The numbers may be hard to believe, but they are correct. Since launching our Training Unlimited initiative in WA in February, we’ve now had in excess of 300 attendees in four months at our training courses, compared to just 50 attendees in the previous 12 months.
Further to this, our third CBD ‘Essentials’ course has been scheduled for 19th July. Within 24hrs of sending invitations, the room of 50 was filled. We have now added an afternoon session which is also filling fast.
The success goes beyond the numbers, too, with glowing feedback from attendees. Here’s why people are getting excited about this new initiative.
Discovering new depth: FilePro as a productivity tool
We’re discovering that attendees have little awareness of the depth yet simplicity of our functionality, particularly around document management, document preview, version control, efficient email send & capture, and attaching multiple documents in PDF format to an email.
During a recent trip to NSW and VIC, discussions around these offerings and how they have played out in WA (particularly our video offerings) have been very well received. It’s been totally rewarding to hear comments about how powerful FilePro is as a productivity tool.
Carolyn White (JP) from DCH Legal Group shared the following feedback:
“Our firm has been active in the new FilePro Training Unlimited Initiative and we can see, even in a short period of time, some significant productivity and efficiency gains, particularly around email and document handling.
FilePro is continuously developing their product, and it is important to keep on top of the benefits and features that their software offers. The Training Unlimited Initiative ensures that we are accessing the full potential of the program, with the added bonus of CPD points for fee earners”
Overcoming the cost barrier and addressing “disconnect”
Our client survey in 2018 alerted us to your desire for more training and also confirmed that the cost of training courses was a barrier.
The feedback also indicated that a lot of the functionality of FilePro was not passed on to new staff members, creating a “disconnect” between our clients and our software.
When a firm’s structure changes due to growth, acquisition, new practice areas or the like, there can also be an assumption that the firm has outgrown the current software or that it is no longer fit-for-purpose. This disconnect seems to be a common trend for law firms and their practice management software (PMS).
An opportunity for conversations
Sometimes a decision is made to switch vendors without first approaching the current vendor and asking these important questions:
- Our new staff members used features in another product. Can your system provide those same features?
- When we first implemented your system, we were a smaller, different firm. Will your system cater to our growth and changing needs?
- Are there firms similar to ours using your system that have had success with the software?
Your existing provider should be interested in these conversations and willing to offer suggestions that will benefit your staff and firm.
Steven Tyndall of Client Sense and NextLegal is an advocate of this message and reiterated it recently at the inaugural ALTACON conference. Steven says:
“A key issue to determine is whether the current practice management system is being utilised to its fullest extent. We often encounter firms with very different views on the same practice management system. This is often related to how much a firm has done to extract the full value from the system”
Steven Dore of Alleviato suggests quizzing your PMS providers as to their longevity, investment and focus. He recommends asking questions like these:
- Where is your software up to in its lifecycle and what is the roadmap moving forward?
- Is your product being actively developed and what is your planned investment in this area?
- Is your focus on PMS, or is this one of many offerings and perhaps not a priority?
At FilePro, we appreciate these honest questions being asked in the marketplace and our training initiative encourages opportunities for honest questions. These conversations only help to improve relationships with our clients and the product and services that we provide.
The benefit of reassurance
At FilePro, we are proud to say that we practice what we preach. Our sole focus is PMS. We have a succession plan in place and aim to remain relevant for decades to come. Our investment in developing our product is substantial and ongoing.
We regularly engage with potential and existing clients to discuss how we can enhance their PMS experience, improve efficiencies, reduce administrative costs and minimise risk. This applies to our sole practitioner clients right through to our largest client with 800+ staff.
Our latest training initiative is further proof of our commitment to connect with our clients. New video content hosted in our Online Learning hub is a classic example of this. Clients and colleagues have been seriously impressed with the value this content provides across our client base, with over 60 firms now registered for our Online Learning Hub.
NSW, VIC, ACT and SA: are you ready?
After such roaring success in WA, our Training Unlimited initiative will also be available in VIC, NSW, ACT and SA from 1 July 2019.
We look forward to continuing the journey with each of you.
Todd Keeler, Director, FilePro