January 2021
The 2018 Civil Liability Act, also known as the PI or Whiplash Reforms, is expected to take effect in only a few months time, currently May 2021. For firms who specialise in personal injury in England and Wales, you will be acutely aware of how it will transform the way you handle low-value claims.
Speculation continues on whether this date could change again; however, Dominic Clayden, chief executive of the Motor Insurers Bureau, said to Legal Futures: “We can confirm that the build of Official Injury Claim service remains on track… MIB will complete the last stages of the build in conjunction with MoJ when the Civil Procedure Rule Committee has agreed the new rules and new pre-action protocol for the new service”.
Despite all the uncertainty, the reforms continue to place a greater emphasis on the growing requirement for claimant PI firms to manage day-to-day claims more cost-effectively. A strategic alternative for some has been to diversify into other legal areas or even exit the market all together.
Of course, ‘bury head in sand’ could be another option, but to proactively pre-prepare for a leaner life post-reforms, it’s important to refine systems and processes now to reduce operating costs and maintain an acceptable profit margin.
So, what are some of the benefits of focusing on operational efficiency?
- Increased productivity of your people, allowing them to do more important and fulfilling work as well as servicing more cases without increasing recruitment costs;
- Reduction to your cost to serve, by allowing your clients to self-serve or engage with you in more efficient ways;
- Reduction in stress for your people and frustration from your client by making it simpler and easier to progress cases;
- Better and more informed decisions, as a focus on efficiency naturally means you’re paying more attention to data rather than guess work;
- A more consistently attractive and cost-effective proposition over your competitors;
- Ultimately the ability to grow or at least continue to operate with a healthy profit margin in the PI claims arena.
How can inCase provide operational efficiencies to your firm?
The generic benefits listed above are all well and good, but what specific things can you implement to achieve them, and where does inCase fit in?
The inCase mobile app is the most innovative way to communicate with legal clients efficiently and securely right now. With 71% of adults say they never turn off their mobile phone, whilst 78% say they could not live without it, transacting with clients via their mobile phone has never been as important to the success of your firm.
As a firm you can leverage the mobile app and platform, under your own brand, to achieve specific and tangible efficiencies, which include:
Speeding up document signing
The main benefit of using electronic signatures is the reduction of time to obtain signed documents. We find that our clients receive signed documents back within minutes with the electronic signature. By the traditional route, the process could take up to 5 days or more.
With built-in secure electronic signature functionality, inCase allows you to digitally sign 99% of all documents used by law firms, including your onboarding documentation. Each electronic signature has exactly the same legality as a wet signature.
It is also easier to follow-up on the signature process and to send automated reminders to the signers.
The same benefits apply to non-signature documents, such as forms and questionnaires from your Case Management System, that your client can now simply complete on their phone.
Automating ID checks
Verifying a client’s identity is time-consuming and adds significant cost, but an absolute necessity to protect both the firm and clients from identity theft and related scams.
This is where technology can help bridge the gap and give you peace of mind that the identification you receive is indeed the client who is instructing you.
The inCase built-in ID features include the ability to automatically notify a client that they need to complete an ID check on the opening of a file. This saves lawyers time when setting up new clients and the need to go into separate systems to request Identity Checks, it can all be undertaken from one action in your existing CMS.
Then, the client can use their phone to undertake this at their convenience – all in one place – through a combination of document scanning and facial recognition technology.
For document scanning, inCase is the only provider to use the NFC chip reader on both Android and Apple phones to read the cryptographically signed data on a passport chip.
Then, using the latest facial recognition software, the inCase app confirms a match on the ID photo compared to a live recording of the client.
Instant & secure digital messaging
Your clients no longer need to wait for the post, and you no longer need to worry about the security of email. Messages are instantaneously sent and received through the inCase app with TLS encryption (same as the banking industry) – to provide security of all communications.
Your message can carry just the same attachments you would place in an email or send through the post, such as Medical Reports, Pieces of Evidence or Identification. All now sent within seconds of the request.
Reduce client requests for updates
Clients know exactly what the legal process is for their case and where they are in that process, with all the stages visible to them within inCase.
When a lawyer takes an action in the CMS that moves the case to the next stage, the client automatically receives a push notification to alert them of the case progress. Allowing you to be one of the most proactive lawyers in your sector, without any additional effort and reducing the volume of inbound calls and emails that disrupt productivity.
Patrick O’Hare from Paschal O’Hare Solicitors, has told us that “internally, the inCase app has freed up the solicitors’ time without reducing the standards of work.”
Continuous improvement
Clients are encouraged with inCase to provide feedback on the service they receive throughout their dealings with you. This provides a unique way for your firm to manage client expectations and identify any other areas for operational improvement.
By being proactive with client experience, no longer are you finding out at the end of a claim how the client judges your service. With the added benefit of improving your client reviews!
Using automation solutions, such as integrating inCase into your case management system, will help to reduce the amount of time being spent per case. We are already working with PI firms to help them combat the negative effects of the reforms, specifically by making cases more profitable and efficient. To learn more about how the inCase app can help you prepare for the upcoming personal injury reforms, get in touch today.