When it comes to practicing law, time is money. Cloud technology can save your firm a significant amount of both.
Save on Supplies and Storage
Physical files require tens of thousands of sheets of paper and typically need to be shredded if they’re not being stored. This is not only an incredible waste of natural resources – according to The Atlantic, it takes more than three gallons of water to make a single sheet of paper – but also a waste of utilities and space. Throughout the course of a case, attorneys can accumulate boxes and boxes of files that are not only difficult to navigate and keep organized, but also to store.
Cloud technology allows law firms to reclaim their office space by making physical copies of files completely unnecessary. Storage rooms can be converted into conference rooms, office space, reading rooms, and more.
It’s significantly easier to locate specific files through the cloud than it is to dig through file cabinets and boxes for a physical document. The cloud helps lawyers work more efficiently and saves them billable hours throughout the day which they are then able to dedicate to working on clients. In fact, CISCO conducted a survey that found companies that invested in collaborative technology like cloud services saw productivity increases of up to 400% due to increased ease of access to files.
Save on Manpower
If your firm has an in-house IT team or dedicated IT person, their responsibilities will shift to a more strategic role. Rather than focusing on time-consuming break/fix issues, they can investigate various software applications, training and provide a strategic IT roadmap for the firm’s future. While your firm focuses on the business of law, a provider like Afinety manages updates, security, and maintenance needs for the system.
Save on Billable Hours
Because data in the cloud is accessible from anywhere, attorneys are able to conduct business from the office, from the road and from home with the same access to resources. Multiple versions of documents no longer need to be saved to individual hard drives, and those documents don’t need to be emailed back and forth as they are updated.
Lawyers and all other employees at a firm using cloud technology are able to act on issues and assignments instantly with all the materials they need just a click away. They are also able to capitalize on opportunities more quickly than those firms without cloud technology, winning business, and pulling ahead of competitors – a key advantage for smaller firms and independent practices. Cloud technology also makes analyzing big data easier, which is especially relevant to big firms hoping to sort through large masses of data.
Increasing attorneys’ ability to conduct remote work is a great way to increase your firm’s efficiency.Other Benefits of Cloud Technology
In addition to saving law firms money in multiple ways, cloud computing can also help foster rapid growth. With a strong digital infrastructure, firms are able to take on more work from more clients and get their name out in the community and beyond. Entrepreneur reports that a huge factor in facilitating this growth is the analytics services offered by cloud providers which help businesses to establish data warehouses and conduct real-time analytics, visualization, and more.
Additionally, cloud technology streamlines internal communications by providing a platform through which firms are able to use and coordinate phone, messaging, conferencing, and scheduling tools. Some cloud platforms even have workflow management systems built-in, according to Business.com.
The Afinety Cloud Platform
An advanced and secure solution designed for law firms, the Afinety Could Platform is powered by AWS, the largest cloud provider in the world. Run all of your legal apps such as iManage, ProLaw, TABS3, Worldox, TimeMatters, and more in the Afinety Cloud Platform. For more information about how to switch your firm over to Afinety’s platform, browse the website or get in touch today.