US Law Firm Dictates Profits with WWL Network Services

 

West Virginia, USA 20 September 2004 - Bowles Rice, a large commercial law firm with six offices and nearly 100 attorneys, needed a more reliable networked dictation system. They required a system that could serve multiple offices across several states. Their old system was actually losing dictation, resulting in costly rework by lawyers using non-billable hours, a disruption of office workflow and unnecessary aggravation.

With 89 lawyers spread over six offices in three states, Bowles Rice it is
critical that they have standardized technology that works. When Brad
Harris, a Computer Technologist by trade, took over as Head of Dictation
Management for Bowles Rice in 2001, his technology skills were immediately
put to the test.

"We had a dictation system that no longer served our growing demands,"
recalls Harris, "And for some reason that I still can't imagine, it just couldn't
be fixed."

Harris did try to fix the old system. The main problem was the system
crashing and losing dictation. Says Harris, "When you lose dictation, you
have to redo work that can't be billed again. The result was attorneys spent
hours of non-billable time to redo work they'd already done. It was difficult
to maintain morale in that environment."

The workflow for dictation at Bowles Rice is a fairly straightforward process.
The lawyer is provided with dictation equipment, usable from either the
telephone or from their computer.

Additionally, they are given a portable dictation unit that they can use offsite.
Dictation is then downloaded into a computer that sends it to the dictation server. The dictation server routes the dictation to the lawyer's secretary or
the word processing center, whichever the lawyer specifies.

That simple process quickly became a nightmare for Harris. "Every time the phone rang it was with a complaint. The program on the computer would crash and a lawyer would lose their dictation. You can't expect them to be happy about that."

Hoping he could solve the problems, Harris first tried to get the manufacturer's technical department to help improve the existing system, but soon realized it wasn't going to happen. Says Harris, "It was frustrating. It would take them two days to answer a tech help call. And the suggestions hey made really weren't helpful. Still, we gave them the benefit of the doubt. After a year of trying, it was time to look elsewhere."

Around July 2003, with the blessing of Tom Graff, CEO, and Scott Ball,
IT Director Harris started looking for a new dictation system. The existing
system manufacturer gave a demonstration of their new product, but Harris
concluded it wasn't much different from the old product. As time passed, he
found it was hard, if not impossible, to find a dictation solution able to handle
as many people as they had in a networked environment. "We just wanted
something reliable," recalls Harris, "But, the situation began to appear
hopeless".

One day, while Harris was probing the Internet for dictation solutions, a
coworker stumbled upon WWL Network Services. On WWL's Website, Harris
found information about the WinScribe Dictation Suite. Harris hadn't heard of
WinScribe before, but it seemed to fit his needs. Harris called WWL, and
even though Bowles Rice and WWL are in different states, WWL's Jeff Harlan
was able to teleconference a Web demo with Harris to show him the basics of
the system.

Harris spirits were buoyed by what he saw in the Web demo and he invited Harlan for a formal visit to Bowles Rice headquarters in Charleston, WV.
At the formal demo, Harris knew he had found the right solution.
Graff and Ball approved the project without hesitation.

Says Harris, "WWL's service was good right from the start. They came to Charleston several times to develop the work order and the customization plan. WWL even gave us a demo system to use with a couple of test workgroups as a kind of a pilot program. There was virtually no learning curve and some people said it was the easiest transition they had ever experienced at the firm."

The implementation began around November 2003. The initial Charleston install took a week. WWL trained Harris and he, in turn, was able to transition all Bowles Rice's satellite offices. WWL built the server and configuration.

Says Harris, "We have a service contract with WWL and they come in to do studies to make sure the installation is current to our needs. Anytime I have question, WWL is right on it. With the previous company,
getting service was a constant struggle."

"The new WinScribe system we have actually costs less than the old system," says Harris, "and user buy-in is stronger with WinScribe. Some people who refused to use the old system are dictating into the new system."

"With the old system, we'd lose billable hours 10-to-15 times per month. WinScribe has given us that time back, and that goes directly to the bottom line. I don't know if you can put a price on user satisfaction, but WinScribe as made a noticeable, positive impact on our dictation workflow."

"Now, I love my job," says Harris. WWL and WinScribe have given him the time to handle the Help Desk as well as several other functions. He has time to do proactive projects instead of just putting out fires.

"The support staff at WWL are very professionally responsive." Harris reiterates that problems with the previous manufacturer never really got olved. With WWL, the opposite is true. He could wait two days to hear back from the old company. With WWL, he gets tech support in a couple of hours.

"Now, when the phone rings, it's always something minor, like someone sent a job they didn't intend to. We've experienced a total turnaround thanks to WWL."

About Bowles Rice
The firm of Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love LLP began in Charleston, West Virginia in 1920 with three lawyers engaged in general practice. It has grown through expansions
and mergers into a regional commercial law firm with six offices and nearly 100 attorneys, with a staff of over 150 professionals, serving clients in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio and throughout the world.

About WWL Network Services, LLC WWL Network Services, LLC, is a technology
service company offering a full portfolio of solutions for any and every business or educational need. WWL' s experts are certified system engineers and administrators who help
companies utilize computer technology to provide maximum return on investment.

WWL provides wireless technology, network troubleshooting, and assessment of any company's infrastructure for data or voice connectivity. WWL can sell, install and service any manufacturer's systems equipment with regard to the transmission of data or voice communications, all from one local office. Our support staff is Novell and Microsoft Certified.

For more information or to discuss your specific needs, contact Jeff Harlan,
270-575-1842 ext 134; jharlan@wwlnws.com or visit www.wwlnws.com.