Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/37773
SHAREPOINT AS A PATHWAY TO IMPROVED CLIENT SERVICE and teamwork forms an important part of our culture.” He says the firm was also lucky to have a CIO who “gets” marketing: “Steve understands that promoting and delivering client service forms are integral parts of any product or technology launch.” Steve says many firms stumble when launching new services because of the cultural divide between marketing and technology: “IT teams can make the mistake of looking at the technology as the solution. Simply buying a system, installing it and providing easy desktop access doesn’t guarantee success and will definitely not stimulate collaboration. Similarly, marketing teams can often feel overwhelmed by technology and don’t engage with it as a result, which is unfortunate because it is essential for them to do their job effectively.” THE JOURNEY BEGINS Marketing Parkway internally played a key role in engaging the wider business, says Kevin. “We started with a competition to name the intranet site. It provided a very effective way of communicating what we were doing, and the name we chose reflected what we were trying to build — a pathway for easier access to information.” The internal marketing also included desk drops, email messages and “lunch and learn” presentations. Says Kevin: “It got to the point where people were almost overly informed about what we were doing — which from my point of view is the desired result.” The firm continues to market Parkway by including it in regular client satisfaction surveys to attorneys. Parkway was developed using Hubbard One’s OneView SharePoint technology to meet the needs of Parker Poe’s practice groups and industry teams. It provides a collaborative workspace for attorneys and their staff to execute their day-to-day tasks. Kevin says Parkway has improved attorney efficiency and catalyzed closer working relationships between attorneys and clients. “Using Parkway, our attorneys have immediate access to the work resources they need. But it also allows us to show clients and prospects how we operate. It gives a level of visibility into our work practices which clients find very reassuring.” Using Parkway, Parker Poe can, for example, demonstrate how it undertakes matter management for healthcare litigation. “Prospective clients can see how Parkway unifies the firm’s diverse information resources, simplifies our attorneys’ workload www.iltanet.org Portal Platforms 31