The benefits of investing in IT help desk services for law firms

PaulReflect
January 2, 2014

With vast changes to Legal Aid in the past year, it’s no exaggeration to state that many law firms are suffering financially. As such, it’s money saving rather than money spending that the majority of Senior Partners are concerned with.

Therefore, when it comes to making any investment, such as one into a specially designed It help desk for law firms, it’s little wonder that many firm managers wonder if they can justify the cost. The main way of establishing this is to firstly establish what an IT help desk is, and then explore the various benefits.

What is an IT help desk?

An IT help desk is typically a call centre where a user of any kind of technology can call to get assistance with their information technology. The businesses or people who have signed up to the service can contact the service with their issue and receive the input and help of a qualified engineer who can guide them through the steps they need to solve the problem. In some cases, these services may be offered by way of the internet, where the people who need assistance can email their questions. However, a preferred way of contacting the IT help desk for law firms is by telephone, especially as there is no guarantee that the problem in question won’t affect the ability of the users to get online.

The majority of businesses and individuals pay an IT Consultancy for this service on a month by month basis, rather than as and when they actually use the service in question.

Benefits

Once the term IT support desk has been established, the various benefits which would come from having a hosted desktop for law firms can be explored.

For many law firms, especially those who have a dependency on their information technology due to having a database or case management system, the main issue caused by a breakdown in their IT systems is the delay this causes for them and their clients. It stands to reason that if all documents are held in a computer then a breakdown in that computer will lead to a lack of productivity and efficiency. However, having access to an IT consultancy, like PerformIT, means having access to a solution and avoiding further delays to the clients.

Many firms are aware of the need for an IT consultancy but choose to have a permanent employee for this purpose. Whilst this might serve them adequately, it could also end up being extremely expensive. However, with access to a hosted desktop for law firms, there is no need for a permanent consultant.

In addition, many firms spend money on training their staff to trouble-shoot and problem-solve when it comes to their information technology. This can not only be expensive but could also mean that staff spend this training time away from their normal duties. Adding an IT consultancy means that staff have the opportunity to concentrate on their primary role.

Finally, depending on the package a firm is contracted for, they could receive other services such as on-site support and training.