Digital transformation is quickly leading us to a moment of reckoning within legacy industries – the legal space among them. With increased expectations for total client centricity, paired with heightened sensitivity around security and data regulation, comes an interesting crossroads at which law firms will need to determine how they survive and thrive.
The reality is that law firms can’t avoid digitisation forever. Too often highly valuable data and insights are accessible to only a few – limiting overall business performance. Old world processes which limit internal visibility and communication only impede the client experience – and with data so readily available, clients expectations are higher than ever before.
To become fit for the future of data, law firms must learn to better leverage this data – unlocking its value and unleashing the widespread benefits both internally across the firm and externally for clients.
For most organisations, undergoing this critical transformation begins by identifying and breaking down internal information silos – a step that can be more complicated when it comes to data sharing across fee earners, marketing teams, associates, and more. But obtaining a unified view of the client in order to deliver greater value, higher quality, and more personalised services depends on it.
Combined ownership is key
Rebuilding a more connected, collaborative, agile firm is achievable with combined, shared ownership across the firm. This will ultimately involve partners, marketing, business development but within most legal practices this often begins with IT. IT teams can help to establish mainstream tools, develop formal processes, and drive data ownership but whether its IT or the wider firm to do so they must prioritise three things:
Breaking down silos
The end goal must be to connect practices, teams, and business units – and data should drive decision-making along the way.
Building understanding
Before any formal processes are established, teams must understand the value of data sharing. Each individual needs to see how shared insights will empower them to better service their clients.
Prioritising usability
Transformation doesn’t mean replacing one system with another. The new solution must be tailored to genuinely address real world team needs.
A lot of this transformation comes down to a shift in mentality. With the tools and processes in place, the entire organisation needs to embrace new, open ways of working. Firms that lead by emphasising the benefits of a data-driven culture and the necessity to evolve in order to remain competitive can more effectively gain the team buy-in required to undergo this type of change.
Salesforce can help firms become data fit
Much of the resistance from law firms to digitise comes from a fear of the unknown – but with Salesforce you don’t have to go this alone. Our platform is designed to increase client insights, make data sharing and collaboration easier, and break down information silos across lines of business – but our support doesn’t end there.
We will also help your firm drive the cultural, behavioural, and mindset shift required by empowering employees with the tools they need to better understand their clients. We can enable a true digital transformation that places your clients at the centre and sets you up for a connected and data-driven future where personalised services are no longer novel – they’re the norm.
The Future of Law Firms. Now.
Learn more about how Salesforce is helping businesses become data-driven and download our 'The Future of Law Firms.Now.'
