The stigma attached to the provision of online legal services and in particular online wills can be traced back to the fundamental misunderstanding of their implementation.
Implementing technology into almost every facet of everyone’s lives is a daily occurrence. Consumers accept and in some cases expect technology to make life easier so the logical question arises why aren’t all business owners embracing this instead of seeing it as competition?
It is expected that some practitioners will feel more strongly about this than others. Indeed, those practitioners often express their concerns about the implications of online planning and how they believe that online Wills will fail to provide sufficient protection over the assets of well-meaning testators.
If the following example is considered. If a testator is looking for an online solution or to ‘write their will themselves’ then, they will find a way regardless of whether a practitioner advises otherwise. As business owners, undoubtedly one of the key objectives will be to grow through the acquisition of new clients therefore, highlighting the importance of being able to provide a fitting solution for those clients.
While there is a misconception that an online Will solution is by its very nature simplistic, there is the capability for customisation to make this more encompassing. Providing the ability to identify, through smart questioning, when a client would better suit a face-to-face meeting. Showcasing that without the online solution in the first place, it would be a lost business opportunity.
There are of course practitioners who also offer solutions where no advice is given or implied and your client journey can be tailored to suit this too.
The subject of ‘suitability for client needs’ is now reviewed. During a recent podcast recorded with Title Research on technology, Tom Stansfield highlighted that online Wills can, at the moment, only go so far to protect the needs of a client and whilst most people naively think they have simple estates, it’s rarely the case. Nevertheless, there are still of course clients that a simple Will is perfectly suitable for.
During a WillSuite presentation with IDR Law, Contentious Probate Solicitor and expert – Louise Sackey acknowledged and shared her view that in many cases it’s better to leave a simple will rather than no will at all because under these circumstances, a testator is at least leaving distribution instructions.
Among others, one key benefit of offering online will writing solutions is the information capture (for lead generation purposes) opportunity. This can in turn open up new avenues for both better search engine optimisation as well partnering up with new prospective partners whose audiences are looking for an accessible online solution.
What appears clear from the market is that those businesses who embrace and adopt the technology now will be more likely to have a sustainable model longer term. Building client banks and opportunities.
Speak to Love Legal and ask for a demonstration.
This article was submitted to be published by Willsuite as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Wills and Probate. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Wills and Probate.
