Step one
Manage your current clients
Introducing your current clients to this new, simpler payment method couldn’t be easier. With Clio Payments, you can share payment details with your clients immediately by following these steps.
Start using click-to-pay links
All bills you share from Clio Manage—including those in new bill communications or reminders—will include secure click-to-pay links that make it easy for clients to pay their bills as soon as they receive them.
With click-to-pay links, clients can make a payment anytime, anywhere, whether it’s to quickly pay an invoice, consultation fee, one-time payment, or deposit funds into a client account.
The secure link sends clients to your firm-branded payments page to submit a payment in just one step.
Add click-to-pay links to your website, email body or signature, through Clio’s secure client portal, or anywhere else that’s convenient for your clients.
Once a payment has been received, you can quickly link it to a client or bill to ensure your records are up to date.
Request saved payment methods
To make paying as fast and easy as possible, you can request and save payment information from clients during intake, onboarding, or any other time. Clients will also be prompted to securely save their financial details when making a payment.
Keeping this information in Clio saves clients from having to re-enter it for future payments, including automated payment plans.
All payment information is stored within Clio’s PCI-compliant security system, so you don’t have to worry about any liabilities associated with storing this information.
To request a client’s payment information, copy the unique request link in the Manage dropdown menu on either the matter or contact dashboard and share it with them via email, secure message, or another method.
Set up payment plans
With Clio, you can set up automated payment plans for clients who need more flexibility, which can be paid online. Schedule one-time payments or set up weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly payments, which can be updated at any time.
When setting up a payment plan, you can request their payment information ahead of time to save them having to re-enter the information for future payments.
Collect with QR codes
In the spirit of ultimate convenience, you can now collect payments even faster with QR codes. They give clients the convenience of bringing up your payment page by scanning the code with their phone’s camera.
Generate a secure QR code in Clio Manage and display it anywhere, including on printed bills, or they can be printed and displayed in your office.
Similar to click-to-pay links, QR codes will deposit payments into your firm’s operating account which then need to be matched to specific bills or payments.
Step two
Update your billing process to get paid faster!
Clio Payments works seamlessly within Clio Manage, which means you can quickly and efficiently update your current billing processes. Use the following steps to deliver customised, accurate, and SRA-compliant bills to all of your clients.
Optimise your bill message templates
Bill message templates give you the ability to customise the messages and subject lines that accompany bills, client funds requests, or outstanding balance notifications sent from Clio.
When creating a message template, choose from several autofill fields—including invoice IDs and total outstanding balances—to customise information specific for each client.
Once set up, you’ll be able to quickly send several emails in bulk, while ensuring they are personalised for each client.
Customise your statement descriptor
Transactions processed through Clio will appear on your client’s card statement alongside a statement descriptor for your firm. By default, your statement descriptor is set to your firm name in Clio.
To help associate payments to your firm and reduce the likelihood of chargebacks, it’s important that your descriptor is recognisable to clients. Ideally, it is your “doing business as” name, the name used on your invoices, or other public materials.
To set and change your statement descriptor in Clio, learn more here.
Schedule automated bill reminders
Automated bill reminders make it easy and efficient to create personalised follow-ups with clients, so you don’t have to spend time reaching out to them yourself.
You can also include convenient payment links in all of your reminders—giving clients the ability to pay with a click.
To set up a reminder, select a bill recipient, choose or customise a message template, and pick a delivery frequency.
Clio will take on the task of following up with clients until their outstanding balance is paid. You can adjust the frequency, timing, and message of individual reminders at any time.
Take advantage of payment profiles
Use payment profiles to create default payment terms for your most common billing scenarios. For each profile, decide whether you want payment due upon receipt or after a grace period. You can also set up discounts or interest charges to incentivise payment within a selected timeframe.
Once you set up or update your default payment profile, it will automatically apply to future invoices.
You can create multiple payment profiles and customise terms on a client-to-client basis.
Benefits of payment processing solutions for law firms
Discover the endless benefits of payment processing solutions for law firms, including faster payment cycles, increased convenience for both the firm and clients, and reduced stress and administrative time spent chasing payments.
STEP THREE
Set your firm up for future clients
Clio Payments doesn’t just offer law firms a convenient way to get paid—it also offers a competitive advantage.
UK research conducted by Clio found that 40% of UK consumers would opt not to use a law firm that didn’t offer a simple online payment method. The solution? Add Clio Payments to your website and make it part of your intake process by following these steps!
Update your Website
Create a secure payment page
You can add click-to-pay links to your website to create a convenient payment portal for current and prospective clients.
To make transactions as quick and easy as possible, be brief, concise, and clear with the information you include. For example:
URL: www.yourwebsite.com/payments
Page header: Make a Payment
Page copy: Securely pay your retainer or invoice online.
Call to actions: Pay Invoice and Pay Retainer
Including prominent call-to-action buttons can also create a clean and professional look to your website, which will reinforce trust and encourage action.
Link your call-to-action buttons to the secure click-to-pay links generated from your Clio Manage account.
Update your navigation
Add a Pay Online or Pay Your Bill option to your primary website navigation. This will make it easy for your clients to find without your assistance. It will also send a signal to prospective clients that your firm values client convenience.
If you are not able to add this option to your primary navigation, consider adding it to a dropdown menu, under Contact Us for example, or to your website footer. The key is making it easy for clients to find themselves.
Update your intake process
Collect your consultation fee upfront
New and potential clients can pay consultation fees when booking an initial appointment through Clio’s online booking tool: Clio Scheduler.
Clio Scheduler is an online appointment booking tool for prospective clients. Prospective clients can book appointments in available time slots and pay for appointments in advance if your firm has Clio Payments enabled.
Collect payments through Grow Scheduler
Not using Clio Grow? Send a secure click-to-pay link by email, or other communication method prior to your consultation.
Keep payment details on file
There’s no need to create a bill to initiate the payment process. You can securely request and store your clients’ preferred payment method in Clio during intake or onboarding, making it easier for them to pay a future bill or client funds request.
When using Clio Grow to onboard new clients, you can create a welcome email template that includes a click-to-pay link created in Clio Manage.
Getting this information upfront can expedite an initial retainer agreement with fewer follow-ups, helping reduce administrative work for both you and your clients.