If you ask any attorney, there’s nothing more frustrating than sitting down to a full day of billable work and having technology fail you. With many small to medium-sized law firms managing their own infrastructure, IT issues typically fall into the hands of the most tech-savvy employee available. But it’s no secret that a lawyer, paralegal, or office administrator is a little out of their element when trying to simultaneously function as an IT professional. Technology is causing time to slip through the cracks, and in an industry where time is money, a better solution is required.
Are You in Need of Managed Services?
The need for managed IT services ranges from simple things such as forgotten passwords all the way to massive data losses and security breaches. When you’re thinking about your law firm, you need to think about partnering with a managed IT service provider who can handle your environment. Some of the areas that highlight the need for law firms to have managed IT services include:
1) Substantial Downtime
Just as you get into the flow of your workday, you get the white screen of death. You can’t access the data need. You’re locked out of an account and you just. Need. Help. NOW. Time equals money and, honey, this just ain’t working.
2) Poor Integration of Line of Business Applications (LOB)
As Line of Business applications grow, so do the integration challenges tied to these tools. Document management systems, cost recovery systems, and more are of critical value to attorneys and their teams—and these applications need to play nicely with standard tools such as the Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud, and more. When LOB applications sometimes seem like they result in more frustration than efficiency, contacting a managed service provider is in order.
3) Sluggish Systems & Applications
In the middle of an intense research session, your machine starts slowing to a snail’s pace. Waiting around on technology can be maddening. If your systems and software aren’t snappy, it might be time to consider Managed It Services.
4) No Cybersecurity Plan
Protecting sensitive information of clients and cases is critical in a law firm. IT security must be proactive and prioritized. No one is immune to the threat of hackers and cybercriminals. Fortunately, there are tools and best-practices that can shield your firm. In the event of a hack, business continuity plans will ensure little to no downtime. The worst plan is to have no plan at all.
5) Availability of IT Support
Even with in-house IT staff, oftentimes these employees are overwhelmed by the complexity of the changing IT landscape. It takes constant learning and training to stay on top of security threats and best practices for IT environments. With a managed service provider, law firms get IT support for the entire IT infrastructure at all times and when it’s needed most.
6) Blaming / Finger-Pointing
One of the main benefits of working with an MSP (Managed Service Provider) is knowing that all of your IT resources are being monitored and managed by a single company. If your MSP is constantly blaming other providers for issues, it may be time to switch. A good MSP will have a pulse on the other IT services connected to your account, and they should take some responsibility when things go wrong, even if it’s not their fault. They should act as your internal IT Director, not just another 3rd party you have to manage.
Partner with Law Firm’s Favorite IT Service Provider
At Limetree Labs, we specialize in working with Law Firms. We understand your unique technology challenges. Call us to learn more about protecting your law firm and working more efficiently. 208-901-3359 or hello@limetreelabs.com. Keep IT fresh!
