Peer to Peer Magazine

12 PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF ILTA | WINTER 2017 BEST PRACTICES The Evolving Art and Science of Legal IT Support The Evolving Art and Science of Legal IT Support Much has been wrien on the topic of customer service as being both an art and a science. One of my favorite definitions of this theory is from a white paper published by Yonyx, a soware provider that offers interactive diagnostic guides for troubleshooting. The article notes that "customer service is effective when the people responsible deliver it with creativity and innovation as art and follow the principles of carefully observing and applying its rules as a science." But what does that really mean in practical terms for those responsible for delivering legal IT support services? It's hard to believe that creativity and innovation come into play when assisting someone whose remote connection method is not functional and they are working against a fast-approaching deadline. If the science part of the equation means simply offering your customers the latest technology, then one would think that's enough. Yet there are very real applications of this theory that are relevant to supporting end users in today's law firms. Mastering the Art While supporting customers with their systems, hardware and soware needs seems a straightforward endeavor, those in the industry will acknowledge that simply meeting the minimum requirement of providing "tools" is not enough at a time when innovation is a strategic differentiator. I recently aended a forum in which several innovative concepts and theories where thrown on a wall like cooked spaghei, and the underlying response from those responsible for supporting this innovation seemed to be fear. One example provided shows how, in the rush to innovate legal services, we might be shortcuing the thought process of how the end users will interact with the technology on a daily basis. However, this is exactly why understanding the art of customer support becomes a vital aribute of the firm's support teams. In an organization, the practical application of the art is in truly understanding how customers desire to use the available technology in their daily work. To achieve this, we immerse our support analysts in all things legal IT and concern ourselves with understanding what our customers are trying to accomplish in their use of the technology, rather than with simply how the technology was designed to work. by Craig Friedl

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