Have you ever noticed that the hottest computers are sold on the basis of
"size", "speed", "endurance", and "raw power". These are the traits used to sell
technology on Mars -- the domain of MEN. With nearly 2/3 of lawyers being men, Mars dominated
sales pitch have worked. However, Venus is in ascendance. With half the
new law graduates being women, and with a legal support staff which is over 3/4 female,
the savvy marketer cannot ignore Venus. And, if the focus is on technology adoption and
the true productivity gains that can be accomplished through technology, one must
consider the point of view of those living on Venus. This article introduces my partner,
Rose Rowland, as knowledgeable representative of and our resident expert on Venusians.
Life on Mars
The legal profession is heavily dominated by MEN. According to the ABA Market Research Department there were 1,116,967 licensed lawyers in the
United States as of June, 2006. The large majority of those lawyers are male (73% in 2,000).
(http://www.abanet.org/marketresearch/lawyer_demographics_2006.pdf).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has a count of 961,000 lawyers in 2005 (70% male). The computer profession is similarly heavily dominated by men. According to
BLS statistics, only 27% of those in the category of computer and mathematical occupations are female.
Because of these statistics, it is assumed that MEN make and will continue to make) the buying decisions when it comes to purchasing computer hardware
and software. For that reason, most marketing by legal software and technology vendors is geared towards men.
Look at the way computers are sold. Notice the word choice, in particular the adjectives, in a recent e-mail from Alienware, makers of high-end gaming
laptops, advertising a "Limited Edition Superman" line of computers: "Extra! Be the first to own a Limited Edition Superman Notebook and Desktop.
More powerful than a Locomotive . The Area-51 Superman Returns Edition Notebook powered by Intel Centrino Duo will put your competition to shame,
with unearthly speed and power" and "Faster than a speeding bullet . Loaded with the latest and greatest hardware, the Area-51 Superman Edition
Desktop with Intel Viiv Technology will provide unbelievable performance with stunning chassis artwork of the Man of Steel."
When this advertisement came in,
the "male" partner of Basha Systems LLC was ready to buy. My current four-year old Alienware Area-51 Laptop was on its last legs, and was no longer
the "latest and greatest". The "female" partner of Basha Systems LLC was about to hit the "spam" filter button to dump it in the waste bin as a useless
purchase. Instead, we decided to save the email into Time Matters so that we could use it for this article.
Life on Venus
The reality is quite different than the perception. The trend towards male domination of
legal technology purchasing is changing rapidly. According to the ABA, the current
enrollment of law students for 2003-04 was 51% male and 49% female.
When one goes beyond the "purchasing" to focus on the adopters or users of legal
technology in a law firm, the percentages are actually reversed -- Venus is ascendant.
The true return on investment or the people multiplier in investment in technology comes
not from the purchasers but the users of technology. By far the greatest users of
technology in a law firm are the paralegals, word-processors, and legal secretaries.
According to BLS data for 2005, there were 353,000 paralegals and legal assistants in the
U.S., of whom the large majority (86.4%) were female. To this number should be added
a separate category of "miscellaneous legal support workers" totaling 229,000 people, of
whom the large majority (75.3%) were female.
"Bigger, faster, harder, cutting edge, burning hot ." -- These are all terms that are of
little interest to women on Venus. The classic Venus-centered sales pitch is for the iPod
Nano - "So small, it will take your music places you never dreamed of". And this is for a
device with a measly 1 Gigabyte of Flash RAM. Apple sells the iPod Nano as "with 1GB
(240 songs)"; Note the focus on usage in terms of songs.
On Venus, terms like "reliable, dependable, consistent, gets the job done, affordable, and
easy to setup" are the key to unlocking the purse. On Venus, the hard burning edge is
replaced by the comfy dependable chair. When you sit on a chair ALL DAY, you don't
care how "cool" the chair looks, you care whether it is comfortable and good for your
back. Similarly, when you use a computer all day, every day, you want it to boot up
quickly, and not crash. The monitor, keyboard and mouse are often more important than
the CPU.
Our Resident Expert
In this TechnoFeature, we are introducing my partner, Rose Rowland. Rose was a
paralegal for 15 years before joining Basha Systems LLC. As a paralegal, she sat at her
desk and used computers every day, all day. And, in a typical, male dominated law firm,
she was not given the cutting-edge fastest computer (the one to which she would have
been entitled to if you gave out computers on the basis of who would make the most
productive use of the technology). Rather, she forced to contend with the least powerful
computer in the office.
