Data Quality Do’s and Don’ts – Part 3: Adopt CRM Orphans

CRM orphan contacts require care.

There is nothing sadder than a poor, lonely little orphan – especially in your CRM system. When an “orphan” record is left in your CRM system and all the attorneys who once knew the contact are gone, the record is essentially abandoned. It’s left alone in a CRM world where relationships are so very important.

So what is a CRM caretaker to do? Well, start by regularly keeping watch for the these abandoned orphan records. It’s rare for them to be left prominently on your CRM doorstep. Instead, you must go looking for them. Run regular searches for contacts with no relationships to individuals at your firm.

Do you have a transition policy to ensure CRM orphans are adopted?

Once located, these CRM orphan contacts require care and feeding. The firm should have a transition policy in place to assure they are attended to. When attorneys leave the firm, their contacts should be carefully reviewed to determine whether they should remain in your firm’s CRM system. Frequently, the answer is yes because these contacts usually have a history with the firm and may be receiving your firm communications.

The important orphan contacts that remain with the firm should be ‘adopted’ by attorneys who will agree to ‘foster’ relationships with them. With a little attention and nurturing, they may grow into happy new clients…