publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/306297
ad hoc or reactive response by learning from the following steps used successfully by your peers. 1. DEFINE YOUR BUSINESS GOALS It is easy to focus on the technical aspects of managing enterprise content — traditionally viewed as the documents, spreadsheets and, more recently, the email messages stored in a firm's document management (DM) system. Primary vendors of the software law firms and legal departments use to manage their DM systems have developed mobile apps to access the content, whether stored on premise or in the vendor's hosted cloud. Vendor and third-party resources are available to help you implement those tools, which are of varying complexity. But why are you providing access to that content? Is it because you think it's easier to review and access client documents on a tablet (which is not always the case)? Is it because you want to improve client service by enabling your attorneys to respond faster to existing clients? Or is it because you believe access to mobile content will improve your firm's ability to attract new clients? Your goals implicate different types of enterprise content and will require different approaches and allocation of resources. The culture and structure of your firm will determine how you assess the firm's needs and garner support on the business side for your mobility initiatives. Some firms have technology committees that set policy, some have practice group or departmental chairs that oversee client- facing initiatives, and others vest authority in the CIO and/or COO. Independent of the structure of your firm, you can frame the discussion by providing a checklist of reasons your firm might want to implement a defined mobile enterprise content initiative: PRODUCTIVITY √ Increase billable hours (or decrease time associated with tasks if under a fixed-fee or alternative billing arrangement) with content available via mobile devices √ Improve the adoption of matter-centricity initiatives — for example, by making it easier to access email messages associated with a matter (decreasing the resistance to move messages from email accounts into the DM system) √ Reduce demand on technical support personnel, as tablet access can be less complicated to provide than VPN or remote access √ Minimize off-hours demand on administrative personnel with information in billing and contact management systems accessible on the go √ Improve accuracy of time recording, particularly when working on matters and responding to client requests when outside the office CLIENT SERVICE √ Provide quicker access to content requested by clients √ Enhance clients' abilities to access, review and edit content at any time, particularly when the only device on hand is a smartphone √ Reduce the need for intermediaries to retrieve information requested by clients √ Improve compliance with a firm's standards for client responsiveness (for example, a policy requiring substantive responses be provided to all client inquiries within two hours) CLIENT DEVELOPMENT √ Develop client pitches more quickly √ Enhance your firm's ability to respond to potential client inquiries and develop pitches during off-hours √ Improve your ability to identify persons with appropriate expertise for a new client or matter The value of mobile enterprise content initiatives can be difficult to measure, but defining the goals will provide you with an opportunity to develop quantitative and/or qualitative metrics that will help to demonstrate their value. ILTA WHITE PAPER: APRIL 2014 WWW.ILTANET.ORG 23 10 STEPS TO AN EFFECTIVE MOBILE ENTERPRISE CONTENT STRATEGY