The diction process has moved digital. This new technology is helping to reduce document turnaround time, ease workload and maximize productivity. Click here to discover the benefits of having a digital dictation workflow management system in your firm.

Firms today are under competitive pressure to minimize the time it takes to turn around information. In addition, they are under pressure to boost profits. There are so many challenges common to today’s legal industry. Your staff is increasingly on the move, so you need to minimize lost productivity. You need new technology that integrates with your existing technology. You need to prioritize work and reduce your document turnaround time. You have some staff members that are busier than others. Your support staff members need to work from home and your system processes need to support this. You have tight deadlines and you need work completed as efficiently as possible.

Did you know that all of these challenges can be overcome with modifications to your diction process?

It is likely you are familiar with the term “digital dictation” because it has been a hot topic in the legal industry recently. But are you aware of the differences between a Digital Dictation System and a Digital Dictation Workflow Management System?

Digital dictation is a method of recording and editing the spoken word in real-time within a digital audio format. Digital dictation offers several advantages over traditional cassette tape based dictation. Such benefits include easy editing or insertion of voice into the files, the ability to email the files from anywhere and better sound quality. This type of solution does provide immediate benefits to users over the analog systems they replace, but oftentimes, many problems remain.

A basic digital dictation system simply allows authors to record digital files and route them directly to a secretary for transcription. Simplified digital dictation systems often lack important system management tools to enable managers and users to clearly identify backlogs of work to be completed, information on who is doing what, information on support staff efficiency, promotion of priority projects or the ability to reroute work as needed. As a result, firms that utilize these systems often do not realize all the benefits that a more sophisticated system could offer.

A digital dictation workflow management system enhances the benefits of digitally collecting voice while embracing the management of the flow of information after capture. Digital Dictation Workflow Management Systems are designed witha powerful array of functionality to ease your workloads. The systems are easily administered and allow for the automatic coordination, control and communication of activities.

The core of the system is the intelligent management of dictation files by a server or network of servers. While audio files are still played by a typist, voice files are sent electronically across LANs, WANs, via telephony or over the Internet to intelligent workflow servers that identify a user's details and automatically send his or her dictation to the most appropriate secretary, secretarial workgroups or outsourced transcription providers for completion. Digital Dictation workflow software is often Active Directory integrated and can be used in conjunction with third party systems such as Document, Practice or Case Management Systems.

Perhaps one of the most important features is the flexibility in the configuration of these systems and the ease of use of the software. Authors may use a number of recording devices to capture their dictation including their PC, speech microphones and digital handheld recorders manufactured by popular companies such as Philips, Olympus and Grundig Business Systems. Users can even dictate using the telephone, VoIP or their PDA for maximum flexibility, while secretaries can be located anywhere, spread across multiple sites or at home – alone or as part of a typing pool.

Immediate and automated delivery of dictation improves report turnaround time and maximizes productivity. Some systems can literally eliminate or reduce keystrokes, thus transcription and other administrative costs are significantly lowered. The result is often an immediate increase in company-wide work sharing and productivity which results in significant cost savings for the firm. Joan Hodge, HR Manager for Bedell Cristin, one of New Jersey’s leading law firms had this to say when asked how their system impacted productivity at her firm: “From a team perspective, [our solution] has allowed secretaries to take more responsibility for the management and sharing of the workload across the whole business and this has generated a new team spirit.”

The rate of user adoption is an important aspect of any technology purchase. Firms who implement these systems find that convincing their users to adopt the system is often fast and painless. Referring to the solution selected by Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff and Love LLP in West Virginia, Brad Harris, Head of Dictation Management said, “There was virtually no learning curve and some people said it was the easiest transition they had ever experienced at the firm.”

These systems can also help firms to provide flexible working practices while helping them to move further towards being an organization that considers quality of life to be important. Systems can support multiple office locations, providing one seamless solution wherever employees are located. With support for remote digital dictation and digital transcription, systems are flexible and will tailor to your staff requirements. Michele Fish is CEO of Just the Type, a New York-based transcription company that implemented a system to support their inflow of dictation from the clients they serve. Their solution enabled her to offer her transcriptionists the option to work from home. “Our transcriptionists appreciate the opportunity to work from home. They rave about how easy the system is to work with and how it has improved their work/family balance.”

Often there is concern about the management of such a system across multiple work sites. Managers can rest assured that regardless of the physical location of staff members, management will remain in control of the system. A well designed system provides administrators with a reporting function allowing them to analyze workload distribution across their organization. With such reports, managers are able to respond to any issues that might arise immediately, thus further improving work efficiency. Locke Reynolds, an Indianapolis-based firm purchased their workflow solution primarily to replace the firm’s aging dictation equipment. Debra Himsel, Director of Technology explains that the firm achieved much more than anticipated, resulting from the improvements in the firm’s workflow management. “They feel more productive”, says Debra. “Not just because they aren’t chasing down tapes but because now they can archive jobs, assign jobs to a secretary without leaving their desk and generally manage their workflow better.” Debra says there is also a sense of comfort that tapes won’t be over-written or lost and that they can always go back into the system and check their dictation. Having access to jobs from their desktop and not having to handle tapes has made it very popular with the secretaries. “Our two Word Processors have probably noticed the improvement the most,” notes Debra, “because they touch so many people’s documents and they get all the overflow. Managing their workflow has been much easier.”

How do you select the system that is right for you? When selecting the best solution for your organization, you will obviously be wise to select a system that is proven to deliver a rapid return on investment. Often, cost savings are directly attributed to increased transcription productivity and improved document turnaround time, being able to share hardware across multiple offices, and decreased courier costs, and indirectly attributed to enhanced customer and employee satisfaction levels.

Features and flexibility are also important. You should always remember to choose the system that can be customized to work for you. Seek flexibility. Ask questions. Can the system be utilized across multiple locations? Does it support users who travel? Does the system require use of proprietary hardware or audio file formats? Can the system support a variety of input device types (i.e., PDA, speech microphone, handheld recorder)? How easily will the system integrate into your existing technology infrastructure? Is it easy to use? How is the solution licensed? There are several solution providers on the market who share the same goal: assisting your firm in improving its workflow and operations. Be sure to ask questions to ensure that you select the one that meets the current and future needs of your unique organization.