New training initiative from nFlow aims to help reduce document production costs for firms

nFlow has announced a new workshop training concept for firms wishing to reduce costs by training staff on dictation skills to make sure they are producing text as efficiently as possible. This follows their successful online dictation skills seminar last year and the feedback they have received on their training support website – www.dictationskills.com. nFlow say that focused dictation skills training can provide considerable savings, particularly if a firm outsources typing, by significantly reducing the retyping of documents due to incomprehensible or poor dictation and potentially delivering even higher fee earner to secretary ratios.As a workshop the training sessions can be tailored to meet the needs of any firm and can cater for a number of people at once making it very cost effective. In the current climate nFlow suggest that a small investment in training can ensure that firms are getting the very best use of their digital dictation system irrespective of whether it is nFlow, Winscribe or Bighand further enhancing the productivity gains the technology is well known for.

First new customer installation of nFlow’s next generation digital dictation software version 5.0 an unequivocal success

nFlow, a leading developer of digital dictation software solutions for professional service firms, today announced that an installation of its widely reported next generation DDS 2.0 digital dictation system has been successfully completed for 100 users at leading top 50 accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael. nFlow DDS Version 5.0 has been deployed to users across 3 offices in Elgin, Inverurie and Huntly in just 2 weeks. A second phase will see the solution rolled out to an additional 90 users in December. In addition to rolling out nFlow DDS Version 5.0 Johnston Carmichael have also deployed nFlow Mobile for Blackberry to deliver remote dictation for users. The accountancy firm report that the software’s innovative web service architecture and modern Outlook 2007 .NET design has been a great success and delivered an excellent response from users.

Commenting on the project Johnston Carmichael IT Partner, Douglas Rintoul said, ‘Prior to selecting nFlow’s new Version 5.0 product we were already using a small installation of Winscribe over Citrix with our IFA team however there was interest in widening the use of DD so we decided to review the market. This led to a trial of both nFlow and Bighand in our Citrix environment as a comparison to Winscribe. Following this trial we decided to carry out a second trial of nFlow and Bighand with our executive team. Both suppliers were offering new versions so we started with a trial of Bighand however when we saw the nFlow Version 5.0 product we were completely blown away. We felt the excellent opportunities nFlow’s complete .NET design offered us in reducing administration of the application and the simple yet intuitive functionality combined with the modern Outlook 2007 look and feel meant it offered the best solution for us. It was also apparent during meetings that nFlow’s outstanding reputation for customer focus and technical capability was backed with very real passion and commitment, a reputation we saw reinforced during the installation. I can honestly say that nFlow have done an excellent job and that our choice of nFlow version 5.0 has been a great success.’

nFlow deployed the version 5.0 SQL databases and the .NET web services at Johnston Carmichael’s Aberdeen office. Plus they installed audio file repositories on local servers at each remote site. To complete the first phase of the installation the .NET component and driver management service was automatically deployed to all desktops and laptops with the servers prepared for the second phase of the rollout to a further 90 users in 6 offices, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Perth. The result of this was a fast and low cost implementation that saw the solution deployed to 100 users in just 2 weeks.

Tony Moxham, nFlow’s Technical Operations Director commented, ‘I believe the administration and maintenance functions in nFlow deliver an unbeatably low support overhead. Johnston Carmichael have a number of offices spread across Scotland so when they saw that the centralised .NET component and driver management service gave them centralised control of application maintenance at either a global and granular level they were very impressed. It means they don’t have the overhead of any 3rd party technologies such as SMS to achieve this. When you add to this the on demand service delivery of user configuration without needing additional technology like roaming profiles it all adds up to a very neat solution that suits mobility and hot desking across offices extremely well.’

nFlow DDS Version 5.0 provides a complete service orientated architecture that delivers everything a user needs to the PC when they log in. This is particularly relevant to user experience as rather than use registry keys to configure the experience as older technologies do, nFlow delivers all settings via the service to whichever PC the user logs on. It also delivers the specific dictation and transcription hardware drivers a user needs but is clever enough to automatically switch a user to an alternative device if it is available delivering complete flexibility in terms of hardware used.

nFlow Sales & Marketing Director, Rob Lancashire commented, ‘This project is significant as it not only represents a highly successful early adoption of our new generation DDS solution but it has been achieved in direct comparison with other leading technologies. This reinforces our belief that Version 5.0 represents a new generation of DDS system and validates the comments we have made in support of the DDS 2.0 concept. The success of this first installation is the result of a thoroughbred .Net solution designed in conjunction with Application Development Consultants from Microsoft and an nFlow team with an award winning commitment to customer focus and a deep understanding of customer requirements. We are very pleased the market reaction as it’s already resulted in competitive customer wins totalling nearly 500 users in just the first 2 months If there is a must have for Christmas then I believe nFlow version 5.0 is the DDS equivalent of the iPod.

