RainMakerLegal Billing Software Attorneys | Legal Billing Software for Attorneys

RainMaker Legal Practice Management Software

FAQ: “We are thinking about replacing our existing time and billing software system, but we’re not sure it’s worth the time to research and replace. What are the top compelling reasons why most firms switch time and billing software systems?”

Answer: There are many reasons that lead firms to start looking for new billing legal office software. Below we have listed the top 6 compelling reasons:

Old – the firm can't get what is needed out of it. Your current legal office software system is over 7 years old and just lacks the functionality the law firm needs. Clients are demanding special billing arrangements and you can't provide them without a lot of manual effort. It seems like the answer to every attorney's financial inquiry is "the system doesn't do that." The firm analyzes business needs and it is clear more is needed than the current legal billing system can deliver. It actually will cost more money to wait, than to switch to a new legal billing software for attorneys. Add up current inefficiencies, manual efforts and missed business opportunities. A new billing legal office system might have a one year return on the investment.
Outdated, in maintenance mode. The current billing legal office software system is in maintenance mode, there will be few if any future enhancements to meet the law firm’s ever-changing needs. You might be getting a little nervous when you see that your legal billing software system is no longer being sold to new clients. The list of existing clients will only get smaller as other firms bail out. What are the assurances that the vendor will continue to support the firm’s product? It may be quite difficult to convert to a new legal billing system if all the key people leave your current vendor. As more clients leave your existing vendor, that vendor can no longer afford the same level of support, it is a downward spiral.
The law firm needs to become more efficient and reduce costs. Older billing software for attorneys systems does not take advantage of newer and more efficient ways of doing things. Perhaps your current legal billing system lacks workflow for new matter opening. With a more modern system, the law firm can redeploy staff to other critical chores instead of performing redundant data entry and unnecessary manual tasks.
The law firm needs better reports and financial modeling tools, not custom programming. Standard canned-type reports and inquiry screens can only handle so much, the law firm needs more. The law firm needs to analyze where the business is going, what the key elements to profitability are, why some areas of law not measuring up. Only newer legal billing software systems provide tools such as Business Intelligence and Digital Scorecards. In the old days everything was an expensive custom report. With today’s data cube technology all your firm’s T&B information can be analyzed in a split second; providing answers not excuses.
The law firm needs real integration. Your law firm can no longer live with the total lack of integration between the front-office and back-office applications. Robust capabilities in marketing, docketing and collections are needed just as much as in time and billing. The legal billing software should work for attorneys, enabling them to work from within Outlook to handle everything from contacts to new calendar dates and have Outlook update the front-office database.
An upgrade is too expensive, besides you get poor support. The firm’s current legal billing software vendor has an upgrade offer but it is just too expensive. The firm needs a rich set of features but shouldn’t have to pay mega-firm type prices. Besides, you just aren’t delighted with the support you get from your billing legal office software vendor. What was the right decision 8 years ago may not be the right decision today. There are other legal billing software vendors that now have outstanding technology and products built for firms your size. Some of these vendors make client satisfaction a priority, not an after-thought.