35 Tips for 35 Years of Service
We are celebrating 35 years of providing reliable billing and practice management software by bringing you 35 practical tips for attorneys! To view the entire list, visit Tabs3.com/LT35.
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Enter Your Time
Successful firms track each hour because it reveals which matters, clients, and areas of practice are the most profitable.
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Make paying easy
If you want to get paid right away, it helps to give your clients some payment options. Law firms that accept payments via credit card reduce write offs and are more likely to get paid right away.
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Keep an eye on your firm’s productivity
Know the difference between hours worked and hours billed. Hundreds of hours can be spent on a matter, but your bottom line will never improve if that time is never billed.
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Bill predictably
Your billing cycle should be predictable so your clients are prepared to pay for your services.
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Protect your data
Have a regular backup procedure in place for electronic data, and know whether or not the backup was successful.
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Manage your email
Create different folders for various categories, and create rules to automatically filter those emails to their appropriate folder.
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Plan for interruptions
Plan for you and your clients to meet crucial deadlines days in advance so unavoidable interruptions do not devastate a matter’s progress.
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Email statements to clients who request them
If a client tells you that paper statements just get lost in a junk pile, believe them.
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Schedule your resources
Create separate users in your firm-wide calendar for office resources (projectors, laptops, etc.), so you can schedule them for meetings.
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Invest in training
Find a trainer who understands your specific needs so you don’t waste billable time.
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Use what you pay for
If you purchase software that includes free technical support, use it! Don’t waste an hour of billable time trying to figure out something that technical support could answer in less than a minute.
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Automate frequently used documents
Use automated document assembly for your frequently used documents. Set up a template, and let your practice management software fill in the blanks.
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Make time for billing
If you take the time to keep on top of your billing, you’ll soon find out that you will get paid faster.
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Get to know your local practice management advisor
Most state bar organizations employ practice management advisors who are there to help you succeed! Keep in touch with them and learn from them.
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Manage your documents
Use document management software that automatically names and stores documents in the right place, and makes them easy to find.
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Integrate and automate
You will save data entry hassle and your work life will be happier if your software communicates with each other.
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Make sure your office technology is up to date
When it comes to office software, make sure you’re always using the most recent version so you get the most benefit from the latest innovations.
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Keep a short list of good lunch venues
Know 3-5 venues in your town that provide the right atmosphere for client and networking meetings. Get to know their owners and keep their contact information in your practice management software.
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Keep an eye out for great blogs
Many attorneys blog about their solutions to inconveniences you deal with every day. Subscribe to daily or weekly updates to stay informed.
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Use law firm specific trust accounting software
Over-the-counter software is not always designed to handle the rules of tracking client trust accounts. Don’t risk a suspension by using cheap work-arounds.
By Guest Blogger: Tabs3 Software
