As of last year, 88% of UK businesses had adopted cloud-based technology. Has your conveyancing firm done so yet for all your practice management needs?
Chances are you’re already using some cloud-based technology. Most lawyers use the cloud as part of other internet-related services, whether those be professional or personal: Dropbox, Gmail, Evernote, Facebook, and Amazon all run on cloud technology. For professional usage, the cloud is here to stay for legal firms across the world, a change that has been accelerated by the events of the past 18 months.
Previously, many legal practices relied on on-premise, server-based software, but remote working has exposed many limitations to that sort of system. While firms may prefer the idea of having information stored in-office, there are a number of inherent problems:
- Cost and space requirements. Servers require significant investment to install and maintain. They also require dedicated space, which, in the interest of data security and confidentiality, should be actively secured and monitored.
- Setup and maintenance. Running software from in-house servers requires that you have someone who knows how to set them up and keep them running—otherwise, you’ll need to pay a consultant to do this for you. You might be able to run wires through your office, but do you know how to ensure an uninterruptible power supply or how to configure an SQL server?
- Uptime is a problem for most internal server systems that inevitably run into issues. Dealing with server downtime typically requires dedicated IT staff, who may have varying levels of availability and responsiveness. Without the proper support, firms can lose access to all their resources for days, resulting in the loss of billable time. In the event of a damaged server, your firm data could be lost forever.
- Performance and security. Legacy legal software is built on outmoded technology, making it burdensome and slow for users. Software updates are also costly, and may be few and far between, leaving gaps for performance issues and security threats.
- Limited access. In-house servers are designed for use in-house. Firms may have remote access through a virtual private network (VPN), but these are full of barriers, costly, and difficult to use.
As more of us have worked from home, the problems of relying on a server-based system—especially one that is supplemented by paper files stored in filing cabinets—have been highlighted. By contrast, cloud-based technologies offer seamless remote access, greater time savings, better security, 99.9% uptime guarantees, and significant long-term cost savings.
To read more about the benefits of a cloud-based approach for your firm, check out Clio’s The Quick Guide to Cloud Computing for Law Firms.
Or, give the world’s leading cloud-based legal practice management software a try. Speak with a Clio expert to ask for your free demonstration today.
This article was submitted to be published by Clio as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Conveyancer. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Conveyancer.
