The legal industry has an abundance of work for court reporters. Some court reporting agencies and independent reporters are becoming industry rock stars by offering clients precisely what they need. Verbit connected with legal administrators, secretaries and lawyers from firms in New York and Texas to learn how reporters and agencies can maximize their appeal to potential clients.
Based on their answers, here’s how to become the go-to reporter for busy law firms.
1. Providing Accuracy is Paramount
When asked what their number one priority is for transcriptions, legal administrators are quick to answer, “obviously accuracy.” According to those who schedule court reporters, an attorney’s primary concern is getting an accurate, quality transcript.
2. Fast Turnaround Times
While accuracy is essential, one lawyer pointed out that if “I can’t get it when I need it, then it being accurate is of no use to me.” Court reporters who reliably deliver complete, court-ready final transcripts within the time promised will win more business from their clients.
3. Be Available
Lawyers have busy schedules, so “a mutually agreeable date is hard to come by.” If a court reporter isn’t available, legal administrators will simply start “calling other court reporting agencies.” Unavailable court reporters, therefore, send work to their competition.
Legal administrators indicate that familiarity is one of the reasons they go with a reporter, so being available means being ready to take more than just the best jobs. Covering small jobs may put a reporter or agency at the top of the list next time the law firm needs someone to cover a more significant case.
4. Be Dependable
In addition to availability, reliability is key. If a reporter creates quality transcripts and “always gets there on time,” those are the “important things.”
Another legal administrator stated that she’s more likely to contact someone if she knows that “he’s reliable and he’ll show up and get it done.” Lawyers will not be pleased if their court reporter delays the start of their deposition or fails to show up at a scheduled proceeding.
5. Ensure Things Go Smoothly
Attorneys might tell their secretaries not to hire a specific court reporter because they had bad experiences with them in the past. One secretary recalled that a lawyer told her to avoid a court reporter after they “stopped the deposition several times to interrupt.” Lawyers prefer that the deposition proceeds smoothly and that the court reporter captures everything without making anyone repeat themselves.
What Doesn’t Matter to Legal Administrators
Lawyers, legal secretaries, and other administrators are much less concerned with court reporter methods. When asked about her thoughts on the technology that a reporter uses, one administrator stated, “I don’t think it matters.” A legal secretary had a similar response explaining, “I don’t think it matters how it gets recorded as long as the transcript comes out good.”
Court reporters and agencies who offer accurate transcripts, fast turnaround times, are available, reliable and ensure proceedings move forward without a hitch will build their businesses and keep their clients happy. Professionals who leverage Verbit’s tools will have an advantage when it comes to achieving the five things their clients want most.
Verbit supports court reporters and court reporting agencies with solutions that allow them to take on more jobs, offer accurate transcripts and increase their margins. Contact us to learn more about how court reporters are using Verbit’s technology to attract and retain top clients.