Sixty per cent of consumers would consider buying legal products from one of 16 major consumer brands highlighted in a major piece of market research conducted by YouGov.
The YouGov Legal Services Report, an executive summary of which has been seen by Legal & Medical, has revealed consumers’ appetite for using retail and banking brands like Virgin, The Co-op and Barclays for their legal services.
The full 62-page report costs £2,500. For more information click here.
The AA proved to be a particularly popular choice with men over 55, with one in four of those polled in that specific category suggesting they would consider using them in the future.
Nineteen per cent said they would consider using Barclays, 18 per cent the Co-op and 15 per cent Virgin.
“Given Barclays’ reputation in the banking industry and the Co-operative’s established role as a legal services provider, their prominence on the list might not come as a surprise to many,” according to the report’s Executive Summary.
“What may turn heads is the fact that 60 per cent of consumers would consider at least one of the above brands for the purpose of receiving legal advice or buying legal products.”
However, ahead of alternative business structures in October, the pollster suggested that greater commitment on behalf of those brands was required to really make an impact on the marketplace.
“[The report] explores the need for a greater commitment on behalf of these retail brands to channel more effectively loyalty data and current user recognition from other markets to consolidate their position in the legal services sector.”
One area of major concern for law firms is the somewhat surprising finding that few members of the general public recognise some of the current major players in the marketplace.
“Hardly any consumers are aware of the largest law firm brands in the country,” explained the report. “Irwin Mitchell is one of the country’s leading personal injury law firms but is still only identified by 11 per cent as a law firm.
“Quality Solicitors is a national franchise based around local high street solicitors. By November 2010, it had offices in 70 locations and it is recognised by 36 per cent as a legal brand although the use of the word ‘solicitors’ in its branding may have helped.”
Online legal services are likely to become more important with 34 per cent of respondents saying they would be more likely to choose a law firm that offered the convenience of online access to legal documents over one that had no online capability.
Younger males were the most likely to choose a law firm with online services and access: 44% of 25-39 year-old males (and 40% of such women), along with 40% of 16-24 year-old males, would choose a law firm offering online access to documents over another law firm.
If you would like to see a copy of the Executive Summary email editorial@barkerbrooks.co.uk
Medico-Legal News Source: Legal & Medical
