April 2008 - Why Technology Investment is a Safe Port in a Budget Cutback Storm
By Scott Kerr
We've all heard the catch phrase before. "Sometimes you have to spend money to save money." While it's not true in all circumstances (how many times have you purchased a discount card or a coupon book only to have never used it?) the catch phrase resonates with truth, particularly if the spending is an investment in technology.
Technology investment in times of budget cutbacks saves money because...
By Scott Kerr
We've all heard the catch phrase before. "Sometimes you have to spend money to save money." While it's not true in all circumstances (how many times have you purchased a discount card or a coupon book only to have never used it?) the catch phrase resonates with truth, particularly if the spending is an investment in technology.
Technology investment in times of budget cutbacks saves money because...
- It enables courts to provide the core services that ever more sophisticated clients expect without increasing costs. Take Courthouse IVR and eResponse, for example. With these technologies in place, jurors can interact with the court 24X7, completing transactions that would otherwise require the assistance of staff. For most courts, this means that literally thousands of transactions can be performed every month by technology instead of human resources.
- It enables courts to reduce costs and reap productivity benefits immediately. For example, replacing a jury management system that requires installed software with a web-based system immediately reduces maintenance costs. Consolidating multiple servers into one web-based solution further eliminates infrastructure and maintenance costs as well as redundant software licenses.
- It increases operational efficiency. A Web-based software system like Courthouse JMS promotes inter-departmental use whereas before, because software had to be installed on users' workstations, use of the system by departments on the periphery wasn't practical. In Tarrant County, Texas, for example, accounting department users and courtroom bailiff users each access Courthouse JMS through limited access user roles.
- It helps eliminate outdated contracts (like support contracts) that don't provide value. By keeping your technology up to date you avoid dependency on that limited supply of vendors who have the specialized skills necessary to keep your old technology running.
- It helps you consolidate operations. If, for example, all the counties in your state each print their jury summonses locally, then your state is not taking advantage of the economies of scale and costs savings that come with centralizing and/or outsourcing that process.
- Economic slowdowns can often translate into opportunities to transition to new technologies at bargain prices. If you're impacted by budget cuts, so then are the vendors that sell to you. If purchasing a new jury management system in the next few years is inevitable, take advantage of special programs (like software leasing) designed to help you acquire technology without large, up front, capital expense.
