On-Demand or Hands-On? Evaluating Software Providers’ Customer Support Models

A familiar tale: You’ve a nagging issue with your legal software that you need help with. So you hit the support button hoping for a knowledgeable, friendly person to chat to. Instead, you’re redirected to a prehistoric user forum from 2016. Sounds familiar?

There are two broad approaches to legal software support: hands-off and hands-on. Some providers prefer hands-off because they think they can save on resources. This often means pointing you to a dusty FAQ and getting you to do all the legwork. 

But when you urgently need to access some vital cloud-based documents for a hearing later that day, you’re going to need a hands-on approach. You’ll want a real human who can give you the solution you need, right then and there.

In this article, we will explain why not all legal support is created equal, and why the best software comes with human help, proactive resources, and easy-to-use self-serve tools.

Hands-off vs. hands-on: What support really looks like

Hands-off support is more guidance-oriented and indirect, whereas hands-on support involves direct intervention by the support staff. 

This is what each model of law firm software support looks like:

Hands-off:

• Limited self-service resources: Relies primarily on static knowledge base articles or FAQ sections without interactive guidance.

• No real-time assistance: Exclusively uses email-based ticketing systems with no live chat, phone support, or immediate troubleshooting options.

• Delayed responses: Lacks guaranteed resolution timelines, often taking 24+ hours for non-critical issues.
• Passive issue resolution: Requires users to diagnose problems independently before submitting support tickets.

Hands-on (Clio-style):

• Friendly experts available 24/5 with escalation protocols: Offers real-time chat functionality alongside traditional phone/email support with fast response times.

• Legal-industry trained reps: Staffed by professionals who actually understand law firm workflows and can provide context-aware troubleshooting.

• Robust help content and real-time learning resources: Combines interactive help widgets with virtual classrooms and scenario-based learning.
• Community and certification for users: Offers peer-led discussions and industry networking alongside a range of certification programs.

While hands-off support models are efficient and scalable, they lack the depth of personalisation, immediacy, and compliance required in legal practice. Hands-on support aligns with the expectations and regulatory demands of law firms, fostering trust, satisfaction and long-term client relationships.

What you should expect from legal tech support

Legal tech customer service is crucial because it directly impacts your operational efficiency, competitive differentiation, and client retention. The best providers combine rapid technical response with a deep understanding of legal practice pressures, offering both support and strategic guidance to improve client service.

This is what you should expect from your legal tech provider:

Fast and flexible support channels

Look for 24/5 support via phone, live chat, and email with fast response times. Your provider should offer ultra-fast resolution to minimise disruptions to billable work.

Legal-specific expertise

Your provider must understand legal workflows, compliance requirements (SRA, GDPR) and tools including document and case management systems. Avoid generic IT support that lacks sector-specific knowledge. 

No extra cost for support

Demand no hidden costs for standard support. Many providers now include unlimited training and troubleshooting in base pricing, but don’t take this for granted. Always read the fine print. 

Comprehensive onboarding and help

Support should not be limited to day one. Look for structured onboarding with educational sessions and continuous support through dedicated account managers. Post-implementation resources should include system optimisation guidance. 

Training and education

Quality providers will offer a range of training formats including live webinars on new features/regulations, on-demand video libraries for flexible learning, and regular workshops aligned with legal workflows.

 

Introducing Clio’s Help Centre

Clio’s Help Centre offers comprehensive and organised support that you can rely on. Our intuitive user interface and robust resources make finding answers quick and easy. 

Here’s a breakdown of our key features:

Effortless problem-solving

Our Help Centre gives you instant access to solutions for common tasks ranging from system setup and user management to specialised processes like issuing refunds. 

Clio’s knowledge base covers everything you need to know about: 

• Billing and payments (invoice generation, payment information)
• Client portals (secure communication with your clients)
• Write-offs (adjusting account balances)
• Clio Grow (client onboarding workflows)
• Reporting (performance analytics)

Advanced search capabilities

Our global search bar enables you to find documents, contacts or matters by keyword across our platforms (Clio Manage, Clio Grow). You can search both file names and content, with filters to narrow results by categories like tasks or communications.

