ilta professional services peer group client service: getting to know your business & making a...
TRANSCRIPT
ILTA Professional Services Peer Group
Client Service: Getting to Know Your Business & Making a Difference
• The Challenge• The Former Process• The New Process• Keys to Success• Early Results• Questions / Comments
Agenda
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The Challenge
• 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
What’s so special about a law firm?
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• 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”
What’s so special about a law firm?
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• 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?
Our story
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• 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.
IT Transformation
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• Collaborating• Concierge Service• Building Relationships and Collations• Acting as “the Bridge”
IT Transformation
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• Adopting Client Centric Development• Develop What the Users Really Need Not What
they Really Want to Drive Adoption and Success
• End Users Must be Engaged in the Process• Embracing a Holistic Approach to Solutions
IT Transformation
The Former Process
How the customer explain it.
How the project leader understood it.
How the analyst designed it.
What the beta testers received.
What the customer really needed.
What marketing advertised.
How it was supported.
How the business consultant described it.
www.projectcartoon.com
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
The New Process
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
Keys to Success
• 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
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
Listening and Observing
• 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?”
Creating Relationships
• 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
Building Confidence and Trust
• Lead by Example• Find Solutions not Scape Goats• Share Accolades • Positive Reinforcement
• Kindness is not Weakness• “We” not “Me”
Building Confidence and Trust
• You guessed it – keep communicating!!
Continuing the Conversation
• Incremental Wins• Look for Opportunities for Interim Victories
• Do the Small Things Well• Meeting Minutes• Agendas
Delivering Results
• 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
Flexible in Approach and Process
• 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
Patience and Professionalism
Early Results
• 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
What we are Seeing
