Client Service: Getting to Know Your Business & Making a Difference

1. Client Service: Getting to Know Your Business & Making a Difference ILTA Professional Services Peer Group

2. Agenda • The Challenge • The Former Process • The New Process • Keys to Success • Early Results • Questions / Comments

3. The Challenge

4. What’s so special about a law firm? • The Economics • Billable Hours, Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) • Financial State of Clients • Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs) • Faster, Better, Cheaper • The Efficiencies • Disruptive Technologies • Automation (document assembly, e-Learning, Internet) • Work from Anywhere – Always On • Project Management

5. What’s so special about a law firm? • The People • Partners, Associates & Other Timekeepers, Chiefs, Directors • Diverse organizational structure for reporting and approvals • Urgent Fury • Need it now, yesterday • Different Levels of Technical Acumen – Bridge the “Digital Divide”

6. Our story • Our Firm’s History • Legacy Law Firms – Multiple Combinations • Patchwork of ~ 900 Applications • Modernization • Consolidation / Standardization • Better Support / Knowledge of What Exists • Innovation • Making the Most of New Ideas • Can we Recycle / Upcycle?

7. IT Transformation • Maximizing Return On Investment (ROI) • Start Simple, Don’t Upsell Solutions • Good Requirements and Planning are Crucial • Quantitative return on investment is elusive to reliably calculate, but the impact of poor requirements or scope management can be measured.

8. IT Transformation • Collaborating • Concierge Service • Building Relationships and Collations • Acting as “the Bridge”

9. IT Transformation • Adopting Client Centric Development • Develop What the Users Really Need Not What they Really Wantto Drive Adoption and Success • End Users Must be Engaged in the Process • Embracing a Holistic Approach to Solutions

10. The Former Process

11. How the customer explain it. How the analyst designed it. What the beta testers received. How the project leader understood it. How it was supported. How the business consultant described it. What marketing advertised. What the customer really needed. www.projectcartoon.com

12. The New Process

13. The New Process • Established IT Governance • Business Cases (Charters) for Projects • Sponsorship / Approval / Support from Respective Chief • Presentation of Approved Efforts to IT Governance Committee • Prioritization of Approved Efforts by IT Governance Committee

14. Keys to Success

15. Keys to Success • Listening and Observing • Creating Relationships • Building Confidence and Trust • Delivering Results • Continuing the Conversation • Being Flexible in Approach and Process • Demonstrating Patience and Professionalism

16. Listening and Observing • Active Listening • Repeating in Our Own Words • Documenting the Discussion • Interpreting Spoken Requirements • What is Stated isn’t Always what is Desired • Understanding the Vision – Where and How • Be Cognizant of what People Say – Look Beyond the Words

17. Listening and Observing • Top Down / Bottom up Approach • Executive Sponsor Down to the Data Entry Clerk and Back • Observations • Do they Do what They Say? • Body Language Communicates More than Words

18. Creating Relationships • Communicating Regularly • Push and Pull Information • “Here is what is going on with us. What is going on with you?” • Find reasons to interact beyond meetings and projects • Be Compassionate • Learn Who Your Sponsors / Business Partners are • Ask questions, “How can I help you?” or “What would make your job easier?”

19. Building Confidence and Trust • Communicate, Communicate, Communicate • Determine Best Channel of Communication for Audience • Consistency • Messages • Actions • Be Succinct, Fact-Filled and devoid of Platitude and Double Speak • Discretion

20. Building Confidence and Trust • Lead by Example • Find Solutions not Scape Goats • Share Accolades • Positive Reinforcement • Kindness is not Weakness • “We” not “Me”

21. Continuing the Conversation • You guessed it – keep communicating!!

22. Delivering Results • Incremental Wins • Look for Opportunities for Interim Victories • Do the Small Things Well • Meeting Minutes • Agendas

23. Flexible in Approach and Process • One Size Does Not Fit All • Processes – Guides / Directions Not Edicts / Excuses • Know your Audience • Waterfall, Agile, SDLC – Software Development • Don’t be Afraid to Change but Understand Why you Need to Change

24. Patience and Professionalism • Patience and Professionalism • World Moves at Two Speeds – Both Require Patience • There is Only One Road to Take – the High Road • Leave your Own Biases and Preconceived Notions at the Door • Avoid the “Middle” • Organizational/Political Acumen

25. Early Results

26. What we are Seeing • Improving Relationships with IT • Increase in Communications • Consultation Engagements • More Participation in Project Planning and Awareness • Greater Interest in Project Updates / Ownership • Adoption of these Processes in Other Departments

27. Questions or Comments • Open for Questions / Discussion • Private Contact – Jaime.Artis@klgates.com