Helping law firms drive efficiency through improved utilisation of IT

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"We utilise a range of different service providers and allow Quiss to manage all of those that require integration with our system, safe in the knowledge that they will always act in our best interests and ensure our IT systems operate at their optimum performance." - Wendy Hillman, Office Manager at Andrew & Co

Profile

Andrew & Co. LLP is a specialist independent firm of solicitors with a rich heritage stretching back more than 180 years. The firm offers a comprehensive range of legal services to private individuals and businesses across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire from offices in Lincoln and Newark. Although recognised specialists in business and employment law issues, the firm also provides a high quality service dealing with family, home and personal law issues; all reinforced by core values of Accessibility, Credibility and Value for Money.

Issue

Like most law firms the business faces the challenge of a more competitive market, with every client expecting higher levels of service, without any increase in fees. The senior management team recognised this problem can only really be met with improved efficiency and a greater utilisation of IT to reduce turnaround times for client advice and documentation. A move to new larger offices on the outskirts of Lincoln was identified as a key project to drive business growth, but a quick and problem free transfer from the old office to the new was essential.

Solved

Having decided that its requirements could best be met by IT outsourcing, the firm undertook a comprehensive selection process. Quiss Technology was appointed to replace the in-house IT support and help plan a complete upgrade of the firm’s IT systems to help improve the service Andrew & Co delivered to its clients.

Following an initial IT audit, The Quiss team of technical specialists identified a number of improvements to be made, one of which was to create a permanent link with the Newark office following the re-location of the Lincoln office. The re-location of the Lincoln office was a major challenge, with the entire move having to be done in a single weekend to ensure Andrew & Co. clients experienced no interruption of service.

The firm’s managing partner, Julie Bailey commented on the move: "The senior management team identified a move to new larger premises as key to growing our business, but naturally we were nervous about the level of disruption. There were a lot of services to co-ordinate in the run-up to the move, and the IT system was critical. All of our systems and data had to be available until the last minute at the old office, before we could allow Quiss to shut it down and move it all to the new office, late on Friday.

"We needn’t have worried. All the systems had to work from 8am on the Monday following the move and we knew that we could rely on Quiss to achieve this. Trust is a vital part of the relationship we have built with Quiss, developing a growing confidence in their abilities to keep our systems running at their optimum, without necessarily being aware of the work they undertake in the background. We understand that IT isn’t just a tool to get the job done, but is part of the growth strategy of this firm. Quiss are with us every step of the way on this important journey."

As part of the IT outsourcing solution ‘Works’, Andrew & Co. is provided with a range of services, including unlimited access to Quiss’s Tamworth based helpdesk and specialist training on both their practice management software and all the standard Microsoft desktop applications. Quiss also deliver unlimited consultancy, project management and a fully documented and tested Disaster Recovery plan, an essential element for any business with demanding clients.

Law firms in particular have a variety of specific IT outsourcing requirements, from digital dictation to practice and case management systems, requiring many providers to work together. Quiss’s track record in the legal sector ensures we have both the expertise and experience to deal with other service providers and ensure a seamless integration of all these services.

Wendy Hillman, Office Manager at Andrew & Co. commented: "Quiss is very pro-active; the team seems to head off issues before they affect our system. Whatever we ask of Quiss or our system, they never say ‘sorry, it’s just the way it is’, they get on with it and find a solution. And they do it quickly too, which is essential for law firms that bill by 6 minute increments – we can’t afford even short interruptions to our service."

"We utilise a range of different service providers and allow Quiss to manage all of those that require integration with our system, safe in the knowledge that they will always act in our best interests and ensure our IT systems operate at their optimum performance."

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