In a series of Spotlight pieces, we are thrilled to introduce our supporters of The British Conveyancing Awards 2021
Alongside headline sponsor Lawyer Checker, we look forward to recognising individuals, teams and companies who have gone above and beyond to support buyers and sellers to move home during the most challenging year the conveyancing industry has perhaps ever seen.
Today we profile Technology Team of the Year sponsors CTS.
We’re delighted to have CTS on board with us for the inaugural British Conveyancing Awards. First of all, tell us who you are and what you do.
CTS is the only provider of cloud and managed IT services purely dedicated to the UK & Irish legal sector. We transform complexity into simplicity to help law firms fulfil their potential. Our clients include O’Neill Patient, Taylor Rose MW, Rowlinsons, Metamorph and Langleys Solicitors.
What have CTS been doing over the past 12 months? I imagine it’s been a busy time working through a pandemic.
We’ve had a busy 12 months at CTS, and we show no signs of slowing down! In November 2020, we completed the acquisitions of two legal specialist Managed Service Providers, City Business Solutions (CBS) and Sprout IT. This is such an important step in our journey, as we strive to deliver a level of expertise and understanding that our competitors cannot match, from which our clients derive clear, transformative value.
What do you think is the biggest challenge the sector has faced over the last 12 months?
The government-enforced lockdowns and subsequent transition to remote working has forced a huge shift in the sector. With paper-heavy processes, combined with the expectations of complete digitalisation and virtual collaboration, the conveyancing sector has had to adapt their way of working in order to meet expectations and maintain business continuity.
And what innovations were you seeing in the market?
Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) have played a crucial role in enabling the sector to handle time-consuming, and often paper-based, administrative tasks. Leveraging these technologies to ensure data accuracy, enable quicker functions and processes, and enhance clients’ experiences has been undoubtedly beneficial over the past 12 months.
We have also seen firms utilising the technology they already have much more heavily, integrating their systems into the processes of the business. For example, the increased use of Microsoft Teams to collaborate both internally and externally, to share documents, and to maintain the company culture from what may be miles apart.
What are your predictions for the sector in 2022 and beyond?
The remote nature of working and of digital engagement means that client service is increasingly reliant on technology. Now, more than ever, clients are demanding immediate responses, so collaboration tools such as Teams, client portals and cloud-based chatbot software are critical in ensuring high-quality and responsive client engagement. Now these technologies are available and affordable for firms of all sizes, we will increasingly see clients selecting the law firm they work with based on their technical capabilities.
Have you got any messages for the sector and our shortlisters?
We want to wish all a huge congratulations! The way sector has adapted over the past 12 months has been truly admirable. Both law firm technology teams and legal service providers alike have been working tirelessly to keep the legal sector up and running, ensuring that client receive the best care and customer service, as well as maintaining high levels of efficiency and productivity through this unpredictable time. The way you’ve all dealt with the challenges thrown at you is really impressive!
If your firm is seeking strategic technical guidance, from a legal sector specialist, to help them meet their future goals and business objectives, we would be delighted to hear from you to learn how we can support your firm.
Thank you to CTS for their support for The British Conveyancing Awards 2021.
The British Conveyancing Awards are taking to the virtual stage on Tuesday 25th May 2021 with the multi-award winning journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed leading the celebrations. Registrations will open shortly to book your virtual seat.
More information about the awards is available here.
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