We constantly work with law firms making changes to software or adding software for the first time. There are innumerable ways these changes can go astray. However, the three most common reasons we see software implementations fail in small law firms are:
1. Not having the time for it.
We all add/change software to ease our burden, reduce repetitive work and have information available when we need it. The overall purpose is to save time. However, getting to the point new software actually does save time takes time.
Often, we see busy law firms attempting to make major changes in their software. Everyone is busy, people are complaining about not having information or finding information. An associate used to work at a firm that used ABC software that was great (or horrible). As the firm owner, you know you’ll have to do something about your software. You and a few of your firm members decide after hours upon hours of demos, emails, sales pitches, etc. on a software program.
The software company tells you how easy it is to learn the software; how intuitive it is and how they will be with you each step. You expect to be up and running in eight weeks. It is so easy that you don’t have to pay extra for implementation and training. The software company includes it in the cost of the software.
The reality is that for those eight weeks, the firm needs to dedicate 5-10 hours of time working with the conversion folks and customizing the software for your firm. Your firm will also need to make sure the old information is set up to go into the new program correctly. Weird things like the size of the fields may be a problem. E.g., you used to be able to have a client type with 45 characters and now you only have 20. Finally, the software company has done the set-up and conversion.
Next someone will need to spend another 20 to 40 hours making sure that the information is correct. Checking all the balances of trust account, operating account, bills, AR, can take 10 minutes or, if something isn’t right, 10 hours.
You find during your first billing, the billing format doesn’t really work with the address format for 10 of your clients, that takes another 2 hours to fix in the middle of the billing process.
It can take hours to get the program set up the way you need. A person inside the firm, or outside the firm, needs to be able to spend the time necessary to get things personalized for your firm.
2. Trying to do too much too soon.
It is best to take things in chunks. If you add a program that can simplify your billing, intake, client communication and marketing, pick one process and get good at that. If billing is the most important aspect of the change, start with billing and accounts receivable. Have everyone in the firm comfortable with the process before adding to it. This may take a few months to get comfortable and work out all the kinks.
Then, add intake and work through that process before you move into adding client portals for all your clients and sending all confidential information through the software and so on. You don’t have to use the entire suite starting on day one. It is not intuitive. It will take time and effort to get proficient with the software.
3. Expecting Software to work the way you do.
Remember talking to the sales rep and they said something like this software is intuitive and anyone can learn how to use it easily? If you have any problems, just click on a link to find a super easy-to-follow video. Software is ONLY intuitive to the people who create it. Everyone thinks differently. No software company really understands the pain of a “click” to a law firm.
Sometimes law firm members simply add the automated process to the process they have been using. This will not work. Processes will need to be modified. You will not be able to do things exactly like you have been doing them. You won’t get a report that looks exactly like the last software’s. This is often difficult for long-term employees who have been doing things the same way for years. As a firm leader, it is important to stress the goal of improving the process to get the same or better end results and the steps will change. It will be important to be flexible. Focus on the end result, not the steps to get there.
It may be beneficial to have another training session 30 days after roll-out when everyone has been using it. We often host a Q&A session two to four weeks after a new software roll-out to answer specific questions users are having. There will be people who need personal training to feel comfortable. A firm never saves money by not purchasing extra training.
Give your firm the time and resources needed to make positive changes with new software.