With offices in London and Birmingham, Forresters is a leading adviser on all IP matters within the UK. The firm is also a specialist in the complexities of European competition law and, drawing on resources available through its worldwide network of associates, can provide advice on any country's IP regime. For example, it operates at the European Patent Office via its Munich-based partnership, Forrester & Boehmert, and in Russia and her neighbouring states via its office in Moscow.
This vast network of partners, offices and associates has enabled the firm to allocate the right expertise to the right client, but without the risk or initial outlay that comes with global expansion. Key to this success, however, has been the way in which the network communicates and stores its records. That sophistication risked being undermined by the IP management system that Forresters previously had in place.
Intelligent software
'We came to realise that our existing system was impeding the development of the firm's IP management operations,' explains JoAnna Emery, records and formalities manager and now, CPA Global's Inprotech system administrator. 'The old system lacked intelligence and was not suited to a multi-office working environment. More importantly, initiatives to improve service to clients, by providing them with more comprehensive information, could not be embraced within the existing software. We knew we had to upgrade.'
Forresters started to look for an alternative software model, conducting an exhaustive search of the IP software market before shortlisting three potential candidates to replace the system they were using. 'We selected the Inprotech system as one of our top three options because of its multi-office functionality,' says Emery.'But we were also attracted by the configurable nature of the system, and its ability to handle multiple company guises and addresses. Importantly, we were also impressed by the training offered as part of the implementation package, as well as the ability to develop the product further to suit our specific needs.'
'THE OLD SYSTEM LACKED INTELLIGENCE AND WAS NOT SUITED TO A MULTI-OFFICE WORKING ENVIRONMENT. WE KNEW WE HAD TO UPGRADE - JOANNA EMERY
Forresters made its final decision on IP software in 2005, opting not only to install Inprotech throughout the company, but also to have the system up and running in under a year. So as to minimise the impact on its clients and the cases it has under management, Forresters was keen to have the new system in place as soon as possible, but the firm also wanted the software to be tailored to suit its preferred way of working. Emery led the aggressive implementation delivery target, and the firm successfully met its eight month deadline. The results have been instantaneous.
'Because we tailored the base workflows to suit the firm's preferred way of working, productivity has improved,' she explains. 'For example, the system is set up to cater for the specific requirements of registering and enforcing IP in different jursidictions, reducing the administrative overheads.'
Lightening the case load
Inprotech's ability to handle cases across all offices has also streamlined work for the firm's records departments. Cases are now easily identified with the office they belong to, and confidential matters can be restricted to authorised staff members. As new cases and clients are added to the database, so they can be assigned to an office.
Almost 90 professionals and secretarial staff at Forresters now use the Professional WorkBench Module on a routine basis. They have ready access to all their client and case details at virtually any time, whether they are in the office or on the road. And the system instantly links them to national IP offices and databases. 'They literally have the IP world at their fingertips,' says Emery.
Similarly, by using the Client WorkBench Module, Inprotech has allowed Forresters to interact with its clients in new and improved ways. 'Clients can view their cases online,' says Emery. 'They can see what's due to be lodged or renewed, and they can send requests to the office simply by typing a note against one of the case records. 'Of course, we set and monitor levels of access, but it provides an instant benefit to clients,' she emphasises. 'It's a functionality that is especially important in a globalised industry, as some of our clients are starting their work day when ours has ended.'
Transparency and movement of data have been key to Forresters' past successes and Emery is confident that the decision to implement Inprotech has put the company on a firm footing to ensure it can meet and exceed its goals and objectives for years to come.
'By using Inprotech, we have expanded our international reach without having to expand our own operations,’ she says. ‘It has provided not only instant benefits to the business, but also long-term gains.'
JoAnna Emery is records and formalities manager and CPA Global’s Inprotech system administrator at Forresters.
For more information on CPA Global’s Inprotech, visit www.cpaglobal.com/software or email Elodie Guillon at eguillon@cpaglobal.com.
This article first appeared in IP Review, issue 24
