The Future of Virtual Business Services

Written by

Amanda

24th October, 2024

Unlocking New Potential for Growth

Global organisations, particularly in the legal and professional services sector are no strangers to innovation, yet many organisations continue to grapple with evolving workplace needs. The global workforce is increasingly decentralised, working remotely and across varied hours, making seamless business operations more complex than ever. As firms adapt to this shifting landscape, virtual business services are rapidly gaining traction, offering agile and effective solutions to support a more flexible workforce, whilst also maximising cost efficiencies.

Outsourcing in Business Services: The Evolution So Far
Not too long ago, outsourcing tasks like switchboard operations or meeting room bookings was met with scepticism. Could an external partner truly manage these critical touchpoints without compromising quality? Fast forward to today and outsourcing these once in-house services is now the norm, delivering not just operational and cost efficiencies, but enhanced client experiences.

In fact the results from one of our clients have shown benefits on multiple levels across a 4 year partnership:

So, what’s next? The same mindset shift that occurred around switchboards is now happening with floor hosts, facilities management, and broader office support functions. What seemed unimaginable only a few years ago—outsourcing traditionally hands-on, client-facing roles like floor hosts—is fast becoming a reality. Forward-thinking organisations that embrace this trend are not only getting ahead of the curve but are also positioning themselves for future growth in an increasingly complex and hybrid work environment.

Increasingly Complex Workplaces: New Challenges, New Solutions
Today's workplaces look very different from a decade ago. Remote and hybrid work models have created new logistical challenges: employees work across different time zones, at varied hours, and often away from traditional office spaces. Navigating this complexity requires smart solutions that provide the same level of support—if not better—than the traditional in-person setup.

In the past, on-site teams such as IT support would be available to support employees, or floor hosts would be readily available to welcome and assist clients in person. Today, access to these roles need to evolve. Firms are beginning to realize the value in offering virtual solutions as a managed service that provide real-time assistance—whether it's answering questions, navigating office logistics, or ensuring clients have everything they need during their visit.
A virtual support solution also means that organisations can offer assistance 24/7, accommodating the global nature of today's workforce. Whether a team member is working late in London, or a client in New York requires help, virtual services ensure seamless, round-the-clock support without geographic limitations.

The Future: Virtual Managed Services
The future of virtual business services lies in merging traditional on-site roles with cutting-edge technology to create integrated, comprehensive solutions. One such innovation is connecting a managed service approach that can combine workplace helplines with virtual floor host services.
Imagine a quiet Friday morning, where an overseas employee walks into one of your buildings, early for a meeting. There may be no physical floor host to greet them, but with a virtual service in place, they can still receive real-time support, directing them to their meeting space. Once there, access to virtual support will help them connect with their AV set up, ready for a productive session. A virtual floor host can manage everything from greeting visitors to assisting with room bookings or AV setup—ensuring the level of service remains high, regardless of the time or location.

In the meantime, virtual systems are a strategic route to empowering and enabling front of house staff to move away from their desks and engage in more high value face-to-face interactions, fostering collaboration while ensuring business operations continue smoothly in the background. This is particularly important for legal and professional services firms, where the value of client engagement and white glove service cannot be underestimated.
By integrating managed services that combine workplace helplines with virtual floor hosts, businesses can create a streamlined, responsive support system that operates around the clock, delivering a consistent and reliable experience for both employees and clients.

Case Study: A Forward-Thinking Approach to Virtual Support
One client leading the charge in this transformation is a prominent legal firm with offices in The City and Europe. This organisation faced the challenge of maintaining high levels of support for both employees working in hybrid ways, and clients as they moved around and between office spaces during visits.
Their solution? A hybrid model that utilises a team of on-site floor hosts, strategically placed to provide high touch point, real-time assistance at any point during a visit. On site hosts are complimented with a highly personalised, tech-enabled virtual managed service, available around the clock to manage a variety of tasks, from offering directions and handling last-minute room bookings, to connecting employees with late night IT support. Clients experience a seamless journey from the moment they step through the door, and employees feel supported regardless of the time of day.

By adopting this future thinking mindset, they have been able to provide consistent, high-quality service while also reducing the need for on-site staff to be tied to their desks. Instead, the firm's employees are now free to focus on higher-value tasks, leading to better outcomes for both the business and its clients.

Why Now is the Time to Get Ahead
We have moved beyond the reactive, sticking plaster approach that allowed organisations to make it through the changes post-pandemic, with 62% of CEOs citing growth as their strategic priority for 2025.
As the workplace continues to evolve, the businesses that embrace virtual solutions early will be the ones to thrive and achieve that growth. What once seemed unthinkable—outsourcing critical, client-facing roles—is now an opportunity for firms to modernise their operations, improve efficiency, and elevate client experiences.

For facilities managers, managing partners, and workplace transformation leads in legal, financial, and professional services firms, now is the time to explore how virtual business services can drive future growth. The shift towards a global, remote workforce is not going away, and those who adapt will be well-positioned to lead in the years to come.

