Simplifying will applications with a guided digital intake app

Scottish law says that wills cannot be made entirely online and some elements still need to be completed using paperwork. This became an issue for the firm during the COVID-19 lockdown, as clients were unable to visit the company’s offices to sign wills.

Instead, they had to spend up to two hours on the phone with a solicitor answering a detailed checklist of questions. This was inconvenient for clients and inefficient for the firm. The firm’s solicitors tried making this easier by sending clients a spreadsheet form to collect the required information, but this proved unpopular.

The spreadsheets were full of questions that were irrelevant to many clients, clients often filled them out wrongly and correcting the mistakes required long follow-up calls, and the whole process was inefficient and impersonal.

The app allows users to quickly and conveniently send the firm the information needed to write a will. Clients seeking a will are given a QR code and asked to set up an account.

They are then taken through a series of screens, answering questions as they go. These questions are in various formats, including drop-down menus, free text fields and radial buttons. Mandatory fields mean that users cannot submit their forms without filling in critical sections.

A progress bar, save function and the ability to skip to different parts of the questionnaire help ensure an excellent user experience. When a user submits their form, it is locked down and a notification is sent to the firm's team. A solicitor then downloads the information from the app’s back end.

The app also gives users reasons to revisit it. The first is an FAQ that provides information and guidance on estates and wills. The second is a major life change notification form, which allows users to update their will and notify the firm of changes in their lives, for example if they remarry.

The will information that is received is now more accurate and complete than before, saving the company time and resources. The firm is promoting the app’s use amongst clients and has already seen results.

A simple but powerful example is that many clients wouldn’t include their postcode in the spreadsheet, forcing a solicitor to find it using online postcode finders or Google Maps. Over a year this added up to hundreds of hours of lost time. This question is mandatory in the app, instantly solving the issue.

• Feedback received about the app: Most straightforward will applications were completed in just five minutes.
• People providing more complex information appreciated the ability to save and return to their form.
• Users liked the convenience of using it anywhere.
• They also liked not having to remember the name of a specific contact at the firm.

Due to the success of the app, the firm is now considering using Fliplet for more of their services, including:

• Power of attorney.
• Notifications of changes in law relevant to users, for example child trusts.
• Staff expenses template.
• An event app.