Costly, confusing and counterproductive tech?
Streamlining your tech stack will help your firm to maximise use of resources, improve efficiency and profitability, and realise its full potential, says PracticeEvolve
Does your tech stack look a bit like this? If so, we need to tell you that it will undoubtedly be costly, confusing and counterproductive for you, your colleagues and your firm. Why? Well, let’s look at each of those ‘three negative Cs’ and explain why minimising the systems you employ should be an operational priority in the new year.
Costly
It goes without saying that the more systems you use, the more you’ll be paying each month in fees or subscriptions. You may also be paying for making each of them fit for purpose through enhancements or plug-ins, for example. Not cheap.
The costs attached to many of these systems is often based on user numbers too, so the bigger your firm, the more you will be paying. And if you’ve got ten different platforms in place, each being used by 100 people per month, the costs soon add up.
We recommend completing an audit of exactly what tech and software you currently have in place and how much each is costing on a monthly basis. Perhaps more importantly, what tech aren’t you using?
In our experience, firms often don’t realise that they’re paying for expensive tech that they either rarely or, worse, never use. That money could be better spent in other areas of the business and contribute to creating an even better client experience — and potentially boosting profits in the process.
Confusing
Less is always more when it comes to your tech stack. Most of us can only focus on one thing at once and, when faced with an array of software to complete a specific task, we will revert to what we know. A comfy pair of slippers, if you like.
We’ll work with the tried and tested software we understand every time, even if’s a bit clunky, because we know how it functions, and it (eventually!) does what we need. You know what else? What the heck is that new software that appeared on the desktop recently? No-one’s shown me how to use it let alone what it’s actually for, so I tell you what, I’ll just leave it alone.
Confused employees are neither happy nor productive — and that leads us to the third ‘C’.
Counterproductive
Not only is switching between several different platforms confusing and irritating, it’s also counterproductive. That’s the integration element of having multiple software in play. When applications don’t integrate with each other seamlessly, trying to get even the simplest of tasks done can be both time-consuming and frustrating.
What’s more, manually entering data to keep different systems in tune is another laborious issue and one that’s prone to error.
As well as having a detrimental effect on those who use the systems, there is often a knock-on effect for clients too. Perhaps a matter is delayed in its conclusion because the legal tech is overcomplicated and not fit for purpose.
Delays and apologies for such never sit well with a client, and reputations can be damaged irreparably in the process. After all, client recommendation is both the fastest and most cost-effective means of gaining new business.
The answer?
Easy. Minimise the systems that are employed and you and your firm will be able to maximise use of your resources, improve efficiency and profitability, and realise your full potential.
Simply select a software package or suite that has everything you need for your firm, and if there any elements it can’t provide, make sure whatever supplementary software you use integrates seamlessly.
This is the very reason why we developed such ‘all-round’ software for our legal industry clients. Software that has everything already built-in such as workflows and a full accounting suite for the accountants, not just lawyers, within a law firm. Let’s face it, billing is quite an important task in any organisation!
If you go down this route, you’ll reduce costs and improve productivity. Looking to the future, you’ll also benefit from next-gen tech including voice commands, notes and upcoming AI features to achieve further efficiencies, as well as a simpler upgrade path with fewer tools.