By integrating virtual floor hosts, workplace helplines, and other advanced managed service functions, firms can unlock new potential, offering more flexible and responsive services to both employees and clients alike. For forward-thinking firms, the question is not if but when they will adopt these new technologies and approaches to stay competitive in an increasingly global and complex work environment
The future of virtual business services is here, and it’s time to get ahead of the curve.

If you’re ready to hear more about our work in this space with clients, using our ‘Centralise, Optimise and Virtualise’ approach, get in touch at [email protected].

The Changing Workplace Landscape

Written by

Amanda

27th September, 2024

Company Culture
Productivity
The Office
Workplace Transformation

Navigating ‘Return To Office’ Real Estate, Facilities, and Employee Well-being

As businesses adapt to the post-pandemic world, the workplace has been transformed. Companies are navigating unprecedented shifts in how and where people work, with real estate, facilities management, and employee well-being taking centre stage. In this article, we take insights from a recent Executive Lunch where we spoke to global workplace leaders, and explored how these changes are impacting organisations, and why flexibility, empathy, and strategic foresight are critical to success.

Flexibility and Behavioural Shifts: A New Era of Office Dynamics
The return to the office isn’t simply about getting people back to their desks. It's about acknowledging the behavioural changes that have emerged from the pandemic. Employees expect flexibility in office spaces, working hours, and company policies. As a result, organisations are rethinking traditional office layouts to create environments that foster collaboration and accommodate a diverse workforce.

Key workplace considerations include:

Flexible office layouts: Companies are creating spaces designed for collaboration, rather than desk and traditional working spaces.
Generational needs: Different generations have varying expectations and requirements of the workplace, and businesses are balancing these differences to improve engagement both in the office and away from it.
Neurodiversity: Office designs are increasingly being tailored to meet the needs of neurodivergent employees, ensuring inclusivity.

A Programme, Project, and Change Manager from a global professional services firm summarised the shift:
"The one key thing to recognise when looking at returning to the office is behaviour change. And we must equip leaders to manage this with empathy and a human approach."

Empathy in Leadership: Managing Hybrid Teams
Leading with empathy has never been more important. As hybrid work becomes the norm, leaders are adopting human-centred approaches, focusing on trust and collaboration. This shift is not just about managing workflows but fostering deeper workplace connections.
By putting empathy at the heart of leadership, companies can ensure that both in-office and remote teams feel valued and connected, bridging the gap between physical and virtual workspaces.

Data-Driven Space Management: Optimising Real Estate
While occupancy levels may have returned to pre-Covid norms, optimising office real estate remains a challenge. The way we use these spaces has fundamentally changed. Companies are increasingly leveraging technology and data to monitor space usage and track attendance. This data-driven approach helps organisations redesign their offices to better support hybrid work models, while also addressing critical issues like data security.

A Global Projects Director at a leading law firm highlights the importance of this approach:
"Including the entire security team to review physical and data security is new territory, and now essential in terms of office planning."

Sustainability and Future-Proofing the Workplace
Sustainability is now a central pillar of workplace strategy. As companies redesign their office spaces, there is a strong focus on reducing carbon footprints and preparing for future trends like artificial intelligence and advanced employee well-being initiatives.

The long-term success of any workplace strategy will depend on how adaptable it is to changing employee needs, emerging technologies, and environmental concerns.

Luis DeSouza, CEO of NFS Technology warns:
"If you develop a workplace strategy around business metrics without taking into account how people’s lives have changed, you will be setting yourselves up to fail."

Insights from Industry Leaders
At our recent Executive Lunch, global transformation and operational leads came together to discuss the evolving workplace landscape. One of the key insights shared was the realisation that while the perception may be that offices aren’t as full as they were pre-pandemic, occupancy statistics tell a different story.

"The perception is that at some point we will get back to pre-pandemic attendance in the office. It feels like there is a way to go, but in reality, we are already there when we look at occupancy stats. What has changed is that we are all working in an entirely different way."
Andrew Try, CEO of ComXo

As companies continue to navigate a ‘return to the office’ with the learnings from the post-pandemic shifts, they must embrace flexibility, lead with empathy, and leverage data to make informed decisions about their office environments. By focusing on sustainability and employee well-being, businesses can create workplaces that not only meet the needs of today but are also ready for the future.

The workplace is no longer just a place to work; it is an ecosystem that reflects the evolving needs of employees, technology, and the world around us. Companies that succeed in this new landscape will be those that prioritise adaptability, inclusivity, make data-informed decisions, and above all have a human-centric approach.

About ComXo
ComXo is a leading provider of outsourced communication and business services, helping companies navigate the complexities of the modern workplace with innovative solutions and industry-leading expertise.

If you’re interested to hear how we support some of the largest global organisations with their workplace transformations, get in touch.

The Ultimate Guide to TUPE: What You Need To Know When Outsourcing To A UK BPO Supplier

Written by

c_admin

19th December, 2023

We asked specialist HR Consultants Kane HR to write our guest blog this month, covering everything you need to know about TUPE and the considerations when outsourcing.

Robert Burden, Managing Consultant dives in with an overview, the pros and cons, and some top tips for managing TUPE effectively.

