There are two ways most private detectives acquire more clients. One way is through an attorney that hires them for a particular case. The other way is through an independent customer that is seeking personal private detective services.
When dealing with a client through an attorney, matters of confidentiality and sensitive topics aren’t usually a problem. In this scenario, both parties usually have experience with this type of information and know what’s legal and required. But customers who hire a private investigator on their own may have many more questions about past cases and experience. Answering these questions can be challenging. On the one hand, a private detective wants to reassure the customer that she or he has the necessary experience to take on the case. On the other, it can be challenging to reveal any information without compromising a previous customer’s confidentiality requirements.
To help out, here are a few ideas on how private detectives can discuss past cases with new customers:
Client confidentiality comes first: Having a quick summary about client confidentiality at hand is helpful when dealing with new clients. Emphasizing how important confidentiality is to the business of private investigation protects previous customers while reassuring a new client that their information will be similarly protected. This is also a good time to discuss how confidentiality laws work and the ways in which private investigators are required to provide information they unearth to law enforcement.
Remove the details: Talking about cases is completely fine and a great way to show past successes to new clients. But it is important to remove specific or identifying information. A better idea is to stick to discussing case types, for example, talking about divorce cases, company liability cases, criminal cases and so on.
Offer references: Sometimes, a private investigator will be able to request a reference from a past client or attorney that they have worked with. It’s best to build a portfolio of these references so that they are on hand to show potential clients. This is often just what a client needs to confirm their decision to work with a particular private detective.
Be clear about what’s legal and what’s not: Many potential clients may want a particular service and not understand that private investigators are prohibited from finding this information by law. Willingness to discuss what can and can’t be done saves everyone time up front.
Use testimonials: Testimonials from past clients are a great way for private detectives to provide some of the specific information that potential clients may be looking for without revealing sensitive information.
Refer to public record cases: In lawsuits where much of the information is on public record, specific details are okay to reveal.
Point time and money savings: Even without specific details, results of a case, such as time or money saved, can bring focus to the value a private detective’s services provide without getting bogged down in the details of a particular case.