Isokon takes the lead

Isokon has seen off all competitors and established itself as the clear market leader as a provider of software for trust and probate work with the signing of another two firms in the Top 100 - Charles Russell and Dickinson Dees. Newcastle based Dickinson Dees is the largest firm in the north-east and has for many years been Solution Six’s largest flagship site with the largest number of seats.

With almost 500 individual users of its software, Isokon is now the clear market leader in this area of work. Although used by a large number of Top 500 law firms, Isokon’s software is thoroughly scalable and also fills the requirements of the smaller firm.

In this category Isokon has recently signed up Harold Bell & Co, Epsom, who struggled for six months to use Lawbase’s online software, but finally admitted defeat before converting to Isokon. Isokon is talking to another three firms in a similar situation who are considering following Harold Bell’s route.

Practices using Isokon include a number of recognised names such as Addleshaw Goddard, Macfarlanes, DMH Stallard, Penningtons, Irwin Mitchell, Thomson Snell & Passmore, Hewitsons, Wright Hassall, Stones, and Capita Trust Company, part of the £1 billion Capita Group, better known for its management of London’s congestion charging scheme.

Isokon’s success is accounted for by the comprehensiveness of its product. “Isokon is the only software we have come across that is capable of helping us do this kind of work [trust and probate] effectively,” claimed one of Isokon’s users.

The software includes a capital gains tax module and tax forms which are updated regularly, such as the government’s recent hasty introduction of the IHT205 and IHT207 for estates that fall below the inheritance tax threshold.

A good part of Isokon’s success can be attributed to its very comprehensive case management module. Integrated with the Isokon software, it has resulted in a more effective solution than the attempts of a leading case management software supplier to attempt the process in reverse by adding a trust and probate module to its case management software. “This work is just too specialised for such a hack approach,” claimed one prospective buyer after surveying the marketplace.

The result of Isokon’s embedded case management software is a solution that is helping many firms prepare for the day when probate work is opened up to all-comers when law firms are likely to face strong competition from all sides. Software is the only effective tool to keep track of files, reduce costs and make this work profitable.

“Since implementing Isokon, our probate and trusts work has been turned around to become much more profitable,” said another of Isokon’s users. Another claimed that, “We are far more highly valued now within the firm. Before we were considered a burden [within the practice]. With Isokon’s support, we are able to consider taking on business which we might otherwise have turned down.”

According to Gregory van Dyk Watson, Managing Director of Isokon Limited (020-7482-6555) Isokon is now installed in more than 20% of the firms who handle trust and probate work in any significant volume. “We have converted customers from almost all other software suppliers at one time or another. The quality of our offering is due to the breadth of our software and the quality of our Bristol based support operation. We assist all our customers by modifying their letters and accounts layouts as part of the service. The winner in this market sector will be the supplier who is consistently the most customer oriented.”

For further information please contact Gregory van Dyk Watson
Email: gregory@isokon.com
Tel: 020-7482-6555.