TUPE stands for the Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) Regulations. Its purpose is to provide protection to employees who are transferring from one employer to another because of a business transfer or service provision change (SPC). It safeguards employee’s rights when there is a transfer of a business or service from one organisation to another and means that the grouping of employees concerned have a legal right to automatically transfer from one service provider to another on their existing terms and conditions of employment and with all their existing employment rights and liabilities intact, including their continuous service.

Under TUPE, both the current employer (“Transferor”) and receiving employer (“Transferee”) have a legal obligation to inform and consult with either elected employee representatives or a recognized trade union, if there is one present. Only in the event where there are fewer than 10 employees (and in the absence of elected representatives or a recognised trade union), should an organisation consider consulting directly with the individuals affected.

It’s important to remember that TUPE is a legal statute, therefore, even if it may seem that a business service provider can provide their services more efficiently, if the transfer falls within scope of the activities below, then TUPE is still likely to apply, and both organisations have a legal obligation to inform and consult. The following activities will indicate that TUPE is likely to apply.

The activities that are currently being provided by a client are to be provided by a third-party provider. This is more commonly known as outsourcing.
Activities currently provided by a contractor to a client are to be provided by a different third-party supplier to the same client, known as ‘contractor to contractor SPC’.

Options when handling TUPE

When choosing an outsourced provider, organisations are often looking for an effective and efficient solution, which can mean when TUPE applies there may be more staff currently doing the job than required if the work is to be outsourced.
In such instances, it is first important to establish which internal employees fall within the scope of the undertaking i.e. "fundamentally the same" as the activity to be carried out by the outsourced provider, it’s important to do this to prevent employees being assigned to a TUPE transfer who should not be affected.

Second is to understand your legal obligations to inform and consult regarding the transfer, it’s important to recognise that if found to have failed in fulfilling this obligation, liability could be both joint (i.e. shared between the transferee and transferor) and individual if taken to a tribunal.

Crucially, it is important to remember that any dismissal where the sole or principal reason is the transfer itself will be automatically unfair. However, there are of course practical and commercial considerations, that give options to handling structural changes during TUPE in a lawful, fair and practical way for all parties. One of these, is if the transferee envisages that there may be a potential redundancy situation by reason of economic, technical or organisational factors (ETO), and more on this is outlined further below.

In some cases, prior to TUPE it may be appropriate to offer staff members redeployment opportunities to other business areas or departments. Keep in mind that employees have a legal right to transfer, therefore, they may reject any offers.

As the current employer, there may be extenuating circumstances that result in a decision to provide individuals with an opportunity to exit from the business prior to the TUPE taking place, and generally this would form part of a settlement agreement. If considering this approach, it’s always best to seek independent employment law advice, as this wouldn’t mitigate from your obligation to inform and consult regarding the transfer.

If considering this approach, there is always the risk that the transferee could be liable for an unfair dismissal claim as they have not been privy to the agreement. In such cases, it may be an acceptable decision for all three parties (employee, transferor and transferee) that the employee does not transfer, and therefore a tripartite settlement agreement could be introduced to provide the necessary protection for all parties involved.

The commercial bits

When considering outsourcing arrangements, it's crucial to anticipate the potential impact of TUPE on the financial aspects of the agreement. One common strategy involves the inclusion of indemnification clauses in the commercial arrangement between the outsourcing organisation and the service provider.

Indemnification in the context of TUPE essentially means that the outsourcing organisation agrees to compensate the service provider for any additional costs incurred due to the transfer of employees under TUPE regulations. This can include expenses related to maintaining existing employment terms, addressing potential legal challenges, and handling administrative complexities associated with the transfer.

While the necessity of such indemnification clauses may not be immediately apparent, seasoned service providers recognise them as an essential aspect of risk management. They provide a safety net for service providers, ensuring that unexpected costs arising from TUPE do not become a financial burden that jeopardises the viability of the outsourcing arrangement.

It's important for both parties to engage in open and transparent discussions during the negotiation phase of the outsourcing agreement. Clearly defining the scope and limits of indemnification clauses, as well as detailing the specific scenarios under which indemnification would apply, lays the foundation for a successful and sustainable outsourcing relationship.

Redundancy situations?

We have covered that dismissal of an employee for the sole or principal reason of TUPE is unfair. However, certain circumstances may arise where the new service provider needs to make changes that could result in redundancies. This is where ETO reasons come into play. These changes are generally outlined within the measures of the new service provider, as part of the initial TUPE consultation process. Depending on what is agreed with the current employer, redundancy consultations could commence prior to the transfer taking place, with the view that redundancies are effective from the first day of an individual’s employment with the new service provider. Alternatively, the service provider may transfer employees, and then proceed with redundancy consultations afterwards.

