Best Business Phone Services for Lawyers and Law Firms

Building client relationships means having reliable, professional communication systems. A lawyer or small law firm will likely find a VoIP phone service to be the most efficient and affordable means to create the right first impression for new clients, and maintain the best level of service for recurring ones.

Some may be managing their call volume with a personal cell phone number or simple landline. This requires sharing personal information far more widely than may be comfortable, not to mention hours of phone call management. VoIPs will allow subscribers to use their personal cell phones while presenting a business number to clients, organize voicemails, and even set up multiple lines accessible to remote workers, and offer directories to the caller.

Many VoIP services offer time-logging features, making it easier for law firms to track billable hours. There are ways to share meetings between partners, and the ability to loop in clerks, legal secretaries, and other office staff. Having all these options in one place leads to streamlined service and happier clients, who trust their calls are being directed where they need to be. Help your firm stand out with customer service that is a cut above. Here are some of the top options for VoIPs that more and more lawyers have come to depend on.

NEXTIVA

Nextiva is one of the leading VOIP (Voice Over Internet systems) that offers a variety of features and adjustable adaptations for the smaller office or the large firm. Nextiva is easy to use and the various packages have flexibility for whatever your needs are, like advanced call routing, unlimited free domestic calling, voicemail to email and text, online faxing, or even text messages. Installation includes:

• Desk Phone

• Conference room phones

• An app that functions for computer phone calls, texts, and emails

• App accessibility through mobil device

• External app integration selections, like CRM and Live Chat

Nextiva's backend is web-based, making it easy for management to navigate from wherever they are. There are three available plans, with a price range that allows for adjustability for your business size. Whether you're a small private practice with a handful of users or need a system for multiple facilities and hundreds of employees, Nextiva has the right plan for you. These are the starting rates for each plan, per user, as based on an annual contract:

• Basic - $19.95 per month

• Pro - $20.95 per month

• Enterprise - $27.95 per month

Basic level includes unlimited calls, call queuing, automatic call forwarding, hold music, free online fax, free local and toll-free numbers. For the Nextiva app, unlimited conference calls, pre-recorded greetings, and text messaging, the Pro Plan will cover all your needs. The Enterprise plan includes call recording, voice analytics, and voicemail to text delivery. These upgraded plans allow for online surveys and call analytics, so you can determine how Nextiva is working for your business.

Ooma

Ooma is a great choice for lawyers who maintain a traditional office setting and phones, which is a lot of them. The law tends to be a traditional workspace. The downside to Ooma  is that the cost of subscription does not include hardware. However, there's no contract and you can start with a 30 day trial, so if you already have desk phones, it's the perfect plug in. You can connect it to your office or personal landline, but also to a desktop or mobile device. Ooma allows you to create a customized virtual receptionist and offers multiple extensions for all employees. 

• Flat rate $19.95 per month

• No contracts, cancel at any time

• Unlimited calling

• Virtual receptionist

You get one toll-free number and unlimited calling in the U.S., Canda, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Advanced service includes voicemail transcription, call recording and advanced blocking capabilities. Ooma's customer service is top notch, if you need help setting things up or connecting more users as business grows.

Grasshopper

GrassHopper is a little more pricey, starting from $29.99 per month with 1 number and up to 3 extensions. You will also need a regular phone line for outgoing calls, but incoming calls are available over VOIP, meaning GrassHopper can forward calls to any phone number or mobile device. They offer 24/7 customer support as well as these features:

• VoIP and Wifi calling

• Virtual fax

• Mobile and desktop apps

• Business texting

• Ability to handle simultaneous calls

• Call reporting

• Call forwarding

• Voicemail

• Call transfers

• Extensions

Price plans are flexible and one number can include multiple extensions and you have the option to choose from local, toll-free numbers based in the US, Canada, and UK. This makes Grasshopper an appealing choice for a solo lawyer or lawyer establishing clientele who wants a larger front. The plans are very scalable:

• Solo 1 number, 3 extensions, starts at $26/ month 

• Partner 3 numbers, 6 extensions, starts at $44/month 

• Small Business 5 numbers, unlimited extensions, starts at $80/ month

Phone.com

Phone.com is one of the most affordable options if you're working with clients abroad in Europe or Canada. The service includes local calling minutes in CA and a number of European countries, which can dramatically reduce your phone bill. Besides that, it offers standard VoIP reception service such as:

• Fax to email

• SMS messaging

• International dialing

• HD conferencing

• Call screening and blocking

• Call routing

• Call queuing

• Auto attendant

The web and app-based administration is intuitive and easy to organize, allowing administrators to quickly learn their standard phone service, including call forwarding, call routing, caller ID, and conference calling. More advanced plans offer integration with third-party CRM software, like Salesforce and Zoho. While they have several contract price points, Phone.com also offers pay per minute plans starting as low as $9.99 per month. It's a nice option for checking to see if their service and layout works for you.

Vonage

Vonage is a very versatile choice for law firms figuring out how a professional phone service can best fulfill their needs, with a wide variety of plan and line number options. They offer the standard cloud VOIP services, and make it possible to support online meetings and video conferencing with Amazon Chime, if you choose a Premium or Advanced plan that allows for CRM integration.

Mobile

• 1-4 lines - $19.99 per month per line

• 5-19 lines - $17.99 per month per line

• 20+ lines - $14.99 per month per line

Premium

• 1-4 lines - $29.99 per month per line

• 5-19 lines - $27.99 per month per line

• 20+ lines - $24.99 per month per line

Advanced

• 1-4 lines - $39.99 per month per line

• 5-19 lines - $27.99 per month per line

• 20+ lines - $34.99 per month per line

The control panel allows for mobile access  to make it easy to set up, add new users, and manage your calls even while working remotely, or partners who can't be attached to their desktops all day.

© 2023 Lawyer Herald All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of lawyerherald.com