Cobbetts LLP Aligns its Printing and Document Management Requirements to Cut Costs by 20%

Client

Cobbetts LLP (Cobbetts) is a full service law firm with offices in Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester, focused on delivering innovative, real and value-for-money solutions to clients based on astute and practical legal advice. Its main areas of work are dispute resolution, real estate, corporate and employment law. www.cobbetts.com/

Situation

The relationship with M2 has grown over 17 years from supplying some of the equipment to supplying virtually of Cobbetts’ photocopiers and printers throughout all its offices. However, M2 routinely identifies ways in which its customers can benefit from more comprehensive and streamlined print management services. M2 recognised that Cobbetts could realise significant cost savings and increased profitability by providing a managed print service that included document management and cost recovery. As a result, M2 assessed the current printing situation to help the law firm identify where assets could be reduced, improve and simplify how documents move around the firm and evaluate the return on investment a cost recovery system could provide.

Survey

 M2 conducted a full electronic and physical audit of the firm’s current printing processes to assess the true costs of print services. The findings showed that Cobbetts could consolidate and restructure the existing printers from 157 to 47 at the Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester offices, while streamlining the approach to document management across the business. This would enable both time and cost savings for the firm. 

Paul Leyland, head of Internal Services at Cobbetts said, “While we were aware that our print services could be improved we were surprised and pleased by M2’s audit. It demonstrated how much money could be saved by having a document management solution that synced with our printers.”

Introducing the new devices enabled the reduction of networked printers from 142 assets to 78. This reduction drove a massive cost saving for the firm.

· Document Management Software – a new management software system was introduced from M2’s partner, Equitrac, now a division of Nuance and leader of intelligent print management and cost recovery software solutions. With this software in place, Cobbetts now can scan documents seamlessly into their Case Management System via a client case number helping.

· Cost Recovery – With the introduction of new devices and software, M2 was able to help Cobbetts introduce a cost recovery system. This will enable Cobbetts to capture costs relating to copies, print, scans and faxes more accurately.

John Taylor, Managing Director of M2 commented, “It was clear that Cobbetts could make a marked saving by making simple changes to its print services. We implemented a case management system by writing a tailored Norwell code to enable all scanned documents to go directly into the relevant employee’s system. This not only saves time, but increases security surrounding client documents.”

M2’s full document management system was rolled out nationally across Cobbetts’ offices in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and London and included its subsidiary company, Incasso.

“During installation, I was very impressed with the effort the M2 team put in to ensure that the roll out of the new printers went as smoothly as possible in Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. M2 handled the entire implementation ensuring that the software and printers were up and running as quickly as possible,” said Susan Rogers, IT Service Delivery & Training Manager, Cobbetts LLP. 

 “The pleasant, professional and upbeat M2 team provided training for the business development teams across all sites on the software and products. Furthermore, M2 were able to respond quickly to all queries across the organisation.”

Savings

The combined hardware and software solution enabled Cobbetts to reduce their office print costs by an additional 20% per year realising a projected saving of over £50,000 over the contract terms.

“The seamless integration from front to the back office has also led to a huge 60 percent reduction in carbon emissions, an area that Cobbetts considers of utmost importance” said Taylor.