By Legal Futures Associate Checkboard [1]
Completing onboarding and compliance checks is important, but it must not come at the expense of customer experience.
Legal clients, particularly younger ones, have different expectations. They want a fast, seamless digital process with a clear, step-by-step process for completion. Solicitors that don’t meet those demands will find it increasingly hard to compete for business against those that do.
But by adopting the right platform, law firms can pair robust, compliant onboarding with a seamless client journey that keeps their customers satisfied.
Changing expectations
Client expectations have evolved. Younger clients are more likely to express a preference for fast, effortless digital onboarding. Having grown up with online portals and 24/7 digital access to services, they expect their legal services to be similarly accessible.
They also have high expectations around speed, communication, and user experience – and they’ll quickly disengage if their demands aren’t being met. Similarly, they will switch off if they encounter:
- Repeated requests for the same information
- Poorly formatted forms that don’t work on mobile
- Delays with no explanation
Instead, they want:
- Immediate acknowledgement and next steps
- A seamless onboarding experience – ideally mobile
- Rapid completion of their ID, KYC, and AML check [2]
- Clarity around timeline and progress
So, law firms that still rely on disjointed systems or manual processes will soon find themselves at a disadvantage. They risk creating friction for clients, slowing onboarding, and lowering customer satisfaction.
Ironing out the kinks
By mapping out the client journey, you can better identify where the friction lies.
Checkboard supports this by offering a fully digital experience. It helps firms smooth out the kinks by consolidating ID verification, document submission, and source of funds checks in one smooth flow:
- Clients receive a link to securely download Checkboard
- They upload the required documents to complete the check
- The solicitor receives an auditable report
In effect, it outsources the onboarding process to the clients (saving you time and effort); but instead of creating more work and more friction for them, it gives them clarity, visibility, and control over the process.
There’s a clear, step-by-step process, clients are given total visibility, and they can complete the onboarding as quickly as it takes them to upload the correct documentation.
Better reputation
And what’s the result?
Clients who feel their demands are being met and their time isn’t being wasted are happier, more engaged, and more cooperative.
In turn, a digital-first firm will win a reputation for being easy to work with. This will generate better reviews and more referrals, and therefore improve its ability to win new clients.
It’s a win-win, and it means cases can get off the ground much quicker.
Interested in learning more? Discover Checkboard’s fast, modern onboarding. [3]