Building a culture of digital competency

According to a survey conducted by Practice Evolve in partnership with LPM, most firms are not making full use of their PMS. Developing your workforce’s digital competency is key to reaping its full benefits — improving client service as a result, says Adam Bullion, general manager of marketing at Practice Evolve.

As legal firms continue to rely on technology to remain competitive, digital competency is becoming increasingly crucial. A survey conducted by Practice Evolve in partnership with Legal Practice Management in the UK revealed that law firms are not exploiting all the benefits that practice management systems (PMS) can provide to their business. While a majority of respondents say they couldn’t operate without their PMS, 74% of UK respondents admit that they use less than half of its’ full capabilities.

The need for increased digital competency

The report outlines a clear link between the utilisation of a system and people’s ability to fully understand it, referred to as digital competency. While a clear majority of respondents (69%) say their workforce has at least a “functional” understanding of their IT systems, only a few classify their people’s understanding as “good” or “advanced”. Most of the respondents (77%) believe that their workforce’s digital literacy needs to improve.

The primary driver for improving digital competency is finding and encouraging more innovative ways of working. Other factors include a higher reliance on technology due to hybrid working, security and a greater expectation of tech savviness from clients. In the UK, more than half (54%) of businesses want to make their workforce ready for changes in the wider legal landscape.

Three ways to increase digital competency

To address this issue, some firms have taken training into their own hands. However, there is some debate about who is responsible for bringing people up to speed. While the majority (76%) place responsibility on employers, it’s very clear most respondents believe vendors should provide the necessary support to help deliver skills and knowledge about their system to users.

There are three key principles law firms should follow when it comes to improving digital competency:

1. Investing in regular training upskilling — this helps firms utilise the full capabilities of their practice management system.

2. Identifying champions in the firm ensures firms drive adoption and help spread knowledge and best practices.

3. Selecting a provider offering a variety of training tools, including online learning platforms, on-demand courses, webinars and access to client success teams.

Benefits of using the full scope of features

Law firms can reap significant benefits by using the full scope of features in their practice management system including increased productivity and efficiencies driven by streamlined processes. In parallel, firms using knowledge to exploit the software are able to create competitive advantage because they will gain time that they can devote to boosting  the level of service they offer their clients.

In conclusion, digital competency is critical to remaining competitive and meeting client needs. Firms must focus on upskilling and optimising their PMS, identifying champions to drive adoption while selecting and involving their vendors in training and optimisation.

If you are looking to get more from your software, talk to one of the team today and request a free demo.