New consultancy launches with Cann-do attitude
One of the trailblazers for managed IT services within legal, Chris Cann, has launched his own management and technology consulting business.
Chris, a former partner at regional firm Martin Kaye, will draw on a dozen years at the management coalface and nearly three decades of wider law firm experience to help small-to-medium sized firms meet some of today’s key business challenges: from formulating strategies for growth to responding to the Legal Services Act, from coping with the increasing regulatory and compliance burden to leveraging IT systems and workflow.
Advice and practical assistance around outsourcing and managed IT services will be one of the Cann Consultancy’s lead offerings. In his role as Martin Kaye’s IT head, Chris pioneered the adoption of managed services back in 2000 and gave the sector an early lesson in what could be achieved: by completely outsourcing the firm’s core infrastructure to an IT specialist, he created a scalable, resilient, cost-efficient IT platform on which to build the business whilst also freeing up internal resource to focus on long-term projects for the benefit of both clients and staff.
IT consulting services will revolve around system audits and cost analyses; the development of the business case for alternative IT delivery models; procurement, including the drawing up of tenders and the evaluation of suppliers; the drafting of contracts and Service Level Agreements; and project management.
Risk and compliance are increasingly linked to systems and automation and again, drawing directly on his experience of creating procedural frameworks and workflows, and the technology to support them, Chris will look to advise firms on how to marry the two for effective risk management.
Keen to offer added-value and the prospect of a ‘quick win’ for clients, he has introduced a fixed-price risk audit package – a site visit, interviews, and system and document review prefacing a gap analysis report for any business wanting to measure itself against the Code of Conduct 2007 and/or Lexcel standards.
Commenting on his new venture Chris Cann said: “I’m not the first consultant to come into this sector and I’m sure I won’t be the last but I think I’m probably one of very few with the years – and the knocks! – under my belt that allow me to fully empathise with my target market. And it’s because I’ve been there myself that I’m taking a deliberately pragmatic approach, one that’s rooted in the realities of today’s legal business and is focused squarely on getting things done and moving firms forward.’
For more information on the Cann Consultancy, please visit www.cannconsultancy.co.uk
e-know.net prune costs with concurrent usage pricing model
Managed service specialist e-know.net is introducing a new pricing model to encourage more law firms to consider the merits of outsourcing their IT provision. Whereas contracts in the industry are typically calculated on a total user basis, e-know.net will now factor in concurrent connections, offering firms the potential of significant savings at a time of continued economic strain. For the first time, pricing will reflect actual usage: if a customer only has twenty out of thirty staff logging into their systems every day, then the pricing will reflect this. The new model recognises that today’s working and staffing patterns are not as fixed as they once were, with recessionary pressures combining with established concepts such as job sharing, flexi-time, part-time, freelance, mobile and home working to bring an unprecedented degree of ‘flex’ to office numbers. Nigel Redwood, e-know.net’s managing director, is acutely aware that firms are still very focused on overheads and is keen to deliver savings where possible. “There are so many benefits to be had from the managed service platform that typically the decision to switch is rarely based on cost alone. However, these are not normal times and the credit crunch has necessarily made people more cost aware and price sensitive. By adopting a pricing structure that reflects concurrent usage, we can offer up the same compelling service while delivering even better value for money.”
Managed services: 10 reasons to switch
e-know.net has launched its new eNotes series of podcasts with a first edition focusing on 10 reasons why you might want to switch to a managed service platform. You can listen here - http://www.e-know.net/assets/files/eNotes_Edition1.mp3 or subscribe to the series for free at iTunes. Simply search for eNotes.
e-know.net launches ‘Survive and Thrive Guide’ for legal
Legal specialist e-know.net has produced a comprehensive guide for law firms keen to gain an in-depth understanding of IT provision via the managed service concept.
Aimed specifically at small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the guide, entitled ‘Survive and Thrive: Unlocking a bright future through managed services’ focuses on how a switch to managed IT services cannot only help firms get through the current recession through cost savings, enhanced budgetary control and the freeing up of resources; but also strengthen operations, service delivery and competitiveness with a more responsive, flexible and functional infrastructure.
Sections cover key reasons to move to a managed IT platform; an analysis of business benefits; an explanation of core deliverables and bespoke options; a process map charting the steps required to make the change; details on SME-oriented packages to help facilitate the switch; and a legal case study demonstrating how one firm has transformed its IT and business capability through leveraging managed services.
Nigel Redwood, e-know.net’s managing director, argues that a read of the guide could be one of the better investments to be made this year.
“The guide is designed to be easily digestible and we think it could be fifteen minutes very well spent. We’re aware that there’s a lot of talk about managed services but for SMEs there’s not really been anything available that’s straightforward and definitive and that tells you exactly what you need to know: why you should consider it, what you can expect, how it works, the steps involved, the costs, what you get for your money, the issues.
The Survive and Thrive guide sets out to cover all these areas clearly and concisely, while making the very serious point that the current downturn doesn’t have to negatively impact on your IT or operational capabilities. On the contrary, we’re expecting managed service users to emerge from the recession in better shape and to be in the best possible position to take quick advantage of the inevitable upturn.”
The guide is free and can be downloaded now at http://www.e-know.net/press-room/white-papers.htm
e-know.net makes light of heavy weather
With February’s snow falls, traffic chaos and billions in lost productivity serving as a timely reminder that business continuity is not just about coping with major disasters, managed service provider e-know.net has launched a new solution to help firms maintain normal operations whatever the circumstances – or weather.
Appropriately named ‘Business as Usual’ and offered on a Software as a Service basis with monthly costs per user, it comprises:
> Managed Microsoft Exchange and Outlook, providing secure e-mail access from anywhere and any device
> Managed Microsoft Live Communications Server and Microsoft Office Communicator, enabling instant messaging, scheduling of calls and meetings, application sharing and audio and video for online meetings or telephone calls
> Managed SharePoint, providing a properly structured file storage area and smart workplace, making it easier for co-workers to collaborate on documents and tasks, whilst sharing relevant contacts and other information
> Managed SMS, allowing users to text mobiles directly from Outlook, including group texting for fast dissemination of news and information
Nigel Redwood, e-know.net’s managing director, is keen to point out the benefits in both exceptional and normal circumstances:
“We’ve seen plenty of evidence earlier in the year of the disruption and costs to business caused by people’s inability to get into work, to travel to meetings or to fulfil their obligations because of others having to cancel. By giving staff the ability to access e-mail and files, to work online with colleagues or clients, to meet and chat virtually, not only do you get round ‘local difficulties’ but you also create a very focused, dynamic working environment.
During February’s snowfalls, users of tools like Office Communicator and SharePoint found that they had more time available because they didn’t have to travel; they achieved more because there were fewer distractions and they could maximise time through clever scheduling; online meetings tended to stick closely to the agenda and adhere to original time limits; they remained in touch with colleagues and clients through e-mail, instant messaging and video-calling; and they could remain productive but flexible in relation to family requirements.
And there’s no reason why these advantages have to stop when the good weather starts. Firms can put these technologies at the heart of their IT and reap the rewards all year round. With more mobile and home-working, increasing travel costs, budgets under scrutiny, environmental drivers and growing pressure to use time as efficiently as possible, there’s an inevitable logic in, and attraction to, connecting, collaborating and communicating online.”
For more information, please contact the sales team on 01952 236 236 or email michael.pickford@e-know.net
