Why Case Management Software Users Convert to Needles
Law offices and professional service organizations often find that their case management software program no longer meets their business needs. The need for change management is usually the driving force for this occurrence. Changes can be internal, such as improved procedures, implementing checklists, adding internal audit activities or expanding or integrating communications modules for operations. Catalysts may also be external and occur when firms merge or experience sudden growth. In the latter example, often support staff members are unable to meet case management demands with their current software package.
Scalability limitations drive software conversions
Scalability in systems and software refers to the software application’s ability to “scale up” or “scale out” to meet the needs of growing and changing organizations in a seamless and transparent manner. Factors that affect scalability include: needing additional computers or network nodes to access the software, expanding software capabilities during mergers where multiple client databases must be integrated, the ability to provide case status to the Internet, increased reporting capabilities for law office clients demanding file or data access and higher expectations of how technology serves strategy and business expansion into different geographical locations, whether intra-city, across state lines or across borders.
According to William D. Marvin, an attorney with Cohen, Placitella & Roth PC of Philadelphia, PA, “When we took on a major mass tort matter, that provided the occasion to convert.” This was due to the firm’s prior case management system’s inability to align with the firm’s growth. Another scalability limitation occurs when a business recognizes that its current software lacks needed functions. “We decided to convert because the system we were using (Abacus) could not do what we wanted it to do,” said Cheri Hogan, an Office Manager with the Law Office of Paul Hogan, LLC.
As a law practice grows, so does the demand on the software it uses. This manifests when a firm requires its software to have massive rewrites. In some cases, the software becomes unstable and will begin to crash. Crashes increase downtime, stress users, and introduce doubts regarding data integrity. “My firm decided to convert to Needles for a number of different reasons. We wanted a very stable platform, a program that would not suddenly and inexplicably crash while performing routine data entry tasks. Our old one drove us crazy that way,” shared attorney Channing Migner of the Law Office of Channing Migner. “We can get the work done so much faster, we are much more organized, very pleased and really love it.”
Some case management software users convert because their current system creates time inefficiencies, a situation experienced by Firm Administrator and Paralegal Cathy Johnsmeyer of Zwiebel & Fairbanks, LLP, “We have two offices and the connection speed with Saga was extremely slow. We heard that their Windows- based program wasn’t much better. We determined that Needles would be much better and now that we are accessing 85% of the program, things have improved.”
If the case management software company lacks sufficient resources and investment of employee capital, then client users also suffer. Office Manager Norman Hart of Woodruff Injury & Consumer Protection Law told us that they converted to Needles because, “We had an old system, Tort Pro. There was only one person who could help when it had a problem, he was out of state and it took days to get him. However, he did make contact and always gave us a Band-Aid. The system was slow, prone to mistakes and breakdowns. We needed a dependable system WITH service back-up.”
When business or industry needs change, software may not be able to accommodate those needed changes. Paralegal Annette Hanks of Long & Holder, LLP, found her firm’s current software obsolete, “We were using Case Wizard. It was very outdated…The difference between one program and the other is unbelievable.” Organizations, especially professional service companies, are dynamic and need case management software that is flexible. Attorney Channing Migner attributed the need for flexibility to his firm’s decision to choose Needles Case Management Software, “We wanted a software that provided top notch technical customer support with frequent updates or enhancements that kept the system current. Our old one came out with a new version about every 3 years. We wanted a system that could provide us with document merge field integration that was easy to use. Our old one could do that but only in Word, (not Adobe), and was difficult to format. By contrast, (the) Needles’ feature for document integration was simply to use, bulletproof and fairly easy to learn.”
How important is the conversion process and system support?
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