My fellow TLOMA members:

It is May already and this can mean only one thing - vacation season is now officially open.  I know this because I am on vacation and I know that I am on vacation because I am writing this column in my shorts and I seldom wear shorts to the office.  Besides, the shorts I am in are on a ship which left Miami for Europe yesterday.  Two things you may not know about Miami - they will serve you if don't wear a shirt and, when you ask for oatmeal they will serve you hot milk, every time.  So, little English is spoken in Miami, it's adorable.  Español is widely spoken here and has been for hundreds of years, clearly an unfair deal for America.  It is the recommendation of this administration that a wall be erected between Florida and Cuba right away.

As I am writing this article, I am surrounded in all directions by thousands of miles of ocean, the kind of blue which can only be described as ridiculous.  Nothing but blue.  I am on a ship which displaces 130,000 tonnes and will cross the Atlantic in 6 days.  To think that our predecessors used to do it on 30 tonne ships and it usually took 4 months and longer, when the trade winds decided to take a break, is unsettling.  Now tens of thousands of vessels are ploughing the oceans as water transport is still the most economical way to move goods around the globe.  For thousands of years, and until fairly recently, it used to be the only way people moved around the world.  Most of the great cities on this planet are built by the sea and the grandeur of their ports is best seen from the sea.  They were designed to impress and some are simply overwhelming in their beauty.  That's why I like cruising.  It is a way to experience a measure of what the ancients and not so ancients felt when they approached a grand port.  Their hopes, fears, wonderment and trepidations.  A very disruptive technology, aviation, put a stop to all that.  Innovation is not a new concept at all, you see.

Now, this is the kind of thing we are not going to talk about at this year's TLOMA Conference, unless you insist, but I can promise you that the speakers and topics we have lined up for you will be worth your while.  And, the opportunities to network with peers and friends, and make new friends are endless.  Just register and let us entertain you.  It does sound a bit like a Robbie Williams song, but it's true.

And since we are back on TLOMA business - TLOMA hosted a very enjoyable Business Partners Appreciation Event at Fogler, Rubinoff LLP last month.  A big thank you to Karen Schrempf for providing the venue and especially to Jennifer Norman for organizing the event on site.  Our Business Partners came out in numbers and we thanked them for their continued participation and support.  They are a good bunch of people.  We often forget that businesses are just people behind brands, products and services.  It is good, smart people who make a business successful.  Thank you again Business Partners and apologies again for being late to the party.  I "chose" to spend the first hour of our BP Appreciation event on a delayed Air Canada flight in rain soaked Seattle.  It did afford me the opportunity to watch the movie Lion, a heartbreaking saga about a five year old Indian boy who gets lost for about 25 years.  I didn't know I was crying until I saw the Korean looking girl across the aisle miming "Are you OK?" Later in the customs line, I could tell who else had seen Lion.  Of all the human conditions why did we have to invent compassion, I will never know...

And back to TLOMA business - Michelle Medel, your Vice President, has already organized TLOMA's Spring Member Networking Event to be held on June 2^nd; always a good time, and the first of two Professional Development sessions on June 27th.  The PD session is on medical marijuana.  I am serious, although it is still a bit hazy to me, but it's promising to be mind-blowing.  Go to www.tloma.com for times and places and register early because seating is not unlimited.

A parting thought - take vacation this year.  A wise Frenchman once said "He who does not know how to vacation does not know how to work".  I will add that life does not wait for anyone.

On Thursday, April 20th, the Conference Committee and the Board of Directors held the Annual Business Partner Appreciation Event at Fogler, Rubinoff LLP.  It was well attended this year and was hosted by our 2017 President, Ivaylo Nikolov, and our 2017 Conference Committee Chair, Bernard Quilty.  It gave the Association a chance to say thank you to our Business Partners for their continued support, both during Conference and throughout the year.  It was also a great opportunity for the Committee and Board members to have some quality face time with the Business Partners, and there was lots of positive feedback about how we run our Conference each year. It was indeed a pleasure as well to see so many familiar faces, and a few new ones.  The evening closed with prize draws for the attendees, which was well received.

