Episode Overview

Episode Title: 369. Why Your Clients Call So Much and How To Fix It
Podcast: Personal Injury Mastermind
Host: Chris Dreyer (Rankings.io)
Guest: Manny Griffiths, Co-Founder and CEO of Hona
Release Date: December 2, 2025

This episode dives into why personal injury law clients have high communication expectations and how law firms can address these demands through better technology and systems. Chris Dreyer interviews Manny Griffiths about building Hona, a communication tool inspired by consumer-grade package and food tracking apps, now adapted to create transparency, engagement, and efficiency for legal clients and firms alike. The conversation unpacks how better client updates, pain journaling, and unified tech interfaces can directly improve client satisfaction—and case value.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Communication Expectation Shift (00:25 – 03:15)

• Modern Consumers Are Trained By Tech:
  Clients are used to Fortune 500-level experiences—think tracking an Uber or Domino’s pizza, with real-time updates and convenience.

  "With good tech, your clients track packages, flights and food. Their personal injury case should be the same." – Chris Dreyer [00:34]

• The Pain of Outdated Client Experience:
  Law firm clients now expect constant updates, but most firms only send a welcome letter—which is no longer enough.
  Manny recounts his own experience when his fiancée got into an accident, explaining how he quickly turned into the “status update” client.

  “I was on the phone asking for status updates and it like clicked, okay, this is why law firms are asking for that tool.” – Manny Griffiths [01:44]

• Who Suffers Most:
  It’s the case managers—not attorneys—who are most impacted by inefficient communication, overwhelmed by redundant status calls that break workflow.

The Cost of Irregular Updates & The Case for Automation (03:16 – 04:55)

• Irregular Updates Lead to Client Anxiety:
  If clients don't hear from their firm, they assume the worst, leading to more calls, wasted staff time, and operational inefficiency.

  "Every time a client wonders what has happened with their case, your team pays for it." – Chris Dreyer [03:31]

• Missed Data Hurts Settlements:
  Failure to consistently track the client experience—especially during medical treatment—means missed details that could boost non-economic damages in demand letters.

  “Treatment is where the story of pain, impact and disruption is actually happening. If no one is collecting that information in a structured way, you lose the details that drive non economic damages.” – Chris Dreyer [03:31]

Hona’s Solution—Structured Pain Journaling & Engagement (04:56 – 06:00)

• Introducing Pain Journaling:
  Hona builds in automated, weekly questionnaires so clients can record pain and life disruptions. This streamlines data collection for stronger settlements and keeps clients actively engaged.

  “They’re collecting all this information week after week … and you can put that directly in your demand letter and just really boost the non economic damages request.” – Manny Griffiths [05:31]

• Dual Benefits:

  • Clients feel involved and cared for.
  • Firms have richer documentation for claims.

Hona vs. Traditional Case Management (06:01 – 07:13)

• Why Not Just Use Existing CRMs or CMSs:

  • Hona is not a replacement for firms’ internal systems (like Clio or Salesforce), but an external-facing communication layer, deeply integrated but client-first.

  “The case management software is where you and your team are collaborating on the case. It’s the internal structure. HONA is like the communication layer that’s external facing.” – Manny Griffiths [06:00]

• Automation Brings Consistency:

  • Automated “drip” sequences (welcome letters, updates) ensure every client gets the same experience, every time—regardless of busy staff.

The Power of “Non-Update Updates” (07:14 – 08:00)

• Easing Client Anxiety with Proactive Communications:

  • Even if nothing new has happened, automated texts can reassure clients that their case is still in process.

  "People want to know that something hasn’t happened, which is so funny. ... [We] call it the non-update update.” – Manny Griffiths [06:55]

• Example:

  • Firms can set a rule: "If nothing happens in 10 days, send a text: 'Hey, still working on things. We'll be in touch soon.'"

Preferred Communication Channels (08:01 – 08:59)

• Text Is King:

  • Hona primarily leverages SMS for maximum ease and engagement. Clients receive a text with a link to updates from the same number for seamless tracking.

  “It’s so easy … people are just so used to texting.” – Manny Griffiths [08:05]

• No Download Barrier:

  • While a mobile app exists, most clients just click a link and view updates in their browser.

Consistency in Contact: The Unified Phone Number (09:00 – 10:36)

• Unified Number Throughout the Journey:

  • Hona’s strategy: all communications—website chat, case updates, texts—come from a single phone number, reducing confusion from multiple “random” numbers.

  “A client will receive several phone numbers throughout the whole customer journey ... we’re trying to consolidate and bring those into one phone number.” – Manny Griffiths [09:16]

• Intake Tool:

  • Hona uses an engaging website intake bot that collects info, converts browsers into leads, and continues the relationship through the same number if they become a client.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “People get anxious like when they haven’t heard something ... people want to know that something hasn’t happened, which is so funny.” – Manny Griffiths [06:55]
• “When you don’t track the client’s experience as it unfolds, you leave money on the table.” – Chris Dreyer [03:31]
• “Firms have 50 pain journals with all this stuff that they’ve missed ... you can put that directly in your demand letter and just really boost the non economic damages request.” – Manny Griffiths [05:31]
• “...we’re trying to consolidate and bring those into one phone number. So it’s, you know, consistency throughout the whole process.” – Manny Griffiths [09:16]
• “Text is such a seamless way to deliver these updates, so clients always feel engaged—without app fatigue.” – Manny Griffiths [08:05]

Important Timestamps

• 00:25 – The rise of client communication expectations
• 01:44 – Origins of Hona: Manny’s real-life client experience
• 03:31 – How irregular updates kill efficiency and value
• 05:31 – How pain journals drive stronger settlements
• 06:00 – Hona as an external communication layer
• 06:55 – The importance of “non-update updates”
• 08:05 – Why text is the channel of choice
• 09:16 – Value of a unified phone number for clients

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Modern law firm clients expect real-time, proactive updates similar to their experiences with food delivery or ridesharing apps.
• Frequent, structured client communication:
  • Reduces unnecessary interruption for staff
  • Raises overall client satisfaction and trust
  • Unlocks data—like pain journals—that tangibly strengthen cases
• Automation and consistency, especially with SMS updates and one persistent contact number, are simple but transformative improvements any PI firm can deploy.
• Tools like Hona are not competitors to internal case management or CRM systems—they’re essential client-facing companions in an increasingly demanding legal marketplace.

For PI professionals looking to reduce client interruption, improve outcomes, and deliver experiences clients now expect, the systems and ideas discussed in this episode provide a modern framework to transform client communications and, ultimately, case results.