ETO reasons refer to economic, technical, or organisational factors that entail changes in the workforce. These factors may necessitate alterations to the employment structure for the continued viability of the service that’s being provided. Here's a breakdown of each:

Economic Reasons: This involves situations where the employer faces financial challenges or restructuring to ensure the sustainability of the business. Cost-cutting measures, mergers, or market-driven changes fall under this category.
Technical Reasons: Changes in technology or the methods used to carry out work can trigger the need for workforce adjustments. This could include the introduction of new machinery or systems that render certain roles obsolete.
Organisational Reasons: Structural changes within the organisation, such as a shift in management or a restructuring of departments, might necessitate workforce realignment.

In addition to the above, it is very common for an employee’s place of work to change following a TUPE transfer. Where the change in location is significant this may also fall within scope of an ETO reason.
Where redundancy by reason of ETO could be a consideration, relevant legal advice should always be sought to ensure the correct consultation process is applied to avoid any potential unfair dismissal claims.

Positives of TUPE transfers for employees

• Preservation of terms - One of the key advantages for employees in a TUPE transfer is that their existing terms and conditions of employment are preserved.
• Job security -TUPE is designed to protect employees from losing their jobs because of a service transfer.
• Continuity of employment - TUPE ensures continuity of employment, meaning that the length of service with the current employer is usually carried over to the service provider.
• Protection against Unfair Dismissal - Employees transferred under TUPE are protected against unfair dismissal solely because of the transfer.

Negatives for employees in TUPE transfers

• Uncertainty and change - TUPE transfers often come with a degree of uncertainty and change. Employees may need to adapt to a new working environment, management style, and potentially different policies and procedures.
• Potential for redundancy - In certain situations, the service provider may identify ETO reasons that lead to redundancies.
• Integration challenges - Integration into a new culture and structure can be challenging. Employees may face difficulties adapting to new processes, procedures, and colleagues.
• Differences in employee benefits - While TUPE aims to preserve employment terms, there may be variations in benefit packages between the old and new employers.
• Limited control over the transfer - Employees have no direct control over the decision to transfer, and the process is often driven by the employers involved.

What if an employee doesn’t want to transfer?

Where there are employees who do not wish to transfer to the new service provider, they are entitled to refuse to do so. However, unless the individual can be redeployed, this would mean that their employment with the transferor comes to an end at the date of the transfer itself. Generally, the employee is not treated as having been dismissed, but having resigned. It is important to note that there are certain circumstances in which an employee could claim unfair dismissal, so it may be necessary to seek further advice if in this situation.

Although there is no specified manner in which an employee must refuse to transfer, it is sensible for the transferor to obtain the employee's refusal in writing, by way of the individual opting out of the transfer process.

Top Tips for managing TUPE effectively:

Understand the situation as early as possible:
Early awareness of an impending TUPE transfer is crucial for effective planning and communication. Understanding the scope, reasons, and potential impact allows for better decision-making and minimizes uncertainty among employees.
Seek HR and Legal Advice:
TUPE regulations are complex, and legal nuances can significantly impact the process. Seeking professional advice from HR and legal experts helps ensure compliance with UK Employment Law and provides guidance on best practice.
Prepare a plan:
A well-thought-out plan is essential for a smooth TUPE transfer. It helps anticipate challenges, allocate resources effectively, and ensures that key tasks are executed in a logical sequence.
Obtain / Produce ELI (Employee Liability Information):
Acquiring accurate and detailed information about the employees who will be transferring is crucial for planning and addressing potential issues. The ELI includes essential details about employment terms, contracts, and potential liabilities – legally this should be provided to the transferee no less than 28 days before the transfer date.
Ensure you have plenty of time planned for consultations:
Adequate time for consultations is vital for addressing employee concerns, providing information, and facilitating a smooth transition.

In summary, managing TUPE effectively requires a proactive and well-organised approach. By understanding the situation early, seeking professional advice, preparing a comprehensive plan, obtaining essential information, and allowing ample time for consultations, you can minimise the impact on employees and navigate the TUPE process with transparency and efficiency.

If you'd like to learn more about outsourcing your switchboard, connect with our team at [email protected].

This is for information and guidance only, please always seek professional HR and legal advice.

How to boost your profits-per-partner

Written by

Amanda

3rd October, 2023

Agile Working
Company Culture
Productivity

Profits-per-partner is a crucial metric for success for law firms, as an indicator of financial health, profitability, competitiveness and rate of growth. In order to run an efficient and successful legal practice, it’s important that firms have the ability to focus on achieving optimal PPP. But the onset of hybrid working has made this harder than ever. Most workplaces now use an ecosystem of different communication channels – Slack, Teams, Zoom, email, phone – which means that attention is often fragmented and distractions are frequent.

In addition, remote work has fostered an always-available culture, with employees keen to be seen as visible and productive. Which may sound like a galvanising force in terms of output, but in fact may have the opposite effect - eating into personal time and leaving your team feeling overstretched.

So how can your firm avoid the pitfalls and embrace a work culture that contributes positively to PPP? Here are some useful tips.

Minimise distractions

A study by the University of California found that it takes an average of 25 minutes to refocus after an interruption. Even if the time you spend answering emails and jumping on Zooms doesn’t sound huge in terms of minutes and seconds, the cumulative effects of lost focus add up to a significant amount of squandered productivity over time.