nFlow Enables Digital Dictation via BlackBerry at Leading Regional UK Law Firm

nFlow, a leading supplier of digital dictation solutions, announces that Freeth Cartwright LLP, one of the UK's leading regional law firms, has chosen to deploy nFlow Mobile for BlackBerry application to allow fee-earners to dictate on case matters from their Blackberry devices when working from locations where it is not possible or convenient to use their laptops. This solution will be rolled-out across the firm’s five sites including Nottingham, Birmingham, Derby, Leicester, and Manchester, imminently.

Based on a very successful pilot, Freeth Cartwright has selected nFlow for the solutions flexibility and easy integration with ‘Case Viewer’, its award winning case management portal; and its simplicity. The implementation and integration of nFlow Mobile for BlackBerry application is straightforward and does not require expensive consultancy or additional investment in technology on the part of firms deploying the solution. In addition, as this solution is licensed per device instead of being monthly or yearly subscription-based, it is an inexpensive solution compared to similar other BlackBerry solutions or portable voice recorders available on the market.

Once fully implemented, all fee-earners at Freeth Cartwright will be able to better utilise their time when working remotely or on the move. Also, they will be able to expedite urgent client matters quickly and more efficiently. For example, fee-earners will be able to record a digital dictation on their BlackBerry through the installed nFlow Mobile and send to it the nFlow email gateway, where it will be imported into the firm’s case management system and automatically routed to the appropriate secretary for immediate typing.

The nFlow Mobile for BlackBerry application will deliver a professional digital dictation experience on the BlackBerry with features such as pause recording, playback, rewind, forward, insert, overwrite, save as draft, title and mark as urgent, making it very convenient, intuitive and easy to use.

Chris Nicholson, IT Manager at Freeth Cartwright LLP, commented, “Whilst we have a digital dictation system already in place, to facilitate further improved work efficiencies for our fee-earners with BlackBerry devices, who very often are away from the office, we were keen to explore if the BlackBerry could be used for digital dictation. On market investigation, we found nFlow to be competitively priced, straightforward and simple to implement along with comprehensive functionality to deliver increased productivity in a fee-earning environment. Also, we were able to see the company’s attention to detail when it came to customer support. They have been fantastic.”

Rob Lancashire, Sales and Marketing Director at nFlow, added, “We are always looking for ways to enable customers to extend the scope of their existing technology and in doing so, maximise their investment. Our solution’s open architecture allows it to seamlessly integrate with third party applications, facilitating improved workflow and therefore operational efficiencies for firms.

“Like us, Freeth Cartwright has a reputation for innovation and customer focus, which makes us a great partnership.”

nFlow Strengthens Leading Position in the Accountancy Sector With Another Customer Win

nFlow, a leading supplier of digital dictation solutions, today announced that Edmund Carr LLP, a leading South East based accountancy firm, has implemented nFlow as its Digital Dictation Software (DDS) solution of choice, replacing its traditional tape-based dictation system. Edmund Carr LLP chose nFlow for the solution’s ability to deliver immediate productivity benefits to the firm. In addition, the proven feedback from current users of nFlow’s DDS in the accountancy sector significantly contributed to Edmund Carr’s selection of nFlow.

The nFlow DDS solution is facilitating greater business efficiency and reducing operational costs due to better utilisation of staff resources, faster turnaround time of transcripts, and better management and control of dictation tasks, all of which is contributing to an enhanced customer service from Edmund Carr LLP.

Edmund Carr follows close on the heels PKF LLP, ranked amongst the UK’s top 10 accountants and business advisors; and Scott-Moncrieff, one of the leading Scotland-based firms, to deploy nFlow’s digital dictation technology.

Stewart Martin, Partner at Edmund Carr LLP, said, “Given the volume of transcripts that are generated in the firm, it made huge business sense for us to take advantage of modern digital dictation workflow technology to realise improved efficiency gains. We are already seeing a greater utilisation of our secretarial staff and are now able to use the extra resource for other important business activities such as business development and marketing. In fact, this is the best software we have taken on recently - it has delivered instant productivity benefits to the firm, which will give us a definite advantage in the current economic climate.

“When we started looking for a digital dictation solution, based on our market survey and dialogue with innovative technology users in the accountancy sector such as PKF, it became amply evident that nFlow is the leading choice of solution in this sector. However, during our interactions with the company, we were very impressed by nFlow’s understanding of the unique challenges in our industry, and the company’s articulation of its strategic focus on the accountancy sector for the long term. All this combined made nFlow the best choice for our business.”

