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The cost of your IT system is more than just how much the hardware is – in fact, the hardware could be as little as 50% of the total IT costs. So when you are updating or replacing your system, you need to be thinking holistically across its anticipated lifecycle.
Add-on costs
Add-on costs include anti-virus software, functionality and licences. Poor licence management will result in overspending, so software licences should be reviewed on an annual basis – it may well be that the software is no longer relevant and could be replaced by something better suited to the needs of your practice.
Hidden costs
Your IT system will have indirect costs associated with it, caused by lost or reduced productivity when there are problems. If the system is not fit for purpose, you could lose a lot of money in downtime, or if the system is slow your fee earners will have less ability to record billable time. In the year to the end of March 2016, internet downtime cost UK business £12.3bn as a whole in terms of lost productivity and extra overtime requirements.
When calculating their IT costs, many law firms do not take electricity use into account. IT management must include the costs of running your computers as they can cost a company a lot of money if computers are left on overnight. Well-managed systems will use software to not only track usage, but also ensure computers are powered down when they are not needed.
One cost that law firms are particularly prone to is the cost of printing. The paperless office is still a long way off, and lawyers like to have hard copies of all their documentation. If, like many law practices, you are printing emails every time someone replies in a thread, it will not take you long to amass a huge amount of waste in terms of paper, ink and wear and tear on the printer, as well as the time it takes to marry up all the replies on the thread and dispose of duplicate messages. (Luckily, there is software that will automatically print only the last email in the thread, with an immediate cost saving.)
IT support
If your company has in-house IT support, staffing will account for a huge part of the costs which will have to be taken into account when calculating the total cost of ownership. You will not only be liable for all the costs concerning their salary and benefits, you will only be able to use their services for restricted amounts of time, which will be reduced further by holidays and sickness – do you have a contingency plan for such an event? So, if you are working late and you need IT support, at say 9pm on a Friday night, will it be available?
By outsourcing your IT support, you will not only be able to resolve issues quickly and at any time, you will also be supported by someone taking the role of an external, or virtual CIO. They will undertake a thorough total cost analysis on your behalf and advise you on the best and most efficient systems and strategies for your needs.
If you would like to find out more about the real IT costs for your practice, contact us for information.
Lumina Technologies have taken the time to understand the requirements of our business and work as our strategic IT partner, enabling us to concentrate on delivering a high quality service to our clients and focus on our growth strategy. They have delivered a 100% cloud solution to our business with no underlying infrastructure costs or maintenance, which gives us scalability for our planned growth. It also means our business critical applications and data are securely accessible from virtually all our user devices. Lumina’s professional approach and strategic expertise is highly valued and their management of our IT – based on their in-depth knowledge, leaves us confident that our systems are available 24×7.
Luke Harrison
Keidan Harrison LLP
Lumina have supported us so well through the difficult circumstances of 2020. They worked extremely hard to ensure we were able to work remotely and continue to operate our business successfully. The support team are very friendly and knowledgeable, and have excellent response times.
The team have also enhanced our cyber security which is so important in the legal sector, and they continue to provide high quality advice to help us move forward with our IT goals.
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Managing Partner, Adams & Remers LLP
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Technical Director, Trap Oil Group plc
Richard and his team are a real inspiration to anyone who meets them and I have watched Lumina’s growth over the last few years with interest and admiration. Richard has been an amazing supporter of the Hospice of St Francis, being a Gold member of the Corporate Partner Network for almost two years. He takes an active interest in the community and is passionate about his company and his town: nothing is too much trouble, he is always willing to help, to give up his time and to provide business advice when asked. Lumina is an inspiration to any company wanting to set up business in Hertfordshire.
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Corporate Fundraising Manager, The Hospice of St Francis
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Chief Executive Officer, Wentworth Resources PLC
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Patrick Agar
Lambert Energy Advisory
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Connect Dacorum
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Hawkstone Management Services Ltd
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Managing Partner, Charles Douglas Solicitors LLP
The team at Lumina Technologies have made the Amoun Travel & Tours office IT transition seamless and problem free. The office set-up has been vastly improved and the IT Support services are flawless. No issue goes unresolved, which is extremely reassuring.
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Amoun Travel & Tours Ltd
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Group Technical Director, Salamander Energy plc
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COO, Perrett Laver Limited
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Managing Director, Society Limited
The Vita Group HQ staff have worked with Richard McBarnet and Lumina Technologies for over 9 years, with Lumina providing all our PC, server, phone, and software support. The services have included C-level executives based in London, Manchester, the US, as well as supporting home office IT as well. The service provided and intellectual capabilities are outstanding and we would highly recommend Richard and his Lumina team.
Joe Menendez
CEO, The Vita Group
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Holly Cottingham, Vintec Laboratories
We’ve been so well supported by Paige and the Lumina team. They’ve been highly professional, very responsive, friendly, supportive. It’s really validated the decision to engage an IT partner, and we’re glad it’s with Lumina.
Bruce Storey
Chief Operating Officer, Estu Global Ltd