Busy offices are prime environments for in-person interruptions (the same study found workers are distracted every eleven minutes on average.) But working from home comes with plenty of familiar distractions as well: the Amazon driver at the door, the noisy neighbour, perhaps even a needy pet. Once the flow is broken, it’s tough to get back to the task at hand. Giving your team the trust and flexibility to decide how and where they work is a good place to start, along with ensuring your office has plenty of quiet areas for disturbance-free work. Making sure you have a culture that allows them to properly manage time helps too. For example, 32% of people have found themselves thinking “this meeting could have been an email”, according to SurveyMonkey.

Using a dedicated team to handle potential interruptions – for example, an outsourced switchboard service to field your calls – is also a great way to ensure that your team is able to operate at maximum concentration. A responsible, empathetic switchboard team can answer all inbound calls on your behalf and filter them according to urgency, keeping distractions to a minimum.

Streamline your tech stack to beat the ‘toggling tax’

Your team will need to use a variety of programs for their work – productivity tools, scheduling apps, research databases, word processors, document management software, and much more. Harvard Business Review notes the adverse effects of the so-called ‘toggling tax’ - the time and mental energy lost to flicking between different tabs and programs. Even a simple task might require visits to a practice management platform like Clio or Denovo, a storage solution like Dropbox or OneDrive, plus a handful of other apps – DocuSign, Outlook, Word – all to complete one small job.

Because the different platforms all have unique user interfaces, purposes and layouts, the cognitive effect can be significant. The Harvard Business Review calls it “context switching”, and notes: “Psychology and neuroscience have shown that…even switching or toggling between two applications increases the brain’s production of cortisol (the primary stress hormone), slows us down, and makes it harder to focus.” There is no easy way around context-switching in a modern office environment. But making sure your practice’s workflows are as efficient and user-friendly as possible – with modern, intuitive software and integrated I.T. systems – can help lessen the stress.

Prioritise ‘useful hours’ over ‘visible hours’

Equity partners have undoubtedly experienced ‘responsibility-creep’ in the last few years. The need to manage costs, hold onto business, hire associates, develop relationships with clients and stakeholders, and generate billable hours increasingly fall under the aegis of the equity partner, as well as the usual responsibilities of counselling, research, and analysis.

Since the pandemic, there is an additional expectation for senior partners to be ‘visible’ – in other words, to be contactable outside office hours. There has been plenty of discussion about the tendency for hybrid working styles to blur the lines between our personal and professional lives, but for senior partners – who are managing a complex, high-pressure, ever-expanding set of responsibilities – it can have a significant impact on productivity. Partner roles are time-consuming and mentally draining; proper downtime must be available to ensure your team are working at maximum ability. Again, a switchboard outsourcing service can be an ally here – you can rest assured that professional, trained representatives for your firm are available for out-of-hours call handling, so your senior partners don’t feel like they’re always on call.

Keep your equity partners focussed on the most profitable work

Gone are the days when legal professionals could rely on access to secretarial staff to help out with admin and errands. Legal secretaries have been declining since 2001, and research for the Law Society suggests between 13,000 and 35,000 legal roles will be lost in the next decade, with legal secretaries being the hardest hit.

With so many software packages and personal devices to help with self-management – from productivity suites to instant communication to the notes and voice-recording functions on our phones – there is arguably less justification to keep extensive secretarial staff on payroll. But every small errand – from picking up lunch to fielding calls to taking down notes – is time that a partner isn’t spending on specialist work. The more time they’re able to allocate for tasks that can’t be delegated, the more value they provide for the firm. This is where a switchboard can really prove useful – you can protect your partners from responsibility-creep. No more fielding cold calls, responding to progress update requests from clients, or following up on voice messages. Your switchboard team can triage inbound calls according to importance, so your partners are always focussed on chargeable work – not admin.

Looking for a switchboard solution? Here’s how ComXo can help

Why not talk to our team about how we can support your firm to boost productivity.

Why call data should be every legal firm’s secret weapon

Written by

Amanda

3rd October, 2023

Data
Outsourcing
Productivity

It’s no secret that LegalTech generates a lot of excitement and conversation for law firms looking to gain a commercial edge in a competitive market. By some estimates, as many as 50% of UK law companies are already using some form of AI, according to Oxford University research. But before you start considering swapping out paralegals for ChatGPT, or another ‘silver bullet’ technology, are you confident you’re making the most of your existing tech – like capturing in-bound call data?

If you want to gather more valuable insights, make better-informed strategic decisions and enhance overall customer experience, you definitely shouldn’t overlook the value of a powerful outsourced switchboard service. The right switchboard technology can help your business identify areas for growth, maximise your efficiency, and generate more leads – as well as ensuring a seamless experience for your callers.

Here’s how to use your call data to your advantage and help stand out in a competitive commercial landscape.

Inbound call data helps YOU make better calls

When making decisions for your business, it goes without saying that you want as much information as possible to help decide the right course of action. The more information you have access to, the more you’re able to focus on the important aspects of strategic decision-making – risk assessment, precedent analysis, resource allocation.

