Peer to Peer Magazine

44 PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF ILTA | SPRING 2016 EXTRAS Going Beyond the App Apps are arguably the reason smartphone use has soared over the past decade, and they are part and parcel of the way most of us understand mobility. by Gaby Isturiz of Bellefield Going Beyond the App The "there's an app for that" mentality works great for individuals, but it is not so good for law firms. Firms that fail to go "beyond the app" and address mobility at an enterprise level are likely to experience a decrease in: • Aorney engagement in technology • Compliance with firm policies • Accuracy in recording important firm data such as time entries • Aorney and staff productivity • Aorney-client trust The good news is that there is a solution: true mobility. True mobility lies not in the app itself but in how the app and the firm's systems work together to perform functions seamlessly. The Promise of True Mobility Many firms hand their aorneys a smartphone and an app and forget about the need to integrate the mobile user's work with the firm's systems. A true mobility strategy, on the other hand, addresses all aspects of mobility, from user support and training to integrations, subscriptions and applications. True mobility: • Allows end users to maintain a consistent level of efficiency and productivity, regardless of device • Requires low activation energy so mobile users can get started on tasks with lile training • Requires support 24/7 • Allows users to record data or information with higher accuracy (e.g., time entry) • Requires that all tasks performed on mobile devices are fully integrated with the firm's systems and processes • Is reliant on the soware as a service (SaaS) model You must be willing to address mobile functions in all aspects of the firm's operations. 4 Steps To Go Beyond the App Once you have things up and running, take these four steps to go beyond the basics: 1. Identify mobility gaps. Uncover any legacy functions that are not being performed effectively on mobile devices. 2. Analyze your integrations. Take a look at app usage across your firm and examine how it connects to the firm's critical functions and processes. Are there any disconnects? 3. Address user engagement. Monitor utilization of mobile devices and apps at your firm, including initial and ongoing use. 4. Create a plan for end user support. Determine who will handle support issues, when support is available and how users will access support. P2P

• Cover