West Midlands-based Talbots target expansion after £1m IT investment

A leading West Midlands legal services provider is investing over £1m in state-of-the-art IT infrastructure as part of expansion plans to hit £12m fees in 2018.

Talbots Law, which employs over 200 people at six offices across the region, has worked with EBC Group to complete the installation of a new private cloud accessed Virtual Desk Interface (VDI) that will deliver a number of customer service improvements.

The system provides a greater level of security, the opportunity to handle more data faster and enhanced flexibility for staff to hot-desk between offices and to work remotely.

There has also been a software upgrade on the phone system and new mobile app that will dramatically boost call handing, enhancing the customer experience in the process.

Mary Mocklow explained:

“Our ambition is to become the legal provider of choice for the Black Country and wider Midlands and this investment – the largest we have ever made in IT – will make us more efficient and deliver even better levels of service to our growing client base.

“The private cloud offers more flexibility for our staff and the opportunity for them to work across any of our offices in Codsall, Dudley, Halesowen, Stourbridge, Kidderminster and Wolverhampton, not to mention when on-site with companies or during time in court.”

She continued:

“We have also upgraded every computer in the business and implemented dual screens to make finding information quicker. Staying ahead of the competition when it comes to technology is crucial to our growth plans that will hopefully see us increase fees from £11m to £12m this year.

“The new system will also allow us to centralise our expanding Wyre Forest operation into our recently refurbished Kidderminster office.”

Richard Lane, Group Managing Director at EBC Group, added his support:

“We have worked with Talbots Law for 20 years, which is testament to our ability to provide all their ICT services as a one stop shop.

“As an award winning Managed Services Provider, we are confident that we can continue to support their digital transformation throughout their future growth.”

Talbots works with thousands of clients every year, providing specialist advice on residential property and family issues, executing trusts and estates and delivering crucial legal services to businesses.

It took on 15 solicitors and support staff in 2017, taking its total workforce to over 200 people, all sharing the company values of trust, plain speaking and value for money law.

Mary concluded:

“The private cloud is scalable, which fits perfectly with our desire to grow our business.

“We have a strong concentration of clients in the Black Country and we want to build on this whilst also targeting additional work in Birmingham and an increasing appetite for our services in Worcestershire.

“Clients want legal advice that cuts out all the jargon and appreciate the innovations we have brought to the sector, such as fixed-fee advice meetings, Saturday opening hours and a host of networking events designed to bring the West Midlands’ business community together.”