Hill Dickinson Selects SRC Digital Dictation for a Pilot Program

Commercial law firm Hill Dickinson seeks to improve productivity and increase efficiency with the aid of digital dictation workflow from solution provider, SRC. The firm is piloting the technology with a view to a full rollout across the firm.

"Hill Dickinson is always looking to improve client service and the benefits which digital dictation can deliver through reduced document turnaround time is something which the firm is keen to take advantage of," Hill Dickinson IT Director, Keith Feeny said. "We chose SRC's digital dictation solution because of its superior functionality, specifically the ability to use numerous input devices including telephones. We looked at other systems on the market but the SRC solution was the clear choice because its openness and flexibility will help workflow across geographical locations."

The SRC solution developed for Hill Dickinson is based on WinScribe technology which replaces analogue tape systems, allowing digital audio to be sent automatically (over a LAN, WAN, Intranet or the Internet) to a transcriptionist using a 'workflow' system. Employees recording documents are able to record information using handheld microphones connected to a computer, hand held recorders or the telephone when away from the office.

"The capability for remote working was a major factor in our decision to pilot digital dictation. Using the digital dictation workflow technology, fee earners can work remotely yet dictations will reach secretaries quickly for fast turnaround - rather than creating a backlog of tapes arriving when the fee earner returns to the office," he said. "We're confident that the digital dictation workflow pilot will deliver significant benefits to the firm and its clients and look forward to rolling the solution across the firm. Crucial to the success of the solution is SRC's auto-routing design, implementation services and support package, which were all key factors in our decision to choose SRC."

SRC managing director desktop solutions, Colin Howman, added that the reporting features of the solution would also allow Hill Dickinson to prevent bottlenecks in the transcription process. "SRC's digital dictation solution features a simple user interface for fee earners, along with convenient built-in reports and a custom report writer to allow administrators to monitor how fast dictations are being turned around, and who is or isn't performing. It also allows the allocation of transcription files to be managed and changed with ease, so workloads can be controlled without interrupting the individual who is creating the recording in the first instance," Mr Howman said. "With rising secretarial costs and demands for flexible working placing pressure on the legal profession, more and more firms are embracing digital workflow technology to help relieve these pressures and enhance client care."