build no-code automation and workflows that run without your team's direct involvement.
Summary
Building and scaling SOPs using case management software improves operational efficiency, enhances client relationships, and ensures you deliver a consistent experience. By following these practical steps and leveraging the right tools, you can establish robust SOP frameworks that drive success and growth. Without a clear SOP, firms risk client confusion, operational inefficiency, and an inconsistent client experience.
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