Nevertheless, she was viewed as the resident computer power-user in the office. Her
expertise extended to the "use of the computer", for she knew how to use the computer to
get the work done. She found the efficiency tricks in the programs she was given,
whether it was learning "keystroke recording macros"; effective use of "tables" in
WordPerfect; or the ability to search the then nascent Internet for information. In fact,
she trained the office staff, including the partners, on how to really use the software. And
in this time, she observed closely how average women users interact with their
computers.
The balance of this article is a discussion with Rose, to elicit her views of life on Venus
QUESTION: When making a computer hardware purchase, what do you look for?
ANSWER: I see - starting off with a typical male question! Frankly, I don't make
hardware purchases. It is not my thing. I know what I want. I want a computer that is
incredibly reliable. I want a computer that can handle a multitude of programs without
running into problems; ie lots of memory. I don't really care what brand of computer it is,
so long as it does the job.
QUESTION: Why don't you make the purchases?
ANSWER: I don't have the time, patience or inclination to plough through all the books
and articles that I would need to go through to make an informed decision that would
allow me to get the best computer for my needs. I would be worried that, because of my
lack of knowledge, I'd get a poor computer, and be blamed for it. Basically, I'm terrified
that I would make an expensive decision based on only partial knowledge.
QUESTION: What is the solution?
ANSWER: It is worthwhile to consult someone who has already done the background
research and can translate the techno-speak and explain to me what I need to know to
make the right decision. The role of a good technology consultant to focus on the actual
user requirements, and then deliver the appropriate technology.
QUESTION: What are your key criteria?
ANSWER: Reliability and speed. When I turn on the computer, I want it to boot up
quick. When I retrieve a file or save it, I want it to save quickly. And most important, I
don't want the program to crash. I am sick of hitting the save button every five minutes.
QUESTION: Why do women don't see to care much about hard drive size, disk speed,
RAM Speed, processor cache, VGA RAM?
ANSWER: I have no idea what you are talking about. You have been reading way too
many copies of PC Magazine.
QUESTION: If you cared in particular about a hardware purchase, besides reliability,
what would you care about?
ANSWER: In a laptop, I want it to be lightweight with a large wide screen. If I have to
lug it about, I don't want bruises on my shoulder. And I hate touchpads that are placed in
the wrong location because, when I type, the mouse jumps around.
QUESTION: What about desktops?
ANSWER: I like flat panel screens because they don't take up too much desk space. I
need room for piles of paper. And I especially like double-screens, because they allow
me to multi-task better. This is also the one area where size counts - I like a large screen.
And don't forget keyboards, they need to be ergonomic to relieve stress on the wrists and
placed at the right height. By that I mean the basic tilt, not one of those new fangled
keyboards that looks as if it is ready to launch.
QUESTION: What about file servers and DSL routers?
ANSWER: Don't know anything about them, but I hope that they work. I want a fast
internet connection that doesn't time out.
QUESTION: Which is more important: choosing the right hardware or choosing the right
company to support the hardware?
ANSWER: The later. As a female, relationships are more important to me than
hardware. The best hardware in the world will not be attractive unless I feel that there is
someone behind it that I can speak to iron out any difficulties, someone I can rely on, so
that I am not stuck out there by myself at midnight trying to figure out what has gone
wrong.
QUESTION: Are women willing to pay extra for this service?
ANSWER: Definitely, but not any more than we have to. (Women are frugal, i.e. cheap.)
But we understand that trying to do it yourself with computers is idiotic. It is good to
have someone on call, even if it is a shoulder to cry on or a person to yell at.
QUESTION: Women seem very reluctant to spend money on the latest technology,
cutting edge devices and best of breed, all the cool stuff. Why is that?
ANSWER: Why on earth should we buy something new, when what we have already
works? Besides the time and money to purchase, there is the pain and agony of learning
a new system and the tedious process of bringing it in. I already know how to work with
what I have - why should I kill myself to get something new? I just need to get the job
done; how I get it done is not that important.
QUESTION: How should women find out about new hardware and software for their
firm?
ANSWER: From their consultants. Seriously. Most women don't think about purchasing
new hardware or software until their old stuff breaks down or they get frustrated with the
limitations of their software. At that point, they want straight, clear concise answers on
what to purchase to keep the business moving along.