The nFlow DDS solution is delivering significant efficiencies for fee-earners and secretaries alike at the firm. Fee-earners are able to prioritise tasks for secretaries based on client imperatives. Previously, secretarial staff were simply handed tapes with no idea of how long the transcripts were and what the level of urgency was. Now secretaries are able to view detailed information about the dictations provided and also receive Outlook-style alerts when tasks are due, significantly aiding efficiency and productivity. Also, because dictations are allocated in real-time, they are better able to organise workload and deliver more speedily, enabling fee-earners to offer an improved service to their clients.

These benefits will be even more pronounced during busy seasons such as January when tax returns are due. The bulk of dictations at Edmund Carr LLP are for letters and fee notes. nFlow will enable fee-earners to deliver personalised correspondence as opposed to standard letters, demonstrating attention to detail and a high level of customer care.

Rob Lancashire, Sales and Marketing Director at nFlow, commented, “There is a compelling business case for the adoption of digital dictation workflow technology in the accountancy sector, especially at this time when the pressure to reduce costs is at its greatest. In fact, the fixed fee nature of accountancy work makes the productivity gains from DDS solutions even more beneficial for accountancy firms than it does for law firms, where digital dictation technology is already mainstream. This is driving the adoption of DDS solutions in the accountancy sector.

“We understand the working practices of the professional accountancy sector, and will continue to evolve our solution to meet its changing business requirements. We are committed to this sector for the long term. This along with our attention to detail when it comes to exceeding client expectations is what differentiates us and is the key reason for our growing success in this sector.”

nFlow DDS is a work-flow based solution that includes microphone and headphone-related hardware, and offers an intuitive Microsoft Outlook-style interface. The solution can be deployed in both, Terminal Services or Citrix environments and utilises the industry standard Microsoft SQL Server. It also supports a wide range of mobile devices including BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.

nFlow Version 5.0 very positively received by legal sector, shipping to commence in October 2008

nFlow, a leading supplier of digital dictation solutions today announced that nFlow Version 5.0, its second generation Digital Dictation System (DDS), has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the legal sector. Shipping of the product will commence in October this year.

nFlow is already in discussions with a number of law firms currently using competing solutions, who are considering migrating to nFlow Version 5.0. In fact, one such leading UK law firm has already signed an agreement with nFlow for this new solution.

Through beta tests and road shows, nFlow has successfully demonstrated the business benefits of this solution for law firms including reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), enhanced mobility and a future-proof technology.

Since August this year, nFlow Version 5.0 is being beta tested by a number of leading UK law firms, including Burges Salmon. In addition, nFlow is currently conducting a series of road shows across 13 cities in the UK, which are being very well attended by both customers and prospects.

nFlow Version 5.0 has been completely re-designed based on Microsoft Best Practice and the .NET platform. It truly represents a new industry standard in DDS and is the only enterprise-class solution in the market today.

Rob Lancashire, nFlow Sales and Marketing Director, commented, "We are extremely pleased with the performance of this product. Unlike most new product releases, nFlow Version 5.0 has required very few major fixes during beta testing. This clearly shows that our solution is well designed and stable."

"Also, we have had very interesting discussions with law firms on what they consider to be a second generation solution. We are delighted that there has been an unequivocal agreement that nFlow Version 5.0’s functionality is far superior to what the industry is currently using. Despite the current economic uncertainty, firms are looking to invest in technology that will enhance productivity, reduce costs and equip them for future growth. We are very confident of a successful year ahead."

nFlow Strengthens Foothold in Accountancy Sector

nFlow, a leading supplier of digital dictation solutions, today announced that it has successfully implemented its nFlow Digital Dictation System (DDS) at two of the UK’s leading professional accountancy firms including – PKF LLP, which is ranked amongst the UK’s top 10 accountants and business advisors; and Scott-Moncrieff, one of the leading Scotland-based firms. Since deployment, fee-earners, secretaries and administrators at these firms are benefiting from significantly reduced transcription and document turnaround time, increased support when working offsite from client offices, better management and control, increased client confidentiality and improved disaster recovery.

nFlow is seeing a definite demand in the professional accountancy sector for its digital dictation workflow solution, which is primarily driven by the need for increased support of staff at client sites, greater business efficiency, delivery of superior customer service and reduced operational costs.

nFlow DDS is a work-flow based solution that includes microphone and headphone-based hardware, and offers an intuitive Microsoft Outlook-style interface. The solution can be deployed in both, Terminal Services or Citrix environments and utilises the industry standard Microsoft SQL Server. It also supports a wide range of mobile devices including BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.