“We drive into the future using only our rearview mirror” - Marshall McLuhan

Technology has changed the way we live, the way we do business and the way we market our services. The embrace of a digital mindset encompasses everything we do from HR and operations to business development and marketing. Digital transformation optimizes evolving opportunities in a landscape of enlightening our audiences and standing out amongst the competition. 

The Client Experience Continues to be the Ultimate Value-Maker

For all firms in management accounting, law firms and other service industries, all elements of business strategy are becoming increasingly digitized with marketing being revolutionized by marketing technology developments, automation and software. This paves the way for business development as markets and specialties are defined to understand and adapt to client needs. More is being done to drive and enlighten audiences and ultimately, stand out against competitors.

Marketing technology and marketing operations is integral to creating cohesive and engaging stories. Marketing technology being the set of tools, platforms and applications, are an ever-increasing component of the marketing strategy. Marketing today is both the science of data and the art of marketing. The narrative expression fused with technology, with the right target, right message and the right platform. Worthy of its investment, it has become an industry standard in all service industries.

Characterized by some pundits, it’s the dawn of the fourth industrial revolution. With a data-driven culture across the organization, it puts the client at the heart of business decisions. A smart marketing operation resulted in a 15 - 25% uptick in marketing effectiveness, according to McKinsey & Company. 

In my last article, Exciting Times for an Adapting and Sharing Economy, I spoke to the converging roles of business development and marketing. In 2017, the focus is rapidly shifting from acquiring clients to keeping them. What’s required firm-wide? A client-centric mindset combined with a centralized customer knowledge base that can compel journey insights and relevancy. Engagement in the business development journey must be continuous – what clients need at critical moments with immediate, consistent and contextually relevant experiences. A deeper vision of customizing interactions.  Or, through time, without Marketing Technology Integration, lose to competitors. 

Why is this relevant to you and your firm? Highly engaged client communities spend more with a brand each year. Nearly 90% of executives in the Forbes Global top 500 companies believe improved client experience will be the key battleground over the coming years.

How? Consumer interactions across the web, through email, digital ads, SEO and visitor tracking analysis using historical data and then syncing insights to drive more positive client experiences with increased loyalty over time. Smart marketers are responding. In fact, 60% of them plan to expand their focus on client retention and loyalty in the year ahead. 

Client Interaction Journey with Marketing Technology 

It may helpful to know that the client experience is overtaking product and price as a brand’s key differentiator. People want rewarding experiences – beyond the Inbox, creating emotional connections that lead to long-lasting, loyal business relationships.

How Is This Done?

• Craft an engagement strategy with anticipatory needs and expectations, then customize interactions accordingly. Driven by behavioral patterns found by web analytics.
• Wow clients with relevancy rather than one-size fits all messages. Make loyalty worth it. Treat loyalty clients differently other than typical transactional perks. 
• Tailor communications to them. That is what drives business revenue. Building and maintaining client trust fosters brand loyalty, establishes a positive reputation and leads to increased business development, faster. 
• Produce metrics to show ROI and strategize on your next campaign. 
  
  

It’s A Commitment 

• Integrate customer information from digital activity to offline behavioral and attribute data into a centralized data asset.  
• Think of client clusters as subsets. Integration of marketing technology will improve cross-channel identity resolution and boost omni-channel marketing performance. 
• Engage clients at critical moments with the right message – this is where your marketing investment comes in.
• Work with open-platform vendors that give you ownership of your identity data and transparent control over its use. 
   

Who do CMO’s partner with for continuous brand affinity? 

• Your CFO to account for marketing investments. 
• Your CIO to inform on innovation: the technology, systems and processes needed to win, serve and retain clients.
  
  

What’s Required? 

Strategic vision, advanced analytical capabilities, operational skills and technology savvy.  The center of business transformation. As a first step and priority is to make sure the firm’s CRM is multi/omni-channel.

