Managing Your Business in Changing Times was the headline for Outsource’s Annual Conference this year which was held at various venues throughout Ireland and was widely attended by close to 500 Solicitors. With a firm focus on how firms can prepare and meet the challenges that lie ahead, Outsource lined up a panel of key speakers which included John Brennan and Brian O’Mara from O’Leary Insurance, Shannon Kelly and Elysia Hegarty from Future of Work Institute, our good selves, David Rowe and Donal Maher from Outsource.
Keyhouse were delighted to be asked to speak about Business Process Improvement and how it will help firms in these changing times. We introduced the concept of Lean and its relevance to Irish law firms, explained how it can be applied and quantified its benefits. Other key concepts spoken about included how waste can be identified in a service along with process mapping. The culture of a firm and its significance to a successful Lean project was also addressed as were the opportunities and challenges it presents.
The team from O’Leary Insurance spoke with great knowledge and expertise about PII Market in Ireland and gave some excellent advice on how best to approach the renewal process highlighting key underwriting criteria Insurers look for and recommending early engagement with your broker. They also delivered an excellent (if frightening) presentation on Cyber Crime giving examples of note which some Irish firms fell foul to.
Future of Work Institute looked at how firms need to market themselves and create a brand in order to compete for resources in the current recruitment market. They talked about EVP or Employer Value Proposition which encompasses what employees’ value most about working at a firm. Also spoken about were the 8 Dimensions of Wellness, which employers need to be aware of in order to optimise the health of their workforce.
David and Donal with the in-depth knowledge of the market they both have, spoke about how the market is changing, the new cycle we are entering and how it should be approached, Brexit, the million-dollar question – cashflow, and should we be taking on more debt? There was also much discussion (and intrigue!) about buying and selling practices with no nonsense advice on how both should be approached.
Thank you to the team at Outsource for putting together yet another successful annual conference and to all the Solicitors around the country who took the time out of their busy schedules to attend.