Inbound call data tells you more than you might think: where and when do you field most of your new business calls? How do customers and suppliers feel about contacting your office? How productive are your teams in terms of handling inbound calls? How much of your new business comes from cold calls, versus warm leads or referrals? What’s your overall call volume, and are you staffed for out of hours call handling? (Our data shows that 6.7% of calls to legal firms come in outside of standard office hours.) Data drives decisions, so it’s prudent to harness as much of it as possible.

It also makes measuring your marketing much easier

Offline marketing activity can be difficult to measure. But monitoring your inbound calls can help get a better understanding of your campaign’s ROI. By performing conversion tracking and cost analysis on your call data, you can attain a more granular understanding and more control over your marketing activity, letting you fine-tune your marketing for maximum impact and efficiency.

Phone is still the most popular channel for UK consumers

According to Capterra, the majority of UK customers (42%) generally prefer to get in touch with companies by phone. And while that figure is likely to vary across specialised industries, it does underline the fact that most people, when they have a problem that needs solving, want to speak to a real person about it – often urgently.

Calls may be emotionally complex – for example, a call from a potential client who needs to draft a loved one’s will requires a high level of empathy and understanding from the receiver. Giving customers a positive initial impression of your company – including quickly getting through to a real person – is an important first step. Monitoring and analysing how calls come into your business, how well they’re handled, how often they go to the right place, and how satisfied your clients and customers feel afterwards is vital if you’re going to provide continuous improvement to your customer experience metrics. As well as benefitting your business in other ways, such as…

Helping you prepare for busy periods

Unsurprisingly, most businesses want to be sure that they’re allocating their teams correctly, especially during busy periods when finding spare resource can be difficult. And the modern challenges of remote work and hybrid working have added even more complexity to firms’ resource management ability. Analysing call data helps you clearly understand the ebb and flow of your resource requirements. Especially in larger firms, it can be difficult to co-ordinate resource management across departments without having data to describe fluctuations in demand.

The last thing a business wants is to find that the majority of lead-bearing client calls tend to arrive on, for example, a Thursday afternoon during a weekly team meeting, or that a significant portion of calls come in after 6pm on a Friday, when there are fewer staff to help them. Monitoring your call data to find out who contacts you and when will help you know what to expect and how to prepare for the true volume of calls you receive – and helps guarantee a seamless experience for callers.

Allowing you to break down your time more accurately

How much of your firm’s time is spent paying invoices? Or on the phone to suppliers? Or soliciting new business? You may have a time management system in place already, like Clio or ProLaw, but with hybrid offices making things more complicated, it’s helpful to have as much hard data as possible to underwrite the accuracy of your time-tracking. Inbound call data allows you to get clearer breakdowns of how time is being spent across departments. You can use it to get accurate, granular breakdowns of how your teams operate, in order to encourage efficiency and improve overall time management.

Adapting and adjusting your business strategy

Of course, business strategy must adapt to meet changing customer needs, fluctuations in demand, and shifting market conditions. And inbound data provides various valuable indicators that can help inform the best direction for your strategy. For example, call data allows you to monitor the types of enquiry you’re receiving, and in what volume compared to previous quarters. If you need to reallocate resource, make new hires or even make large decisions such as rebranding or developing a new product or service, your call data can provide a useful bellwether for changing customer demand.

Driving change internally

Organisation-wide changes can be hard to implement, especially for larger firms. Since it requires the buy-in of numerous senior stakeholders, it can be difficult for teams to prove the business value of a proposal in a way that gains real traction. Measuring and analysing your call data can help you source the hard data you need to back up your case – making it easier to present findings to senior management.

Staying on top of potential new business leads

Letting phone calls go to voicemail isn’t just bad customer experience – it’s potentially letting new business leads fall through your fingertips at the same time. Even if you’re diligent about returning messages, potential clients have many options available to them and could easily have contacted a competitor before you have the chance to get back to them. With an outsourced switchboard service you can be confident that someone is on hand at all times to field calls, so you never miss a lead.

How ComXo can help

ComXo are industry-leaders in transformational switchboard and business support services, committed to redefining the switchboard for law firms. With a combination of technology and great people, we aim to help you deliver exceptional experiences during every call and communication you receive. We provide innovative 24-hour switchboard services to deliver outstanding customer experience, as well as automatically monitoring inbound call data to generate detailed strategic intelligence for your business. Switchboard data is the key to unlocking continuous improvement across your whole business – from helping you identify efficiencies to boosting new business to analysing customer experience to giving you the data you need to make informed decisions.

Ask Andrew – Why are we all so curious about ChatGPT?

Written by

Harris

17th July, 2023

ChatGPT is new. It’s AI, but in a seemingly more accessible format than the ‘artificial intelligence’ of old – think of those strange prototype robots at corporate events that weren’t really helpful at pouring drinks but were certainly talking points.

Since November when it was launched, ChatGPT has already piqued interest in every sector and whilst it has been in our consciousness for just a few months, I suspect more has been written about its potential to transform or adversely destroy our norms, than any other topic since the invention of printing in the 14^th century.