Thought Leadership is A Necessary Tool

• More than two-thirds of executives said they consume thought leadership (content) at least weekly.
• Another two-thirds said they had increased their consumption over the 12 months prior to the Forbes survey. 
• But, 75% of executives said they had become more selective in their content selection. When asked why they consume thought leadership content, the top 3 reasons chosen were: 

1. ENCOUNTER thoughts that go beyond current thinking 
2. IDENTIFY new business opportunities 
3. ADDRESS existing business problems 

Quality Content Educates, Inspires, Evokes Interest And Thought

How do you stand out with Content Overload in the Digital Ecosphere

New 80/20 Rule – It’s Now A Flip 

While we spend 80% of time creating content and 20% of time promoting it, this formula has flipped. Spend 20% of your time creating content and 80% of your time promoting it: In the right spot at the right time. 

Improve User Experience – Clients’ Needs Are Met 

White papers and e-books need visibility by promoting them across website – they will be interested in reading what you must say, or more information on related topics and finding what they want. 

Thought Leadership content is often the primary means of creating the initial engagement with a potential buyer. 

Content in an Email Promote content in your email signature. Based on an average of 120 emails per day, your content is under your email signature for a tailored approach. 

Use Ad Retargeting Many marketers are running retargeting campaigns to re-engage prospects who previously visited their website and drive them back to either (1) drive traffic to gated content, which you can track conversions from and then prove the ROI - 2) complete an action (call to response). Retarget visitors with digital ads to promote relevant content. 

Share Your Content Pin it to your Twitter profile.  It’s a quick and free way to increase the visibility of your content.  

Sources:

1.The Economist Group in association with Hill+Knowlton Strategies of 1,644 global marketing and business executives, 2017 
2.How Digital Marketing Will Change in 2017, Signal Group Co.
3. Business Marketing SmartBrief (Blog) 

Employee benefits have become more than a line item.  As costs have grown, leading employers have realized that a more active governance model is required to best manage their costs and their coverage going forward.  But it is all too common for employers to have fallen asleep at the controls and put their employee benefits plan on autopilot, not realizing their plan is headed for a crash-course.  When employers ‘wake up’ to the new realities of growing employee benefits costs – they are discovering new best practices to invigorate both their oversight and their plan performance.  

Take this test to see how many mistakes you’re making with your employee benefits strategy:

• Paying Retail Instead of Wholesale:  An employer who has 100 employees will pay close to a half a million dollars for employee benefits, every year.  For an expenditure of that size, why are you paying retail?  Many firms continue to overspend out of habit.  By splitting your benefits into two distinct groups, insured and experience rated, leading firms are able to remove significant excess costs built into their rate.  In today’s competitive market rate, guarantees of as high as four and five years are available.  Reducing costs now and locking in savings for 5 years makes sense. 

• Employing Outdated Risk Models:  Harvoni, Sovaldi, and  Ripatha.  If you haven’t heard of these high cost drugs yet – by this time next year – you will have.  With today’s growing drug costs, having a proactive risk management strategy in place is more important than ever.  However, many employers are still employing high claims pooling and/or stop loss products that are decades behind.  By analysing your real risk (mostly due to prescription drugs), it is easy to reduce your corporate risk by as much as 90% simply by updating your coverage for high health claims to today’s best practices.  

• Buying All Your Benefits From Only One Store:  When it comes to most of our purchases, we tend to shop around for the best deal.  Not so much with employee benefits.  Even today, many employers continue to purchase all of their benefits from one insurance company.  The emergence of Third Party Administrators (or TPA’s) in the Canadian benefits industry has evolved to suit the demanding needs of employers and their ever-growing appetite for diversification.  When using a TPA, an employer can purchase insurance from multiple insurers at the same time, but enjoy a consolidated bill, reporting, fulfillment and claims adjudication. 

• Offering A Sickness Plan Instead Of A Real Health Plan: Today, employers realize that the majority of their employee benefits costs are driven directly by the health of their employees.  Yet the majority of employee benefit plans are built to be reactive; to pay the claim after it happens.  Forward thinking employers are developing proactive wellness strategies to help prevent claims before they happen.  Many wellness plans are now being offered on a complimentary basis when included in the employee benefits program. 

• Getting Less For More:  Many plan sponsors complain of routine cost increases year after year – without any benefits improvements.  This forces them to cut coverage in order to stay cost-neutral.   However, in today’s competitive marketplace, insurers are willing to provide free value added benefits in order to earn your business.  Today, it is not unusual to find complimentary Employee Assistance Programs, Wellness Programs, Trip Cancellation Insurance and other enticements included within the core benefits – at no additional cost.  It’s yet another way for an employer to get more value for their dollar without increasing their benefits expenditure. 

