5 errors law firms often make when it comes to document and print technology
Law firms can make errors when considering their printing and document management
“Time is money.” Benjamin Franklin, 1748
The great American polymath Benjamin Franklin understood the truth that time and money are connected. Since law firms charge by time, any efficiencies gained can be applied to their bottom line.As well, office space can have a large impact on costs with the area often needed to store documents.
Law firms make errors when considering their printing and document management. The following items include five of the most common errors:
The days of manually managing printed documents are numbered. It can be very time-consuming and inefficient to print, sort, copy and store documents on an ad hoc basis. Manual document management is also open to security breaches and locking away data that must be manually retrieved in the future can be complicated.
Firms need an effective workflow management platform that is efficient, scalable and secure.Such a platform needs to include:
Firms that embrace these practices would lower their print, storage and staff costs and improve their productivity.
Print costs can be significant, and many law firms do not have systems in place to track costs according to jobs and clients. Or print jobs are done manually, which can be time-intensive and inefficient.
A better solution is to use print management software, which can:
The benefits of automating print administration are realised in better data and reporting, which leads to the ability to charge clients for the printing costs they engender.
While much of the security of data is focused on cybersecurity, it is common for breaches to occur through more obvious means, such as leaving documents on a printer.
Close to half of law firms in a recent survey took no active steps to secure the data on their printers. This oversight includes the insecure practice of failing to erase internal hard drives on multi-function devices when they are sold.
Clients should consider systems that require authorisation at the device before they can be collected to greatly improve security.
Some law firms embrace technological advances while ignoring the human repercussions that may result from the changes. It can be a challenge to get staff to change their behaviour.
Effective law firms can take these steps to improve the process:
While a completely paperless office is not yet a reality, there are some simple changes a firm can make to greatly reduce printing.
It is possible to reduce costs by up to one-third for printing through:
Law firms that learn from these common mistakes can employ improvements in printing and document technology.These changes can lead to reduced costs, reduced waste, improved workflows and increased financial margins.
The first in a series of blogs on AI by Dr Jeroen Vendrig, from Canon Information Systems Research Australia (CISRA)
For forward-thinking legal firms alternative legal services (ALT) an exciting opportunity to shape the future. Is ALT the next step for your practice?
Learn how Canon helps the Simpson Grierson law firm to securely print and scan, as well as easily access and retrieve crucial documents at any of their three locations around New Zealand.
Canon’s uniFLOW print management software can connect with major practice management software
Managing your information security is a complex business. Like any device connected to your network, your printers could be jeopardising your information security if not implemented and managed carefully.
Portside Christian College revolutionised and future-proofed its print environment, installing Canon multifunctional devices, a production print press and scanner, together with uniFLOW software.
As technology enters classrooms, auditoriums and libraries, it brings new risks to the education sector. All it takes is one click from a student device to potentially compromise your entire network. Faced with these various threats, does the education sector receive a ‘High Distinction’ for its efforts to protect its troves of student and staff data? Recent findings from the inaugural Canon Business Readiness Index on Security suggest not.
When Mahoneys moved to larger premises, the firm looked to make improvements to security, efficiency and time. Mahoneys’ GM, Mike Haworth, tells the story.
Increasing technical issues forced Bauer Media to reassess its office print needs. Simon Wheeler, Chief Information Officer at Bauer tells the story.
Hyundai’s Network Administrator shares how their new print environment has radically changed the attitudes of its people and the office environment.
Faced with a deluge of information, ACO Polycrete’s print network was under increasing pressure and rising costs.