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FEBRUARY 2008
Semple Fraser: First Scottish Firm to Purchase Elite 3E

Specialist commercial law firm Semple Fraser has become the first Scottish firm to purchase Thomson Elite's sophisticated business optimization platform, Elite 3E. Managing Partner Alister Fraser and Financial Director Andrew Hastings recently spoke about their decision to implement 3E.

TE: Why did your firm decide to purchase 3E?

Fraser: Semple Fraser has always been committed to developments in technology that enhance the service we deliver to our clients. By investing in 3E at an early stage we are once again embracing an industry-leading business solution to transform our business processes and move our firm forward.

TE: How did customer service figure into your decision to implement 3E?

Fraser: Having successfully taken on new work, we knew it was particularly important for us to develop an improved client-centric view of our business, to improve service and provide support for future business strategies.

TE: What is your main 3E goal?

Fraser: Our aim is to free up scarce management and fee-earner time and readily share information across the firm to further improve both client transaction processes and our own internal procedures.

TE: How will 3E empower your fee earners?

Hastings: Providing fee earners with online transaction information about clients and matters as well as summary information about unbilled time, debtors, disbursements and other relevant financial information will allow them to analyze data efficiently and deal with any issues that arise.

TE: How will 3E improve your financial management processes?

Hastings: If you take credit management as an example, the fact that you have a single version of the 'truth' across the firm is incredibly powerful. If the fee earner is looking at the same data as the finance department, both parties can collaborate effectively. The quality of decision making increases when it can be done more quickly and reliably. 3E will make a significant difference to our financial decision making and our financial performance.