• Accepting Poor Service: Traditionally, your firm meets with your benefits consultant once per year to discuss trends, costs increases and review their plan design.  As your spend increases on benefits – it makes more sense to review the trends, costs and reporting on a more frequent basis – yet this rarely happens. 
  Today’s smart employer needs to be far more demanding in the level and frequency of customer service required.  Written service level guarantees help meet this demand including detailed reporting, quarterly meetings, long term rate guarantees and establishing committees to ensure good governance and compliance. 
• Your Benefits:Same As It Ever Was:  There are a staggering number of plan designs available to the average employer.  Yet, for the most part, plans can remain the same for years; sometimes decades.  How can a ‘one size fits all’ benefits program address the needs of a multi-generational workforce?  
  Conducting a benchmarking exercise is a good start to determine how your plan compares with the competition – and with the national averages.  From there you can align your plan design with your company goals and objectives.  Plan Design Optimization and Benchmarking are good ways to ensure that every penny spent on benefits is a wise expenditure.  

• Disability Mismanagement:  Going to work is one thing; returning to work after a disability is entirely another matter.  Many Canadian employers are mismanaging their short term disabilities (STD’s) to the point of negligence.  Some employers choose to ‘self-manage’ their STD’s - which leads to issues created by a conflict of interest, lack of privacy and lack of expertise.  The best practice in disability management is to have a written policy on both short term and long term disabilities and to use an integrated, professional supplier for both.  Helping employees return to work as quickly as possible and with dignity is as much an art as it is a skill.  And it is best left to the experts. 

• Poor Reporting:  The level of reporting in today’s benefits world has fallen behind the employers needs for good governance.  Many providers have recognized this and are offering more reporting options to suit both HR and Finance’s unique needs while remaining within the privacy guidelines.  Interpreting these reports regularly along with your consultant is key to this best practice. 

• Lack of Employee Engagement:  Employees can be part of the solution.  To be an employer of choice, is to purchase a cost effective and competitive benefits plan, and then effectively communicate the value to employees.  Yet many employers simply hand out employee booklets and wait for questions.  A structured communications program doesn’t need to be complicated; only clear.  Top employers know this and create professional communications to all level of employees.   

With 2017 underway, Ontario-based law firms must now enact specific requirements to ensure accessibility for employees and clients.  The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act ('AODA') previously rolled out a number of policies under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), and many companies including law firms have yet to comply.  But as of January 1, law firms along with other private companies must implement another round of requirements related to public spaces, public information and employment practices.

AODA legislation passed 11 years ago.  The AODA coupled with Accessible Public Space Design and the Ontario Building Code (OBC), has pushed more facility managers and HR professionals to accommodate disabilities in the workplace for employees, clients and visitors.

New Requirements Effective January 2017

Smaller organizations in the province with fewer than 50 employees, including those who provide goods and services or facilities, must now comply with specific standards under the IASR.  These include several employment practices, such as making public information accessible when asked and making public employment practices accessible, including how law firms hire, retain and provide career development opportunities to employees.  This includes adding notifications on job postings.  Individual accommodation plans and updated workplace emergency response information must also be available.

Large private and non-profit organizations (50 or more employees) must now follow policies to make new or redeveloped public spaces in and around your law offices accessible.  Organizations with less than 50 employees are omitted from certain requirements, but have until January 2018 to do the same.  The Design for Public Spaces Standard applies to: parking lots, outdoor public areas, exterior paths of travel, service counters, waiting areas with fixed seating and maintenance.  Facility maintenance of such spaces, is directly connected to ensuring Ontario and law firms reach the goal of becoming fully accessible by 2025.

Organizations with 50 or more employees must submit an online compliance report by December 31, 2017, affirming continued compliance with the AODA.  Failure to file could result in forced inspections, penalties, prosecutions or fines.  This applies to the public sector every two years and a not-for-profit or business every three years.