The big question is how it will affect our industry. Do we need to worry about it and what should we be doing to maximise the advantages that it may present?

Chat GPT is different. No question about that. I tried it out as soon as it was available back in November, and I had a similar epiphany to when I experimented with the internet back in 1995: “This is a game changer”. But disruptive tech comes with its challenges. Here’s my thoughts on the risks, and potential rewards of using ChatGPT.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an LLM (Large Language Model, which is the term for generative tech that powers chatbots). It’s simplicity is that it accesses data and then rationalises what appears to be insight from a culmination of data sets. Data is interesting and on occasions enlightening but it lacks complexity and multi-dimension. In contrast, the human brain is one of the most complex and extraordinary structures in our known universe. It uses electricity and chemicals (amongst other elements) to create conscious thought. According to google, our brain has more neuron connections than there are stars in our galaxy – sixty million or thereabouts. That surely cannot be replicated.

And this is where the use of ChatGPT must be strategically planned and implemented.

The brain uses multiple data sources in decision making. Our left brains are logical and rational, right brains creative and emotional. Human output and decision making is never determined just from data, no matter how rich the source. From my perspective ChatGPT is just surmised data. It is impressive in its speedy and prolific output, but don’t for a second believe it is ‘right’ - it is only reiterating data, and this is not necessarily factual. ChatGPT is one dimensional. It is an automaton unable to triangulate data with emotion or that very human trait – feeling. And for that reason, I cannot see it being trusted, and I’m not alone.

What does this mean for our industry?

If all is to be believed, the use of AI is growing exponentially, with benefits to productivity, efficiency, and client experience. So confident are some that this is the next tech revolution, predictions are being made that AI will raise annual global GDP by 7% (Goldman Sachs Research).

Whilst I agree that productivity and some automated processes could no doubt be enhanced in some areas, I challenge the concept that customer experience can be bettered when not using human experience, empathy and feeling.

In fact, if we take the legal industry at present, according to Reuters those in the legal profession “do not fully trust generative AI tools — and particularly the public-facing ChatGPT tool — with confidential client data.” (Reuters)

In service industries, where cases are often complex, high value or emotionally charged, can an organisation risk the loyalty and trust of their customers by putting them in the hands of artificial intelligence?

This leaves law firms in a situation where they are doubling down on client experience, and adding value at a human level, rather than risking tech in a bid to be innovative. My prediction for the future is that legal and consultancy will continue to help individuals and businesses navigate their world with the nuances and strategic insight that only experience can bring. What will likely disappear is the grunt work that they currently charge for, as AI will take over tackling document changes, policy writing and research.

At ComXo, we’re moving towards leveraging AI engines to help us analyse data patterns and enable our people to act quicker and more decisively, but we will not be replacing them. Our industry is human at its core, and I believe its interactions will continue to be so too.

Andrew Try, Founder & Managing Director

How Data is Disrupting the Legal Industry

Written by

Amanda

4th April, 2023

Agile Working
Client Experience
Company Culture
Productivity
The Office

ComXo were joined by five legal tech experts from various technology providers in a virtual roundtable discussion, moderated by Andrew Lewis, Head of New Business at CTS. The discussion's aim was to examine the importance of data and analytics in the legal sector, as well as how law firms should use them to overcome sector-specific challenges and gain a competitive advantage.

Participants in this roundtable discussed data and legal analytics, law firms and new technology, client service, and the current hot topic in every industry: AI and ChatGPT.

In this roundtable, Andrew Try was accompanied by:

Ivan Packer, Consultant, Agilico
Rob Lawson, Strategic Sales Manager, Perfect Portal
Graham Moore, Founder & Managing Director, Katchr
Andy Lewis, Head of New Business, CTS

How is data disrupting the Legal Industry?

Complete your details below to download our free e-book.

Ask Andrew: The forecast for 2023

Written by

Amanda

27th January, 2023

Agile Working
Business Continuity
Company Culture
Productivity
The Office

As we settle back into the office, we asked CEO Andrew Try to reflect on 2022 and talk us through predictions for the year ahead.

2022 can be best described as a discombobulation. So much of what we all considered normal was already out of kilter, and whilst this time last year I expected it to be a year of returning to norms, I think few predicted the rollercoaster of influences that affected work, personal, national and international sentiment.

As a business owner and manager, trying to forecast and predict in normal circumstances is hard and through 2022 it was harder still. However, sticking to key strategic anchors of creative, energetic people with a passion for being the best, challenging the status quo and building a better future' served us well at ComXo.

Here are my top 3 headwinds that we navigated as a business last year:

Staff wellbeing

With a workforce that is fully hybrid, the business focus was to support the physical and mental health of our entire team, including those we could no longer see. ComXo is a boutique specialist delivering high service levels and market leading innovation, and for this a strong culture is required. Investment went into flexible shift patterns, "come into the office" events, wellbeing packages, parties , training and development, video team culture, resident mental health practitioners, and my weekly CEO video check in.