Rob Lancashire, Sales and Marketing Director at nFlow, commented, “Closely following the legal profession where digital dictation workflow has gained tremendous success to rapidly become a fairly well established technology, the accountancy profession is awakening to its benefits. For any professional services consultancy, the strength of client relationships depends greatly on the level and quality of service delivered. And especially in economically challenging times, speed and cost of service delivery become critical. We are seeing a lot of interest in digital dictation technology from the accountancy sector as it looks to explore digital technologies with a view to adopting industry best practices for enhanced business efficiencies and brand reputation whilst reducing and controlling overheads to become more competitive.

“Our solution has been expressly designed for fee-earning environments where time quite literally is money. We understand the business challenges faced by the professional services sector and coupled with our proven technical expertise, we are very well placed to provide innovative solutions to the accountancy sector. We look forward to long and mutually satisfactory relationships with PKF and Scott-Moncrieff.”

PKF has implemented nFlow DDS to replace its previous analogue dictation system for 455 users across the firms network of 23 offices in the UK. Now fee-earners are able to send their dictation for immediate transcription with the click of a mouse to a designated secretary, irrespective of either party’s geographic location. On the other hand, secretaries are able to share work load and grade jobs in order of urgency. This has enabled the firm to create a single secretarial resource, radically simplifying the administrative structure and reducing overheads in a multi-site firm.

In addition, users of the nFlow DDS are greatly benefiting from the mobility offered by the solution. They can easily submit dictations from anywhere, giving them tremendous flexibility whilst at the same time enabling them to speedily expedite client deliverables.

Scott-Moncrieff was previously using traditional analogue dictation systems. Faced with inefficiencies in the transcription process and the growth of flexible and mobile working practices within the firm, Scott-Moncrieff has implemented nFlow DDS. The most visible benefits of the solution are accuracy of transcription as a result of superior audio quality of dictation recordings, greatly improved secretarial efficiency, and fast turnaround of client documentation and correspondence. This is enabling more efficient utilisation of fee-earners’ chargeable time, whilst delivering more value for the money for its clients.

These firms chose nFlow DDS for its rich functionality, ease of use, scalability, ease of integration in thin client environments, robustness, nFlow’s reputation for service excellence and the solution’s affordability.

nFlow wins on functionality, customer focus and affordability

J.A. Kemp & Co, a leading firm of European and UK Patent Attorneys, has selected nFlow’s Digital Dictation System, to improve accuracy of dictation transcripts and streamline internal work flows in order to increase business efficiencies and deliver enhanced customer service to its clients. When fully deployed, the solution will be used by over 100 users including fee-earners, secretaries and workflow managers, across the firm’s offices in London, Oxford and Munich.

The nFlow DDS is a work-flow based solution that includes microphone and headphone-based hardware, and offers an intuitive Microsoft Outlook-style interface. The solution can be deployed in both, Terminal Services or Citrix environments and utilises the industry standard Microsoft SQL Server. It also supports a wide range of mobile devices including BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.

Philip Hall, Chief Operating Officer, J. A. Kemp & Co., commented, “We work with companies in hi-tech industry sectors including electronics & engineering and biotechnology. As patent attorneys, given the sensitive nature and the high level technical information we need to routinely record, it is imperative that not only are we able to transcribe dictations with speed and accuracy, but also that we have processes in place to ensure complete client confidentiality. nFlow’s solution will enable us to achieve this with ease. In addition, by using nFlow, we will be able to better manage internal workloads so that client commitments are always met and to the highest standard.

“We selected nFlow for its rich functionality and affordability, compared to other similar products. We were very impressed by the company’s approach to customer service too. As a client-led organisation ourselves, we felt nFlow would be a good cultural fit for us.”

J. A. Kemp & Co. will derive benefits from the solution in terms of reduced turnaround time of documents, geographical flexibility for fee-earners, improved secretarial efficiency, better management of internal workloads, and increased accuracy of transcription due to superior audio quality of dictation recordings. This will enable the firm to reduce costs by minimising the need for temporary staff. Additionally, the solution will enable more efficient utilisation of fee-earners’ chargeable time, delivering more value for money to its clients.

Rob Lancashire, Sales and Marketing Director at nFlow, added, “Our solution has been expressly designed for fee-earning environments within the professional services sector. As a customer-driven organisation, we are proud of the fact that our technical innovation has been led primarily by customer requirements. We are continuously evolving our product to meet the rapidly changing needs of our customers. In fact, our latest version, nFlow DDS Version 5, which we have recently announced, is evidence of this business philosophy. We are poised to change the definition of digital dictation and what customers come to expect of such solutions.

“We are delighted to have J. A. Kemp & Co as a customer and look forward to a successful and mutually beneficial partnership.”