Design for Public Spaces Standard Heightens Maintenance Needs

As of January 1, 2017, large private organizations of 50 or more employees must adhere to policies for building new public spaces or making planned significant alterations to existing ones.  Along with this, actions to keep spaces in working order, including painting, minor repairs, environmental mitigation and even snow removal, should not interfere with accessibility for any parts of a law practice facility and offices.

Building audits in Toronto during the winter by our firm, Optimal Performance, have revealed that snow removal procedures at some facilities with limited exterior space resulted in snow being dumped near accessible entrances and exits.  In addition, notification signs, such as disruption of service, should not be placed in walkable areas, as they create obstacles for individuals who are blind or have low vision. In regards to the interior of buildings, OPC often finds that the built environment meets code, but the on-going facility and office maintenance renders it inaccessible. Furniture placed in a Toronto law office’s universal washroom is just one recent example, and office and facility managers should be mindful of such oversights in interior & exterior public spaces, as well.

There are a number of requirements within this standard that directly affect facility maintenance.  One such section concerns outdoor public use eating areas, like outdoor food courts.  Large organizations that plan to build or renovate these areas need to ensure that 20% of new tables added are accessible and that the ground surface leading to and under the tables is level, firm and stable to accommodate mobility aids.  There should also be enough clear space so people can smoothly approach the tables.

There are new requirements for maintaining public spaces that apply only to large private organizations and public sector organizations of any size.  Multi-year accessibility plans to be submitted by December 31, and must include the following:

• Preventative and emergency maintenance procedures for all accessible parts of public spaces, such as planning when regular maintenance occurs. For instance, the frequency of inspecting walkways for cracks or wayfinding markings.  
• Procedures for handling temporary disruptions in service when an accessible part of the public space is not usable. For example, putting up a sign to explain the disruption and outlining an alternative as well as outlining the alternatives on your firm’s web site.
  
  

Training and the New Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation

Over the last several years, law firms and other private companies tried to avoid training all employees about the Customer Service Standard, the Ontario Human Rights Code and the IASR.  Changes to the AODA’s Customer Service Standard as of July 1, 2016, now apply to all organizations providing goods and services or facilities, and require that ALL employees undergo accessibility training.

When writing an RFP or contract, law firm facility/office managers should make sure vendors and contractors submit proof that everyone coming on site has been trained in the AODA.  They should also ensure vendors have policies and procedures in place for AODA.

If a cleaning company does not have such training, facility/office managers could be held liable for not checking this status.  Not only is training now mandatory, but contractors would be wise to have proof readily available for competitive purposes.  About 37 per cent of companies in Ontario are in compliance despite the AODA being launched 11 years ago.  Companies need to play catch up or face a human rights complaint—and potentially a tribunal.  

Accessibility Across Canada

Many HR professionals may not be aware that there is a significant political interest in having a national standard for accessibility, rather than taking the current piecemeal provincial approach.

Starting in July 2016 and wrapping up in February 2017, Sport and Disability Minister Carla Qualtrough commenced public discussions across Canada about the proposed Canadians with Disabilities Act (CDA).  This was a campaign promise by Prime Minster Justin Trudeau and is now in full swing.  The public meetings and consultations wrapped up at the end of February.  All discussions, recommendations and public forum information will now be reviewed, summarized and available to the public and businesses.

Our best predication as an accessibility firm is that we will see the roll out of national legislation most likely mirroring the unique AODA in Ontario.  We will provide further updates about the progress of the CDA as it will impact law firms who have a national presence across Canada.

How long have you been a member of TLOMA? I’ve been a recent member about three years.  But was also a member previously for about five or six years.

Where do you work? I work for Green and Spiegel LLP, one of the oldest and largest immigration law firms in Canada.  We have about 15 lawyers in the Canadian office with about 100 staff in total.  We have about 25 people in our Philadelphia, Providence and Vail offices.  I’m the Vice-President, Finance and Administration and everything falls under that.  I report directly to the two senior partners.  We have a great team.

What do you enjoy most about the legal industry? There are a number of things I enjoy; most would be the people.  Professional services organizations are staffed with amazing people.  People who are extremely intelligent and come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.  I am constantly exposed to new ideas and perspectives that are invigorating.

