Workflow flexibility and Smartphone options within BigHand software increase US law firm’s user adoption by more than 200% and improve client service
Birmingham, Alabama-based Balch & Bingham LLP today announced it successfully implemented BigHand voice productivity software, providing more than 235 licenses to its staff, including 75 BigHand Mobile users. Since first using BigHand, the firm has seen user adoption surpass initial expectations primarily among mobile attorneys now using their Smartphones to dictate tasks and work to office-based staff.
“While our primary goal was to eliminate the need for analog dictation equipment with a more versatile, and modern digital upgrade, BigHand has given us so much more,” said Rhonda Lewis, Senior Systems Application Analyst, Balch & Bingham. “Since the roll-out, we have been able to vastly streamline the dictation workflow, receive and transcribe more dictations in a shorter timeframe, give more users access to digital dictation technologies, and enable the firm’s Word Processing Department to assist with any and all dictations, irrespective of location and time zones. Overall though, the most significant difference has been the firm’s ability to use BigHand Mobile with Smartphones including the Blackberry® and iPhone®. As a result, mobile attorneys are now dictating work and not leaving long voicemails, and are productive on-the-go without having to learn new techniques or software. Plus, user adoption has increased significantly, all based on the availability of BigHand for the mobile workforce.”
Since switching to BigHand last fall, the firm has been able to save money on buying antiquated tapes, repairing equipment, outsourcing expensive audio file transcription services, and instead invest in providing users with modern digital dictation devices and mobile options for their existing Smartphones.
Also according to Ms. Lewis, the three week implementation and roll-out experience was extremely smooth and non-eventful: “We worked very closely with the BigHand folks on establishing all the necessary technology and deployment options long before our pilot group started using the application. As a result, we didn’t run into any difficulties or resistance, and had the reassurance that the experienced BigHand Support Group could address any potential issues. I have managed many new software projects and now realize that the BigHand experience was one of the easiest and most rewarding, especially from our users’ standpoint.”
Since implementing BigHand, Balch & Bingham has documented numerous benefits:
Clarity of recording: Digital technologies provide support staff with very audible recordings and as a result increased transcription accuracy;
Ease of use: Having the ability to dictate digitally via server or remotely via popular mobile devices proves much more efficient and productive than taped recordings;
Work sharing among support staff has led to increased team work and shorter document production turnaround;
Self sufficient mobile lawyers are now able to dictate on the fly and produce on-demand client work in a much quicker manner;
Centralizing user administration now provides a complete overview of the firm’s dictations, who the ‘power’ users are, who needs help managing tasks, quickly identify work overflow, etc.;
Increased user adoption: The firm expected 30 BigHand power users, but now already has more than 95, many of them choosing the mobile option, with many others having heightened awareness of new digital/mobile options.
Globally, BigHand has offices in Chicago, Toronto, London and Sydney with 1,000 professional service organizations as clients and 100,000 users. For more information about how BigHand can make law firms more efficient, please visit www.bighand.com or email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Workflow flexibility and Smartphone options within BigHand software increase US law firm’s user adoption by more than 200% and improve client service
