Knowing your customer is even more important in a downturn, Midlands IT provider Trinity Expert Systems has warned.
The company, on Westwood Business Park at Coventry, says businesses will need to keep a careful eye on understanding underlying performance, if they are not to put themselves at risk.
The warning was issued ahead of a Legal Insight briefing Trinity is holding at the Radisson Hotel in Birmingham on January 22. It will be the sixth such event the firm has run.
Legal Insight is a networking group which looks to link IT professionals in the legal sector.
The latest get-together will see Trinity chief executive Steve McDonagh speak on the importance of business intelligence and unified communications. He said: “Given the troubled times the world is going through, it is critical that businesses prioritise both these areas. The aim should be to make your operation more efficient and effective.
“It is vital companies keep abreast of customers’ needs and performance. Servicing those with increased resolve and being on the ball where clients may appear vulnerable is vital. Nurturing customers and searching out any opportunity to find new business should be uppermost in all our minds. There are opportunities even in a downturn.
“But equally there is a fine line between helping clients through a difficult spell and getting hit with bad debts. Cashflow is king and it is hugely important to ensure payments come in on time.
“That is why business intelligence is so important. Everyone in the company should be keeping their eyes and ears open.
“They need to be aligned on the same strategic path. In a recession, perhaps more so than in good times, it is important a firm knows its strengths, maintains its performance levels, knows where it is headed and emphasises its solidity. To that end, unified communications, both internally and externally, are a must.
“We at Trinity are committed to delivering professional, enterprise-level solutions that address the business challenges of our clients across a broad range of market sectors.”
Trinity specialises in the central and local government, financial services, legal, media and telecommunications sectors.
It is a Microsoft Gold-certified partner, has some 200 clients, around 220 employees and a £25million turnover.
Topics previously discussed in the Legal Insight series include the value of having an effective intranet, corporate promotion and client relationship management.
The evening event involves networking, presentations and a three-course dinner.
It typically attracts IT representatives from the likes of Eversheds, Browne Jacobson, Mills & Reeve and Wragge & Co.
Meanwhile, February’s Legal Insight takes place at Chandos House in London where the speaker will be economist Tim Harford.
He writes for the Financial Times and the Economist, and is also presenter of the BBC2 series Trust Me, I’m an Economist.
He will be talking about the impact of the current economy on the legal profession.
