Peer to Peer Magazine

WWW.ILTANET.ORG 25 Want to appear in the next Peer to Peer? Answer the following question: What's the best "killer app" for business use? Send your answer (under 150 words) to kristy@iltanet.org REDUCE PAPER name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Gilbert company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nQueue website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nqueue.com There is enormous value in streamlining a law firm's scanning process to reduce the amount of paper at a firm. The key is to implement an iterative process. Make it policy that no documents may be sent to offsite storage: All incoming documents must be scanned immediately and discarded. The same rules apply to boxes recalled from offsite. Documents already in storage may stay there, but nothing may be sent. To get adoption for such a program, provide a simple, common workflow. All scanning devices should have the same interface. Documents should be instantly routed to the appropriate destination within a document management system, right from the device. And bulk scanning — projects completed at the firm's copy center — should take on the same characteristics. By developing an iterative strategy and applying technology in a way that makes it easy will allow the firm to achieve a significant ROI. CONTROL SUPPORT COSTS name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rob Mattern company . . . . . . . .Mattern & Associates LLC website . . . . . . . . . .www.matternassoc.com With the pressure on rates and cost recovery not abating, firms should develop a strategic plan to decrease and control their support costs and recover these costs in a fair and transparent manner. This will help firms maintain competitive rates and operate more efficiently and profitably. All major expenses should be competitively bid in an intelligent, strategic manner and memorialized in a detailed, future-proof contract with detailed performance standards and a scorecard process. These contracts should be monitored and audited on an ongoing basis, and the selected partner (vendor) should work with the firm to further reduce expenses. A firm that follows these strategies can reduce expenses, recover them more effectively and make a major impact on their financial structure, which ensures long-term success.

• Cover