Using IT to improve client relationships

Against a backdrop of regulatory change, market consolidation, and global economic challenges, IT departments are stretched to capacity while clients demand value in new and innovative ways. How can law firms ensure they deliver true value that enhances relationships and delights clients? Andrew Try, managing director of ComXo, chaired an insightful panel discussion on the use of technology to improve client relationships at ARK Group's Legal IT 2016 conference in January. Andrew was joined by Mike Potter (partner and head of TST at Addleshaw Goddard), David Halliwell (director of knowledge, risk and legal services at Pinsent Masons), and Scott Bozinis (CEO at InfoTrack).

Consistent quality wins client loyalty

Satisfied clients should be the focus of every successful legal services provider. Their relationship with your firm is a journey - a lifecycle during which they come into contact with the firm through diverse channels and for different purposes. The effective delivery of legal services and the way in which the client experiences that delivery are key to client retention.

A theme that emerged throughout Legal IT 2016 was that demand for innovation should be driven by both firms and their clients. Yet IT departments suffer from a lack of bandwidth to deliver vital infrastructure support and forward-thinking technology solutions, and client relationships may not traditionally have been a priority for the IT function. Getting the client experience front and centre of the agenda requires a joined-up approach to tech that suits the structure and culture of your firm and that supports your clients' requirements. Collaboration is extremely powerful between internal departments, between firms and their clients, and with third party providers such as ComXo who can ensure you deliver seamless client service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Scalable solutions for personalised service

IT and AI functions are driving efficiencies and demystifying the process of delivering legal services. Clients understand this and expect to reap the benefits. During the conference we heard from technology companies now delivering services that have previously been delivered by lawyers and accountants. Conversely, traditional law firms are edging towards software and licencing business models. When a fee earner describes the exciting benefits and costs savings of their new tech, clients want a piece of the action by licencing software and systems for in-house use. David Halliwell described this as the 'people, process, technology' service model shifting toward the delivery of a pure 'process and technology' product - traditional business models are being turned on their heads.

Clearly, clients can see bottom-line benefits from the automation of routine tasks. But technology has the ability to deliver so much more, and when combined with real human interaction it can greatly enhance the client experience. Round-the-clock accessibility profits both parties from the very beginning of the relationship. ComXo provides managed switchboard services to 40 top 100 law firms, ensuring clients' communication needs are met in a manner that is fully integrated with each firm's unique brand. Ten per cent of switchboard calls are new business enquiries, and a startling 43 per cent of these come though outside normal working hours. That first impression of your firm can make or break the rest of the relationship - or whether the client appoints you at all.

Likewise, increasingly distributed firms are under pressure handling global clients, multiple languages, agile working patterns and shrinking office space. Brand consistency is essential, so ComXo combines bespoke switchboard technology with a team of knowledgeable, professional, and well-informed staff. Good technology should facilitate the delivery of an excellent client experience by real people who care about what they do. Leveraging clever solutions to make your client's journey easier, more efficient and better value creates a compelling case for long term client retention.

Clever tech enhances your brand promise

With talk of AI and virtual assistants replacing many of the tasks traditionally carried out by lawyers, firms are naturally reluctant to dilute their brand and status as providers of high value legal services. But this really doesn't have to be the case. The true value in IT comes from a combination of strong relationships, innovative thinking around how technology can improve the delivery of legal services, and an openness of mind from both firms and clients that allows creativity to flourish. Mike Potter described a recent successful pitch in which the client had little interest in hearing about the firm's legal capability - the focus was entirely on the tech it could offer. Is this because legal expertise, quality, and experience don't matter? Of course not, but among your peer firms they probably are not acting as a differentiator for tech-hungry clients. Their excellent legal service was a given - the client wanted to know they had bespoke, efficient, and reliable systems to match.

How do we know if our tech is delivering value to the client? Repeat business despite minimal lock-ins may well be proof enough. In addition, many law firms conduct feedback programmes that explore client perceptions of service and relationships. ComXo judges its success on its ability to integrate fully with the systems and processes of the law firms it serves. Like all good solutions, the service is fully scoped, tailored to the precise needs of the firm and its client base, then integrated seamlessly with their brand. The client who calls from the Middle East at 2am does not care who handles their call, but they know they have received exceptional service.

Help your talent work smarter, faster, and better

Despite having the power to delight clients, one apparent challenge to the advancement of innovation is encouraging buy-in among partners that may resist new systems. IT teams are often acting as internal re-sellers of new systems, but the panel members were keen to dispel the idea that law firms are 'notoriously' slow to adopt new tech. Rather, you need to demonstrate a clear and tangible benefit - one that resonates in the partner's own world, with their own clients and transactions. Showing your peers that technology can win exciting new opportunities and realise benefits for existing clients. David Halliwell suggests that identifying early adopters of consumer technology in your firm can provide you with champions to help introduce new systems.

A great example of technology supporting employees to develop better client relationships is the ability to work faster and smarter in an increasingly distributed office environment. The Millennial generation has a significant part to play in this picture; firms need to identify forward-thinking individuals and create agile working environments in which talent can flourish, as well as supporting flexible working for more senior employees. Halliwell observed that the right people in the right conditions have the potential to do more interesting work, which can lead to them having better direct client contact at an earlier stage in their career. This gives them a pathway to really influence the strategy of a client relationship, bringing fresh ideas to the table.

As well as talent retention, agile working gives firms the ability to scale up or down according to demand and the flexibility to maintain consistent service levels around the clock. But this flexibility comes with considerable challenges, particularly in managing a dispersed workforce, virtual offices, and a global client base. ComXo facilitates agile working by connecting your employees through a cloud-based, five star assistant model so that the knowledge and applications they need are always at their fingertips.

Staying ahead of the curve

Firms with forward-looking IT functions can put new ideas to their clients, or be ready to respond when a client needs a bespoke platform based on existing in-house technology. Thinking collaboratively with your clients about how to leverage technology does require a certain level of trust and openness to facilitate the discussion - but once the conversation starts it can nurture even deeper relationships from which both sides reap rewards.

David Halliwell noted that technology specialists will often accompany fee earners on client visits, but they also have direct relationships with clients. He described a three-tier approach to technology adopted by Pinsent Masons. The core IT team deals with the critical infrastructure that keeps a business up and running. Second, a client-facing technology team works directly with clients to identify their precise needs and develop bespoke solutions for them. The third group is future-looking, which includes the development of AI applications. Here the team is pushing the business and its clients to think about new use cases for the technology it develops. In this way clients are exposed to a broad range of skills and talent at different stages of their journey - and have access to the right people at the right time.

The advocacy of great service delivered by clever people, supported by technology fit for the twenty-first century law firm, reflects much of the commentary from panel members and presenters at Legal IT 2016 and is central to everything ComXo does. Technology should be seen as a powerful tool that facilitates personal attention from someone who really cares about the client experience. No matter what the business model, approaching the delivery of legal services with an open mind and a genuine desire to do things better - for your clients and for your employees - is surely the way to deliver true value in our ever-shifting legal landscape.