Carpe Diem
Case study:
Time recording
How Tikit’s Carpe Diem Enterprise and Carpe Diem Mobile
provide more effective, accessible and flexible timekeeping.
Carpe Diem
Blank Rome needed:
• A centralized timekeeping system
• A mobile time capture capability
• A more streamlined architecture.
Blank Rome gained:
• An effective, accessible, web-based, timekeeping platform
• A well-liked user interface
•The ability to capture time anytime, anywhere, including
on mobile devices
•Reliable support from a global vendor committed to the
future of timekeeping for the legal industry
• A future-proofed solution.
“Based on the feedback and my own
observation in terms of doing business
with them, I would recommend Tikit.
It’s been a good relationship and
hopefully it will continue for a long time
to come.”
Larry Liss, Chief Technology Officer
Blank Rome LLP
Background
Blank Rome is one of America’s largest
law firms, with around 500 attorneys,
12 offices across the United States, and
one in Shanghai. For more than 65 years,
Blank Rome has acquired leading talent,
depth, and diversity to deliver counsel
that enhances the businesses of all its
clients. The firm’s core values of respect
for the individual, the community,
and the law are expressed through its
leadership in pro bono and community
activities. As well, the firm regularly
achieves industry-wide recognition
including from Who’s Who Legal, Best
Lawyers and Chambers USA, which
has ranked more than 45 Blank Rome
attorneys as ‘leaders in their field.’
In 2012, the firm was looking for the
next iteration in timekeeping. Having
used Tikit’s Carpe Diem Classic for several
years, Blank Rome’s Chief Technology
Officer, Larry Liss, wanted a nextgeneration solution that was centralized
and accessible. He also wanted a mobile
capability, an effective user-interface
and broad functionality. Liss considered
the timekeeping module delivered as
part of the firm’s accounting system, but
found it had limitations. The firm opted
instead to upgrade to Tikit’s Carpe Diem
Enterprise and Carpe Diem Mobile which
together provide a robust enterprise
web-based system and ease of use on
multiple platforms, including mobile.
Solution
Liss and his team chose Tikit’s Carpe Diem
Enterprise and Mobile mainly because
these systems have the functionality
Blank Rome wanted. The firm is also a
long-time Tikit customer, and was happy
to stay with Tikit. Liss feels that working
with Tikit “has been a good experience.”
The costs of the transition didn’t weigh
heavily with Blank Rome, as the solution
delivered improved functionality,
more usability, improved inventory
management, and all as part of an
upgrade process meaning at a relatively
modest cost. Liss further reports that the
implementation went “extremely well.”
“Tikit’s support was responsive and we
appreciate that.”
Like any system change, there were
some early teething troubles with the
adoption – for example, administrative
users, accustomed to Carpe Diem Classic,
could only add four users, and for some
that wasn’t enough. However, once
fully installed the new version was liked.
Liss notes that the web-based system
was also more effective, provided more
flexibility and accessibility, and that the
user interface is better.
The fact that Carpe Diem Mobile could
be added to Enterprise was also a driver
in the decision to move. Blank Rome
saw the mobile capability as “very
desirable,” and Liss adds that those who
use it “really like it.” “With Carpe Diem
Mobile people love the fact that they can
put in time whenever,” he notes. “They
remember they’ve done something
and can whip out their iPhone and put
it in, any time. I think people find that
very useful.”
Results
Carpe Diem Enterprise has been well
received by users, particularly the user
interface. Blank Rome is also pleased
with the architecture of the new system,
as it doesn’t impact the desktop and
resides on one server servicing all its
offices, which dramatically lowers the
cost of ownership for the firm. Under the
old Classic system data was distributed
among multiple servers, which was less
than optimal, but now that issue has
gone away.
In terms of time billed, Tikit expects
Enterprise and Carpe Diem Mobile to
increase the number of billable hours.
For Blank Rome, this impact has been
less evident because the firm’s policies
and background software have been
driving attorneys to stay on top of
contemporaneous timekeeping for
a couple of years. “I think that has
probably made a bigger difference than
anything else,” says Liss. That said, he
believes the system has had a positive
effect on billable hours, but that is hard
to quantify. He also notes that Carpe
Diem Mobile has been an enabler of the
firm’s policies on timekeeping which has
been a real benefit.
Liss also values the impact on the user
experience. Internal client “customer
satisfaction is very important,” he
says, and both Enterprise and Carpe
Diem Mobile have made a positive
contribution. Carpe Diem Mobile, in
particular, has provided something
people really want. “It is a big positive for
us,” says Liss.
Summary
Blank Rome has gained a centralized, slicker, next-generation timekeeping system
with advanced functionality, capable of capturing time anytime anywhere. Moreover
they are working with a global vendor who has the resources to continually develop
the system in line with international best practice.
Blank Rome also finds Tikit to be uniformly helpful, accessible, and quick to respond.
“The support and responsiveness is absolutely crucial,” Liss notes. He concludes:
“Based on the feedback and my own observation in terms of doing business with
them, I would recommend Tikit. It’s been a good relationship and hopefully it will
continue for a long time to come.”
To find out more, talk to Tikit today:
T: +1 888 878 4548
E: info@tikit.com
www.tikit.com
About Tikit
Tikit is one of the largest suppliers of technology solutions and services to legal and professional
services firms, and is part of BT Group. Tikit’s client list totals more than 1,450 firms globally, including
90 of the UK’s top 100 law firms, 250 US law firms and 12 of the top 20 European law firms.
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Tikit is a complete technology partner offering a broad portfolio that includes software solutions,
IT outsourcing, communication, networks and hosting. Tikit develops their own software and has
long-standing relationships with other top best-of-breed providers, they match this expertise with
a reputation for excellent customer service.
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