What has been your volunteer experience with TLOMA over the years? I haven’t volunteered much with TLOMA over the years but have been recently appointed the Finance SIG Leader.  So far I have enjoyed the role immensely.  It is helping me to further immerse myself in the legal profession.

What is your favorite TLOMA memory? I don’t have a favourite TLOMA memory but I’m going to attend the conference this year for the first time.  I expect to have some really good one’s then!

Where was the place you last vacationed? I just came back from a week in Myrtle Beach with some of my family.  We rented a condo on the beach.  It was lovely.  We walked the beach every morning.  Golfed in the afternoon.  Spent happy hour at some of our favourite seafood places.  Ate too much and drank too much.  It was good family time.

What is your favorite lunch spot during the work week? My favourite lunch spot tends to be my desk.  I don’t like to eat out much so I bring my lunch most days.  I do like to go out for dinner.  We are so fortunate in Toronto to have such a wide variety of restaurants.  It’s such an adventure.  My last adventure was Byblos.  The lamb was awesome!

What are your favorite hobbies? Some of my hobbies are cooking, golfing and general fitness. 

I get bored of eating the same thing all the time so I like to mix it up.  I have a recent vegetarian in the family and it’s been a challenge to come up with flavourful vegetarian meals.  I’m also pretty good at mimicking something we’ve had in one of Toronto’s fabulous restaurants.

With all this eating, I try to hit the gym four or five times a week – a spin class, weights and stretching classes.  I also run about five 10km runs in the summer time.

I love to golf and play whenever time and weather permit.

Organization/Company Overview

Expertise & Growth

For the past 50 years, NCOGrenville has helped numerous businesses and organizations manage their productivity. We began as proud purveyors of high quality, traditional offset print production and over the years, as print technology and workplace dynamics shifted, NCOGrenville adapted to meet our clients’ changing needs.  Offering fast and reliable digital print production, both on and off site, as well as dependable facilities management, such as mailroom, shipping and receiving, and warehousing and fulfillment NCOGrenville became a trusted partner in workflow management. As experienced and authorized dealers of Canon, HP, Lexmark, and Konica Minolta and trusted print and managed services experts, we integrate technology, software, and services to deliver total support to our clients that finds value and improves workflow.

Service Overview 

As Canada’s largest, independently owned document solutions company, we have your best interest in mind. Our Smart Office Guarantee is powered by a vendor neutral solution, industry leading technology, and long-running partnerships. Our mobile fleet of technicians and IT specialists, backed by an extensive dispatch network ensures that your equipment, software, and service remain operational.

How many years have you been a TLOMA Business Partner? 5 years 

What has been your partnership experience? The past 5 years with TLOMA has been an excellent experience. Being a Business Partner of TLOMA has opened many doors and it has helped us to increase our brand awareness throughout the TLOMA community. Working with law firms has also helped us with the development of our service offerings, tying high levels of security into every step of the workflow process.  

Favourite TLOMA memory? The TLOMA Conferences are always great - being able to network and expose our brand on a one-to-one level for a weekend is a fantastic way to develop new business relationships. Our team always has fun hanging out at the booth and meeting everyone, the venues are really interesting, and I even got to sing with the band once, which was quite the experience.  

What is your favourite movie? The Shawshank Redemption is my go-to movie - it truly stands the test of time. Watching it always reminds me that a sense of self-worth can always prevail and the quality of the life you live is based on what outlook you chose.  

What is your favourite artist/band you got to see live in concert? I got to see The Eagles play at the old Exhibition Stadium in Toronto and it was an amazing experience filled with great memories. Seeing them was a check off on my bucket list.  

What is your favourite sports team? Thankfully it’s not as embarrassing to say anymore - The Toronto Maple Leafs. Growing up in Ontario, Saturday nights in the winter have always been reserved for Leafs games and while they often lead to heartbreak I never gave up hope. Seeing 9 rookies make the playoffs in their first NHL season this year was great.  

If you could have a 60-minute conversation with anyone who would you choose? My Father - he was famous in my mind and I would cherish another few minutes with him. 

What are some of your pet peeves? Telemarketers - how ironic is that? This is a marketing strategy NCOGrenville uses but the difference in my opinion is having a clear, concise message. So many telemarketers today have long winded spiels and it’s one of my biggest annoyances.