When your firm has new clients in the pipeline, existing relationships to maintain, and a host of other administration tasks and deadlines to keep on top of, it can be hard to imagine the right time to switch to a new IP management system.
While it can seem daunting to approach a big software change, it’s probably easier than you think. The sooner you switch, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of an advanced software solution, and ultimately improve your experience of managing your intellectual property portfolio.
Let’s take a look at the factors for your firm to consider when deciding the right time to switch IP software.
When your current IP management system isn’t up to scratch
If you’re thinking about the best time to switch to a new IP management system, you’re probably not happy with your current solution. Once you’ve acknowledged that your system doesn’t work for you, it’s worth considering that the sooner you switch, the sooner you’ll be relieved of the issues and blockers you’ve been facing.
Over the years, we’ve heard all about the common problems our clients, busy IP professionals, have faced with their previous systems.
If your system doesn’t grow with you
One issue law firms often report is that they’re winning new business and having success, but their IP management system doesn’t scale with them or isn’t suitable for the increased workload. Some IP tech providers make it difficult or costly to add users from your organisation or increase the number of clients and cases you manage through the system.
Equinox is built to meet your potential. It’s designed with growth in mind, so whether you’re starting up your own firm or pushing to grow an established team, your success will be accelerated rather than limited.
Get a more advanced, secure system
Another common problem is slow development and a lack of system maintenance. To keep software secure and running effectively, it needs regular development updates. To warrant the most confidence, a system should receive updates as regularly as every two weeks to ensure it is running smoothly and your data is secure.
If you want your services to stay advanced and competitive, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re using the latest software functionality to help you handle tasks quicker, more easily, and with minimal resources needed to get strong results. If your IP management system is not releasing regular functionality improvements and new features, your capability may be falling behind your competitors.
Equinox’s devoted development team updates the system around every two weeks. We pursue a constant cycle of not only security updates and maintenance, but also designing and building new functionality that can help your team work even more efficiently.
When you’re not in your busiest period
Every organisation has a busy time of year. This could be from a devoted period for annual reviews for your team, or due to big upcoming industry changes, like UPC coming into action. With your calendar quickly filling up, it could be hard to identify the best time for you. However, if you focus on the primary needs of your firm, your team, and your clients, there’s always space to focus on a software switch.
Busy times of year are better avoided
The end of the financial year is the classic time to avoid. Budgeting considerations, annual reports, and endless meetings don’t leave you the time and energy needed to implement a software change. While the switch to a new IP software might be easier than you think, it nonetheless needs careful attention to ensure the process is undertaken securely and all your needs are met.
Depending on where you’re based, there may be a certain time of year when your team takes more annual leave. In the UK, school summer holidays are a peak time for people to take leave to spend time with their families, and Christmas sees many travel around the country. Think about who from your team will be involved in the transition, and make sure they’re available. A good IPMS provider will supply a clear onboarding schedule that explains the project timeline and what’s needed from you by when. This will make it much easier for you to plan around existing holiday. Undoubtedly, people won’t be available for the whole process, but if your head of IT is unavailable for a few weeks in July for example, it might be best to wait for August.
Who is relying on your services?
Who is relying on your services? For a law firm, that’s your clients. Ask yourself when they most need you to be at 100%. The end of your organisation’s financial year might be different from that of your key client, and if they need a detailed report on your work when you’re between software services it could be a problem.
It’s easier than you think to switch IP software
Even if you’re not happy with your current IP management system, you’ve likely been using it a long time and the thought of changing to a new one could be daunting. You may think you’ll have to devote time you don’t have to training your team, and you may be worried that the transition will cause disruption to your services. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Friendly experts to help you along the way
We have a devoted Onboarding team who will guide you through your onboarding plan from your first demo through to configuring your system and training your team. Plus, our experienced data engineers will meticulously handle the migration of your portfolio data into Equinox, minimising the resources you need to process your information and helping you get started faster.
We’ve helped hundreds of organisations of every size and shape get started with Equinox. Over the years we’ve had plenty of feedback to say how simple it is to switch. Our onboarding team will work with you to find the best possible time for your organisation to switch IP software, and they’ll be with you throughout the process to ensure it goes smoothly.
Accessible support that never ends
When it’s time for you to go live with your new system, you’ll already have received plenty of training, but the support doesn’t stop there. Our friendly support team are experts in all things Equinox, and you can pop an email over or hop on a call with them for assistance. Plus our multi-media help centre is packed with documents and videos that demonstrate every feature and function you need at your own time and pace.
Get the process started now
If your current IP management software isn’t working for you, it’s time to make a change.
Speak to our team today to learn more about the onboarding process and boost the efficiency of your whole team as soon as possible!