2. Change in workforce and workplace utilisation for clients.

As a workplace service partner to some of the largest professional service firms in the world, 2022 was uniquely challenging. The WFH (Work from Home) to WFO (Work from Office) ratio was difficult to forecast as "new normal" working practices evolved rapidly throughout the year. The spring saw the rebound from Covid and lockdown and war in Ukraine. The summer had the extra Jubilee bank holiday and 40C temperatures. In Autumn we mourned the death of the Queen, whilst numerous prime ministers came and went. Finally, Christmas was marred by strikes. How could we forecast this, and what normal would look like?

3. Inflationary forces, cost of living and the focus on value delivery.

Retaining and incentivising our dedicated and experienced teams has been essential. Searching for more value for customers as prices had to go up was, and remains, our focus. We have been helped by a tight labour market making customers look to outsource as an answer to their own staff troubles, but most importantly it's our continued effort to make ComXo a great place to work. We delivered 9 new team induction groups last year compared to an average of 5 per year, and our staff turnover is around 10% less than industry average which I'm very proud of.

This year what are my predictions?

It is impossible to second guess the macro except to say that complexity, global shock, fast moving trends and fluidity will continue to dominate. The companies that have the most flexible structures and elastic outlooks will benefit; those trying to hang on to the past will not. As the saying goes "When the big waves rain down upon you, the person who's smiling is the surfer!".

From the ComXo standpoint, creating flexible workplace and workforce environments is about the ability to "Centralise, Optimise and Virtualise". Central, virtualised services sitting on digital platforms, enabling AI and delivering data driven insight saves lots of money, increases workforce productivity and transforms client experience. As a business that thrives on managing complex challenges and streamlining them for a great result, we will continue to facilitate our customers on this journey, whatever 2023 and beyond throws at us.

Andrew Try, Founder & Managing Director

Ask Andrew: Investing in innovation during uncertain times

Written by

Amanda

24th October, 2022

Andrew Try, Managing Director of ComXo talks about how technology can help through uncertain times.

What is the future of the workplace over the next 5 years? When so much big change is happening in the world and influences such as environment, war, economy and COVID, this is a difficult question to predict. However, there are certain companies who are pioneering people, process and technology that are sign posting where the market is heading.

Technology is an obvious enabler, however poor adoption or platforms that do not achieve traction cause huge friction in organisations and user frustrations cause productivity to drop with time and money wasted.

At ComXo a combination of software platforms, re-engineered processes and the expertise of virtual teams are combined to provide personalized business support services 24 hours a day which support technology adoption and drives productivity and return on investment.

The ComXo mantra of "centralise, optimise and virtualise" your business support services cuts costs typically by 30% and transforms client experience which drives revenue and profitability.

At the heart of these virtualised services, used by 9 of the top 20 law firms and the likes of PWC is the ComXo Gateway.

The Gateway is an client branded app available from the app store that gives a workforce access to client specific services, information and workflows available as a combination of self-serve and as a managed service.

The outcome is that any member of staff at any time can access their organisation business support services to reserve a resource, register a request, use a service or find out information. The apps are branded, personalised and self-serve, however in the event that the user cannot get something done instant access to an expert (who knows who the user is and where they are) can pick up the request and complete it for the user.

This 'Self-serve' as a managed service drives 100% outcomes and enables large complex business to deliver an on-demand culture that enhances workforce satisfaction.

The reporting that accompanies the functions allow super users access to dash-boards that return real time information on services such as space utilisation, ground transport use, help desk tickets and new business enquiries through switchboard.

The Business Services App is able to changed and adapted in real time such that new work flows or reaction to a crisis or event can be delivered into the user interface instantly making it perfect for business continuity or highly bespoke set piece occasions.

ComXo integrate into 3^rd party software and API to enable easy outsourcing and virtualisation of existing services such as IT and Facilities Help Desk, Meeting Room booking, desk management, ground transport, concierge service, switchboard and business continuity management.

ComXo's Business Services Mobil e App is a client branded "Super App" that combines Software as a Service capability with an on-demand 'expert layer' that enables any user to get things done without fuss or friction.

Book a demo with our consultants today.

Andrew Try, Founder & Managing Director

Are legal chat bots ready to chat?

Written by

Amanda

18th October, 2022

With talk of "post-pandemic challenges" now feeling passé , and businesses re-focusing on the longer term future, legal firms are looking to build efficiencies into sustainable hybrid work processes, and ways to further enhance and develop their client experience for competitive advantage.

The use of "lawtech" including AI and chatbots has been hyped over recent years as the solution to all problems, with chatbots in particular seen as the "quick fix, easy to scale, friendly face of Artificial Intelligence".

Some predictions have estimated that more than 85% of customer interactions will NOT include a human being in the legal sector. But we ask the question:

"Are you ready to hand over your valued customers to a client experience which is totally hands-off?"

Are you ready to hand over your valued customers to a client experience which is totally hands-off?

This insight, written by conversational intelligence expert Andrew Moorhouse, takes a look at balancing the risk of losing human interaction, alongside the reward of combining better tech and processes for a highly personalised managed service.

In this insight you'll find: