Law firms and other service providers are concerned with providing clients with high quality work while striving for efficiency. Utilizing existing work product and encouraging collaboration leads to improved productivity, a must for today’s law firms. Sharing knowledge through an intranet or portal is one way to positively impact productivity. Intranets serve as online bulletin boards for firms. Typically, these hubs are used to provide firm updates, human resource information, and static links. These portals can add much more value by offering a single source for information. Consider these current challenges to workflow and efficiency:
- Email is an inefficient channel to share knowledge. Law firms still rely heavily on email to communicate vital information, inhibiting lawyers from harnessing the collective expertise clients are paying for.
- Using multiple systems for everyday tasks negatively impacts productivity. Lack of integration prevents users from staying focused and impacts workflow.
- Current communication channels fail to support digitally based collaboration and the mobile workforce. Users expect a single destination with robust tools to share information, organize projects, and consume fresh content.
Modern, cloud-based portals can improve communication and knowledge management. Here is how firms can benefit from using intranets as modern workplace tools:
- Intranets allow users to share information internally by creating a dialogue rather than a single, one-way communication via email. Open communication prompts discussion and encourages those with expertise to share insights. Social features such as commenting and notifications promote engagement and encourage use of the portal.
- A central location offers access to the most relevant resources while promoting time efficiency. Firms can integrate calendars, document management, billing, and project management in one location.
- Intranets can support the needs of users in multiple locations who use different platforms. Enterprise search can provide users with tailored results. Personalization, using artificial intelligence, can deliver personalized work feeds to enable users to continue existing tasks, saving time.
Firms can benefit from using intranets as knowledge management tools. The intranet allows access to crucial resources while promoting communication and employee engagement. Keeping content fresh and enhancing the user experience will ensure that firms are leveraging the value of these portals.
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