Step-by-step guidance

Our resources are designed to make everything easy for you, and include:

• Structured tutorials for first-time users covering navigation and workflow optimisation.
• Visual walkthroughs with screenshots, particularly for core features like case management (creating matters, assigning tasks) and billing (time recording, invoice generation).
• Detailed documentation on settings (account configurations), security (compliance standards) and integrations (third-party app connections).

Need more help?

If you’re still stuck, our dedicated support team can be reached via phone, email, and live chat 24 hours a day, five days a week.  

Support beyond the support ticket

With Clio, help doesn’t stop once your account is set up. We give you access to a comprehensive suite of support services designed to empower legal professionals in the UK with practical knowledge and networking opportunities. 

Here’s a quick overview of what you get with Clio’s support services:

Webinars

Clio offers live and on-demand webinars to keep you informed about new feature rollouts, best practices for law firm management, legal technology trends, and more. Our webinars are free and include live Q&As with Clio experts.

Downloadable guides

Clio has over 80 downloadable guides, including white papers and instructional materials. Focusing on key areas such as compliance, law firm marketing, and legal technology implementation, they are designed to help you optimise your practice.

Educational blogs

Clio’s educational blog is packed with actionable tips and insights specifically for UK law firms. With practical advice on legal practice management, technology adoption, and regulatory updates, they ensure you stay competitive and informed. 

Live events

Clio regularly hosts and participates in live events across the UK, including hands-on workshops, panel discussions, and networking sessions. You’ll get to meet the Clio team, receive personal advice, and hear success stories from other law firms using Clio.

Clio community

Join Clio Community, our online platform, and connect with other legal professionals to ask questions, share wins, and discuss best practices. Designed to foster collaboration and innovation, our community gives you access to peer-led support and thought leadership.

Clio certification

Clio offers certification programs if you want to become a power user of our platform. Our programs offer in-depth training to deepen your product knowledge, improve your firm’s efficiency, and enhance your professional credentials.

A few of our awards

We are proud to say we have won multiple awards from our users in the legal industry:

• • Easiest to use: G2 has ranked Clio #1 Easiest To Use Legal Practice Management Software according to their usability ratings.
  • Highest rated: Clio is the #1 Legal Practice Management Software Product according to G2 user satisfaction ratings.
  • High Net Promoter Score: Clio has a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 9.1 on Capterra, with 9 in 10 customers recommending Clio to others.

What’s more, we’ve just been awarded a 2025 Stevie Award for Sales & Customer Service.

Customer testimonial

This is what Collective Law had to say about Clio’s customer support:

Having 24/5 support available through phone, email, and live chat also ensured that Clio’s team could always answer any day-to-day questions.

When you’re starting off, you can often forget where to access certain features or how to complete different tasks in the system, so it’s easy to get in touch with Clio via live chat to get answers quickly.

How to spot red flags in a vendor’s support offering

You can find yourself in a world of endless frustration, missed deadlines and unhappy clients—all because you chose a legal software vendor with poor support.

Here’s how to spot red flags in a vendor’s support offering:

• Only one support channel (e.g. email only), means limited accessibility and responsiveness—not what you want during a crisis.

• No guaranteed support time creates uncertainty, leaving you stranded during operational disruptions.

• Paywalled advanced support or onboarding help shifts essential services into premium tiers, risking inadequate baseline support and hidden costs.

• Outdated or poorly structured help documentation hinders issue resolution and degrades your user experience.

• No ongoing resources training after sign-up leaves you unprepared for new features or compliance changes.
• Lack of transparency about support SLAs or hours indicates potential unaccountability and lack of proper escalation procedures.

You’re not just buying software—You’re choosing a support system

Great tech is nothing without great support. 

Clio delivers both—with humans, help articles, and hands-on learning to keep your firm running smoothly. Check out Clio for support that actually supports you.

Want to see what award-winning support looks like? Book a free consultation with a Clio expert today.
→ Book a Demo

We published this blog post in April 2025. Last updated: May 12, 2025.

Posted in: Clio