What are your privacy concerns? You may say you have nothing to hide, but everyone has sensitive data. Privacy violation is a global problem, and it's only getting worse.
For law firms, digital communication such as instant messaging may seem like the opposite of a private way to communicate with clients. But recent research has shown how these channels, often integrated in client portal software like The Link App, offer the reassurance of privacy that your clients seek in a world of rising cybercrime.
The old-school, typical communication methods of email and telephone calls that remain in law firms today provide no privacy whatsoever to either lawyers or clients. The New York Times Privacy Project of 20191 found that tracking someone through their phone calls is as simple as accessing a single file. This one file can be tracked to know that individual’s every move on the planet, scary huh?
Hacking aside, even by speaking out loud on the phone, you could be sharing your not-so private conversation with your entire team in the office, or any passing stranger. Any leakage of information can cause havoc for everyone involved.
You’ve CC’d the wrong person, now what?!
The same can be said for email. It’s scarily easy for emails to get into the wrong hands at a click of a button. Clients, coworkers or even colleagues may (accidentally) forward an email to an unintended third party or share private information without realising who’s CC’d in the email. Given the strict rules we’re well aware of that govern the legal profession, what in other professions could be a minor accident to be laughed off becomes a privacy disaster; something no law firm wants to ever be liable for. The financial fallout of claims related to these kinds of events are difficult to digest, and may also lead to a loss of a client, their fees, and a firm's reputation.
Less email, more secure communication.
Do you really want to be worrying about shielding your everyday conversations? It’s counterproductive; you have enough on your plate already.
There are better ways of communicating with clients and colleagues. Instant messaging is a more secure, more convenient way of communicating and offers better privacy controls than email and telephone. There’s no risk of third parties overhearing a conversation and there’s no risk of accidental leaks of information. Instead, a user would have to set up an entirely new message to involve another party and messages cannot be forwarded. With The Link App, your instant messages are encrypted to the same standards demanded of UK banks. You can even send secure notifications across SMS, Email, and WhatsApp.
The psychological benefits of instant messaging are also very important. This type of communication gives users a sense of protection as there is an increased visibility of each individual's actions. You can see whether someone has replied, or even acknowledged a message by knowing if they have read the message, and when. Rather than facing the usual tradeoff between security and convenience, you're reducing the risk of financial fallout from data leaks while radically improving the overall client experience. Both boost the fees of law firms, and provide a compelling reason for why law firms should be quick to adopt secure client communication software.
Book a short demo to see why 75% of lawyers who do begin transforming their firm using our product within 30 days. Find out how you can easily make steps towards a digital offering at your firm today.
Other blogs in this series:
Digital Transformation: Speed and Profit
Privacy, Security, and Convenience
The Secret to Work Efficiency? Instant Messaging
How Can You Attract More Clients and Keep Them?
How Can You Stay on Top of Client Communication?
Originally published 15 / Jul / 2021
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