Website chat check for law firms

Intake is a race

A person facing a car accident claim, a divorce or a dispute with a landlord is anxious and in a hurry. They search, open a few firms’ websites and ask the same question in each chat: do you handle cases like mine, and what does a first consultation cost? The firm that responds promptly, asks sensible intake questions and offers a consultation slot is usually the one they hire.

Many firms run their chat through an intake service or a bot, with attorneys joining later. That can work well — or it can leave a prospective client answering a long questionnaire with no sign of a person. Measuring it from the outside is the only way to know.

What our AI asks a law firm

Our scenario cards for law firms follow common first inquiries:

• Does the firm handle this practice area and this kind of situation, described in plain words?
• What does an initial consultation cost, and is it free?
• How soon can I speak to an attorney, and can it be remote?
• What should I prepare or bring?

The AI states that it is an AI check — AI check by Straight Answer in the name field — and plays an illustrative prospective client with a generic situation from the scenario card. It never shares real personal or case details and never asks for legal advice it would act on.

What the report looks at

• Time to first reply and time to a human reply, at the hour you chose.
• Intake quality: are the questions relevant and short, or a wall of forms before any answer?
• Clarity on fit and fees: a clear statement of whether the firm handles the matter and how consultations are priced.
• The next step: an offered consultation time or a booking link.
• Tone: reassuring and professional, without promising outcomes.

Each score carries the quote behind it. A low score is a fix list, not a judgment of your legal work.

Common fixes in law firm chats

State your practice areas and consultation terms in the first replies. Keep intake to the questions needed to route the inquiry. Make the handoff from bot or intake service to an attorney visible, with a time. End with a scheduled consultation rather than “someone will be in touch”.

What you can check today

A plan covers on-demand open checks of your own firm’s website chat and the history of every report, so you can compare intake vendors or scripts. Checks of e-mail and web forms are coming soon.

Start with the trial, see the live chat test, or read the methodology behind every score.