As the 2018 fiscal year comes to a close, many businesses (ours included) are looking for ways to improve and make 2019 an even more rewarding and successful year. One of our New Year Resolutions is to have all of our internal technology moved into the cloud by the end of the first quarter.
What are your technology resolutions for 2019?
It’s ok if you don’t know yet!
Jumpstart your technology goal-setting by reading of the most common resolutions we’ve heard from clients:
1. Increase Profit
At the end of the final quarter, businesses reflect on the previous year and focus their attention on increasing profit revenue for the next calendar year. Finding more efficient ways to make more money is the end goal for all businesses. This is where software can help. As you reflect on your past year, it can be good to think outside of the box to increase over all revenue without draining company resources. Check out Ken Kennedy’s article on how software can help profit and increase your firm’s overall efficiency as you consider changes for 2019.
Read Software and Profit by Ken Kennedy here.
2. Upgrading to Office 365
Upgrading to Microsoft Office 365 is one of the easiest ways to keep your firm modern. With its easy-to-use interface and complete online accessibility throughout its product suite you can easily communicate with your team from wherever you are. Additionally, it seamlessly integrates with several cloud-based practice management solutions, so you can take your firm one step closer to living in the cloud.
Want to check it out?
Schedule a free demo with us to see how our law firm clients are fully utilizing Office 365 to run more efficiently.
3. Protecting the Firm Against Cyber Attacks (Malware / Ransomware)
Did you know that according to the ABA almost 25% of law firms have experienced a data breach?
Statistics like this mean that it is not a matter of if you will experience a cyber-attack, it is a matter of when your cyber security will be targeted. Luckily, are certain security measures you can take to ensure that your firm can protect itself from hackers. Keeping your software up to date is only the beginning.
You can read more about the ABA study here: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_practice/publications/techreport/2017/security/
4. Updating current Time and Billing Software
Many firms decide to upgrade their current system annually to both take advantage of new features and ensure they are running the most secure version available. The good news is that software companies often offer several discounts to reduce the cost of a firm-wide upgrade. Make sure you contact your consultant before you order an upgrade so they can help you take advantage of all possible discounts.
5. Modernizing the Phone System (VOIP)
When most people think of legal technology, they think of case management and time and billing software. What is sometimes forgotten is there are technological ways to modernize everyday office features too. For example, switching from the classic wired phone to a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone allows you to answer your office phone from a computer or mobile phone. It is an effective and affordable way to update create a stronger virtual office environment, a growing necessity for modern law firms. CMG has several people on our team that specialize in VoIP systems like the one we use in our office. If you think this is something you may be interested in switching to, reach out to us so we can schedule a conversation with one of our experts.
In Summary
The new year brings an opportunity to look at your business with fresh perspective and a renewed energy to achieve your goals. As seen in our list of most common law firm resolutions, law firms are moving to the cloud in droves, due in part to the convenience cloud-technology offers, but also because of the protection against cyber threats and data loss. Lots of firms are also sticking with legacy on-premise products that we also continue to support. Whatever direction your firm is heading in, we’re here to help.
At CMG we have helped our law firm clients create a plan for upgrading that fits both their budget and schedule. We’d love to do the same for you, which starts with a simple call with our team.
