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Zipwhip: Client texting dilemma solved
RICHARD WEINER
Technology for Lawyers
Published: January 6, 2017
The dilemma: attorneys would like to be able to communicate with their clients, or potential clients, via texting. Texting is the most widely used smartphone app, and enjoys nearly universal use and acceptance.
HOWEVER! You really don’t want to give anyone your private phone number, much less a client. (Perhaps you’d rather that they showed up at your home at midnight while running away from the cops. Happened to me. Wife was not happy. But I digress).
One potential solution is the new Zipwhip app.
Zipwhip lets a user text using the office landline or toll free number, rather than the attorney’s personal mobile phone number. The app can be set up to work with multiple phone numbers.
This function allows anyone from wither the office or the client base to contact any attorney via text message. Zipwhip provides a widget that can be placed on the attorney’s mobile web page, and that offers one-click texting directly to the lawyer’s phone. This includes text messages and attachments like photos or other files.
Zipwhip is also useful for contacting clients and sending them appointment reminders. Or, you know, bills. Those messages can be scheduled to go out on certain dates.
The entire process is managed through the Zipwhip dashboard. The app manages notifications including popups (like most texting apps).
Depending on the plan, Zipwhip’s other functions include the ability to save conversations to a PDF file, setting a custom signature and creating group texts. The group texting can handle up to 50 people at a time and is set to make each text look like an individual text and not a part of a group (so you don’t get the irritating, automatic “reply all” like many texts apps do).
The app can also be set up to auto reply, which can further be set up to auto reply to a key word. For instance, if the key word is “appointment,” the reply text can include instructions on how to set one up.
Zipwhip has a couple of plans ranging from $20 to $100 per month, and can also be custom configured.
The company itself seems to be doing well. Microsoft is an investor. Check it out.
Thanks for the tip from the great Robert Ambrogi at Law Sites.