James P. Bergeron, CEO at First To File (www.firsttofile.com), says:

Investments can be scary – however, if done right, they can give your business a huge shot in the arm. For some IP professionals, the benefit of procuring new technology and going digital may seem obvious. But for many individuals working in IP, the thought of letting go of paper and related paper-based systems may seem daunting, if not impossible. Understanding the clear return on investment (ROI) that results from implementing a digital IP management system should help ease the anxiety of going digital.

A recent white paper entitled, “Measuring the Value of Digital IP Management,” and published by my company First To File® (FTF) demonstrates that implementing a digital IP management system can result in a 200% ROI – or better – within the first year after installation. Ian Hayes of Clarity Consulting, an analytically-oriented management consulting firm prepared the results of the white paper based on extensive FTF customer and market research across corporate patent organizations and law firms.

So why do IP practices, in particular, benefit so much from going digital? Most IP law practices are unfortunately hamstrung with outdated paper-based patent prosecution and workflow while they continue to move forward with digital systems that are redundant. Ironically, organizations that are fearful of ‘going digital’ have been developing, exchanging, and sharing digital files for years. Having two systems in place to manage one process dramatically increases costs, decreases quality, and creates avoidable inefficiencies. As the white paper details, with a digital management system in place, law firms and corporations quickly experience a substantial increase in productivity, efficiency, and better use of resources while reducing overhead costs. And while digitizing IP might make some users uneasy at first, the decision to implement a secure digital IP management system quickly becomes obvious when the upside potential is taken into account. Equally as important, FTF’s familiar and easy to use systems ensure the transition isn’t as difficult as many would anticipate.

The growing need for innovation and understanding of a firm’s IP assets, as demonstrated by the Motorola and Nortel IP acquisitions, paired with a global movement to paperless systems and sustainability makes IP visibility and expedient access mandatory in today’s competitive, global environment. This white paper shows that First To File (FTF) is an important and cost effective solution for all companies looking to gain control and effectively utilize all of their IP assets.

To download the white paper, visit: http://www.firsttofile.com/?page_id=105. For any questions, email Kurt Wedel at kwedel@firsttofile.com.
About the Author
James P. Bergeron is the CEO of First to File (FTF), the leading provider of secure IP management services to corporations and law firms. He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to IP data management. Email him at jbergeron@firsttofile.com.