5 Intake Form Best Practices
The legal request intake process has long needed improvement. Many organizations resort to temporary solutions, like online or paper forms, to help their legal departments manage requests. However, our 2022 Legal Tech Benchmark Survey revealed that intake forms remain a significant pain point for legal teams. If these forms are so prevalent, why is there still an issue? Here are five key best practices to look for when selecting intake forms for your contract lifecycle management.
1. Efficient Processes
Inefficiency often starts with poor intake form workflows. In 2024, using Excel for this process is outdated. A single file can be easily deleted or altered, forcing your team to start over or spend valuable time correcting errors. Cloud-based intake forms are a better solution, as they save multiple versions, enable collaboration, and are easily retrievable. Standardized software with simple and straight forward intake forms reduces the manual hours spent preparing Excel sheets.
2. Customization
A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in legal contexts. Different situations require tailored intake forms. When choosing your contract lifecycle management software, prioritize customization options that align with your team’s specific needs. Collaborate with your team to determine the most relevant questions for your intake forms.
3. Avoid Yes or No Questions
While yes/no questions can be useful, relying on them too heavily can lead to additional follow-up queries. Ensure your questions are open-ended enough to minimize the need for further clarification. The purpose of an intake form is to simplify your process; excessive follow-ups only add to your workload.
4. Avoid Paper Intake Forms
Using paper intake forms can lead to numerous issues, including lost documents and difficulties in retrieval. Many lawyers ultimately scan these forms anyway. To mitigate the downsides of paper, implement a workflow that immediately digitizes any paper forms, ensuring that information is converted to digital format promptly.
5. Simplify Processes for Clients or Prospects
An effective client intake form should streamline your sales process, not complicate it. Avoid overwhelming clients with too many questions. Consider breaking the intake process into smaller segments—asking three questions across several pages is less daunting than 15 questions on one. Aim for forms that are quick to complete while still gathering essential information. You can always follow up during one-on-one conversations for any additional details, but remember not to oversimplify your questions.
By implementing these simple best practices, you can create a more efficient and effective intake process that enhances your legal team’s performance.
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