Integrating Texting into your CRM
Note: there are literally dozens of ways to integrate SMS texting into your CRM. The method outlined below is designed to be a framework to think about the value in doing so. If you would like specific recommendations on which method would be best suited to your firm, please feel free to contact us
It’s common for law firms to have a blanket no-texting-clients rule. It’s understandable too – it’s a casual communication tool that is easy to take out of context, it complicates following up (especially if a lawyer communicates to a client on their personal phone and then leaves the firm), and it needs to stand up as well as any other method of written communication.
But the truth of the matter is most people really like texting, and there are technological solutions to overcome the common sense hurdles. To cut to the chase: if your firm hasn’t integrated SMS texting into your CRM you’re missing out on an opportunity to improve your customer services/relations and make your life easier.
Integrating SMS into your CRM is a low-cost and viable way to improve efficiency, boost your client relationships, and increase your ROI. Incorporating a text messaging feature into your CRM can be put to many uses for both managing and marketing your firm. You can keep you and your team on schedule and also keep clients updated on their cases.
In a law firm it is crucial to have all of your communications with clients stored in one place to make your CRM more effective. Additionally, if an attorney ever leaves your practice you can still hold on to all the communications that took place over a personal phone’s text messages.
SMS CRM integration explained
You need texts to go somewhere the law firm can retrieve them, not an individual’s phone. Boiled down, you need a direct line between your CRM (HubSpot, for example) and the text provider (AT&T, for example). Think of it like connecting a direct line of communication between the two programs so they can talk to each other and share information.
This integration allows your business to:
- Send direct texts to your clients through your CRM system
- Sync contacts
- Send notifications, updates and reminders
- Allow for call backs and follow-ups
- Automate workflow
- Improve client relationships
How do I integrate SMS into my CRM?
Setting up an SMS CRM integration is relatively simple. Any modern CRM system should be set up to integrate SMS. Whether you’re using Law Ruler, HubSpot, Zoho, SalesForce or another CRM, it’s simply a matter of finding the SMS app that will integrate with your CRM.
You can start by Googling your CRM company + SMS integrations, or you can call us and we can help you choose the integration that’s right for your firm.
Once SMS is integrated into your CRM, it’s just a matter of creating the systems that will save you time, make your clients happy and help you build your practice.
