The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/1048931
54 significant investments in them. More important, a majority of firms have deployed the software to the desktops of all or most of their attorneys. Plus, a potential benefit of enhancing the data in the CRM can be to drive adoption, which is a goal for almost every client we know. While it's important that bridges facilitate the flow of useful information, it's also important that they be able to stand the test of time. Construction bridges can sometimes be costly so it's important that they have the promise of providing a return on the technolo investment. For instance, frequently a client assumes that a financial integration should be part of the initial implementation of a CRM system, without doing a cost-benefit analysis. As a result, when we work with clients who suggest this – or any - technolo integration, we always ask one simple question: "Why?" If you can't articulate a reasonable and well-thought- out answer to the question, it's likely that the integration may not be necessary – or at least may be better left to a later phase of the project. Too often these decisions are also made without the input from all the key stakeholders. Another consulting firm that we worked with was focused on creating an opportunity pipeline that the firm could use to project future revenue and to help staff upcoming projects. Meanwhile, the firm's IT department was in the middle of a time and billing upgrade, and to get the business, the provider had offered the firm a CRM system that could integrate with the billing system to let data flow into the pipeline. However, because marketing was not involved in the initial system needs analysis or purchase, when it came time to set up the pipeline, the CMO realized that the finance department was entering data during intake in a completely different manner than the Marketing and Business Development teams needed to report on data into the pipeline. As a result, both projects had to be halted for several months of meetings so that everyone could agree on a consistent format. Bridges Take Many Forms So, what are some of the more beneficial CRM bridges to cross when it comes to legal marketing technolo? Here are a few: • The value of a CRM system can almost always be enhanced by the integration of an eMarketing system. This can be extremely beneficial to bring analytics and potential business clarity Navigate complexity with 4362_154_Clarity_ITLA_HP_Spread_01jc.indd 1