Sisman Nichols standardises on SOS Connect for practice and case management

Global News

29
Jun
2009

Bristol-based law firm Sisman Nichols has gone live with SOS Connect integrated practice and case management software

The move to SOS’s latest software cements a relationship which began 13 years ago, consolidates SOS’ position as the single supplier of the firm’s key business systems and heralds new opportunities for co-operative working, consistency, efficiency and improved management reporting.

Sisman Nichols is well-established with three offices in Bristol and offers a wide range of services covering all aspects of personal or business life, but with a distinctive international twist. Many foreign languages are spoken including Cantonese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Malay, Portuguese and Polish. Together with a network of overseas contacts and lawyers, Sisman Nicholls simplifies the processes and reduces the stress associated with buying property abroad, whether around the Mediterranean or further afield such as in Thailand and New Zealand.

Sisman Nichols first purchased SOS’s Practice Manager software - Connect’s predecessor -  in 1996 and invested in case management software a few years later and the two systems have run alongside each other, with limited integration, over the years. The introduction of SOS Connect, which combines the two disciplines in a fully integrated practice and case management solution, offered the prospects of more efficient operation and of eradicating duplicated costs.

There were a number of other advantages, as managing partner Tim Johnson explains: “There are a lot of benefits in using a single supplier. SOS has always given very good service so the service overall is expected to improve. Connect looks and feels like standard Microsoft products and provides a single entry point to everything we need to do – whether to the accounts, case management or desktop applications such as Outlook and Word. In addition the indexing system greatly speeds up the process of locating all files, e-mails and documents relating to a case or a customer. “

SOS Connect has its roots in the earlier Practice Manager product, so the learning curve to swtich to the new system has not been too steep.  Tim Johnson comments again: “SOS has produced an intuitive product improving on the previous features, especially in the scope for co-operative working on cases, integration with digital dictation and improved management reporting, through key performance indicators. I have great hopes for SOS making both fee earners’ and non-fee earners’ lives more efficient and bearable.”

David McNamara, managing director of SOS said: “Building long-term customer relationships is what we strive to achieve and in the end that is down to the calibre and commitment of the team of people at SOS. We look forward to providing another decade or more of service to Sisman Nichols.”

SOS Connect has rolled out to 40 users.