UK legal sector lacks transparency. Could we have a solution?

Shared By: Rated Solicitors

Friday 10th January 2014

The Legal Ombudsman published a list of complaints relating to almost 800 law firms in England and Wales recently. “The list is designed to promote consumer transparency and to encourage higher standards within the legal profession” (Law Gazette).

The significance of this report is a clear lack of transparency to consumers.  Clearly, firms need to recognise ways to highlight their expertise and differentiate themselves.

One such way that firms are able to do this is through online reviews and recommendations. This form of marketing has grown significantly in recent times, as consumers are increasingly turning to the internet as a key decision making resource.

 

Why do Online Reviews REALLY Matter?

The impact reviews can have on a business are widely known. That being said, you may not be aware of the actual statistics. In summary, the following is clear;

• Consumers are increasingly reading reviews online before making a purchasing decision.
“Traffic to the top 10 review sites grew on average 158% last year”
(Source: Search Engine People)

• Of course, the obvious fear for many firms is “what if we receive negative reviews?” Fear not, the below statistic demonstrates how the vast majority of online reviews are positive.
“The average grade for things online is about 4.3 stars out of 5”
(Source: Wall Street Journal).

• More and more business can be generated through positive ratings online – even from less in-depth Yellow Pages-style listing sites.
“A one-star increase in Yelp rating leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue “
(Source: Fact Browser).

The statistics above clearly demonstrate just how important review sites can be to firms all over the world.

The legal profession is not immune to this. Reviews are equally (if not more) important to lawyers and solicitors alike. But where can they find a site that provides such a service?

The answer….Rated Solicitors!

 

What makes Rated different?

Now you may have seen other review sites for the legal profession and are currently wondering about what makes Rated so unique.

 

A simple notion: People buy from People

To start with, at Rated Solicitors, we provide the foundation for individual solicitors to enhance their own reputation alongside their firms. Just think for a moment how this could benefit your firm…

The Firm:

Naturally, (from a firm perspective) you will be able to see which individuals in your organisation are performing better, or equally, those that are performing less favourably. This simple bit of information can be used to improve your firms’ overall productivity. On a similar notion; solicitors within your firm will not want to be seen to be performing badly publicly and thus, they will continually aim to improve their overall performance.

The Consumer:

With RatedSolicitors.com customers are empowered through making more informed, personal decisions. Here, consumers can choose the right FIRM and SOLICITOR for them – with the most comprehensive search facility of its kind in the UK.

 

How confident are you?

Perhaps you are thinking that your firm already has sufficient exposure and are going along fine as it is. Well, Rated Solicitors gives those with a great reputation even greater exposure. If your firm truly is performing as well as you believe, then you will no doubt instantly become one of the Top Rated firms on our website. As a Top Rated firm, you will be exposed to even more potential new clients.

Are you interested in registering your firm on Rated Solicitors? Or perhaps you want to review an existing firms’ account?

Whatever the reason…don’t hesitate to find out more on our For Solicitors page above. If you have any questions, we’re always happy to help.

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