QUESTION: When purchasing software, what do you look for? Are you willing to
switch software when a new and better product comes out?
ANSWER: I purchase software because I see a definite current need that will be fulfilled,
not because there might be a need in the future and I want to see if I can fill a niche with
an interesting piece of software. I purchase software that makes my working or personal
life easier and more organized. As a generic woman buyer, I am attracted towards case
management software like Amicus Attorney (www.amicusattorney.com) and Time
Matters (www.timematers.com) to keep me organized, document assembly software like
GhostFill (www.ghostfill.com) and HotDocs (www.hotdocs.com) to help me to prepare lots of
documents quicker and faster, accounting software like Quickbooks
(www.quickbooks.com), and Internet search engines and tools that allow me to
accomplish tasks like shopping faster. I will switch software if you can prove to me that it
will accomplish something definite for me right now.
QUESTION: When evaluating software to recommend to a client, what do you look for?
Training material, support services, network of consultants?
ANSWER: All of the above. I want to know that there are resources out there I can tap.
When it comes to computers, I don't want to go it alone. Remember, I'm a woman.
Relationships are important to me. I want to have a relationship with the people I'm
relying on in my day to day work environment.
QUESTION: Doesn't the focus on relationships and support mean that you pay more for
technology and support services?
ANSWER: Yes in the short term. Not in the long term. It evens out because if I had to
figure out everything on my own, the technology would either be dropped or the project
would become an ROI disaster.
QUESTION: Whenever I have implemented new systems, I have found women very
skeptical. Why do women resist adopting new technology and software?
ANSWER: For many of the reasons I have stated above. Women are task focused. They
need to get a lot done, they need to get it done fast and they need to get it done right. If
they have a system in place that already works, they don't want to abandon the tried and
true. Women have been through software changeovers. Usually, at the end, they're glad
they did it. However, let's be honest here. There is a rarely a change in technology that is
not accompanied by some degree of pain. Many women are just not that eager to step in
front of the techno gun and take the first bullet -they don't see the advantage.
QUESTION: Isn't that short sighted? Resistance to change perpetuates inefficiency.
ANSWER: Yes, it's short sighted and it's probably not the best approach. As
embarrassing as it is to admit, if women users had been in charge of the computer
revolution, we'd probably all still be on DOS, because "Hey, it works." The truth is we
need both kinds of users to bring the best technology to market. We need innovators
willing to try new things and we need skeptical female users to weed out poorly executed
programs.
QUESTION: What can be done to make technology more appealing?
ANSWER: There are lots of ways technology can be made more appealing to female
users: Through improved user friendliness, greater reliability, and comprehensive tech
support.
- First, software must be easy to understand and use. Companies and consultants who
customize software need to make sure that their interface can be used with minimal
training.
- Second, if your software crashes, fix it. Software that loses data does not get the job
done and will be abandoned by your female user.
- Third, and most important, is quality tech support. To a female user, this means hire lots
of Tech Support people.
QUESTION: Tech support is very expensive to maintain. What in particular do you
mean by quality tech support?
ANSWER: A few points to make about quality tech support:
- At the very least, train your Tech Support people and make sure they know the program
inside and out. Escalation to another person who will call back several hours later or
maybe the next day just does not give the female user the assurance that you are backing
the product.
- Hire Tech Support people with good people skills and a reassuring manner. They should
be able to communicate in good plain English - tone down the techno-babble with your
female computer users. They are NOT impressed.
- Don't time Tech Support calls. If the female user creates a relationship with a company,
she will stay with the company and buy the upgrades and new software sold by that
company.
- Give access to tech support pre-sales. Women trust tech support to give them the truth
and suspect salesmen. Tech Support is your main line to the female computer user.
QUESTION: How do you expect to pay for all this tech support? Should a company
offer premium tech support for an extra fee, including the un-timed calls and unlimited
access described above?
ANSWER: You are missing my point. Tech support is a vital part of the core product,
and not an add-on service. The software, itself is a service, and tech support is your
cheapest route to finding out whether the service works. The price of quality tech support
should be built into the product. It may make the "software purchase" seem more
expensive, but female purchasers will note the commitment to quality support and factor
that into the purchase decision. And particularly when it comes to version updates, they
will stick with a well-supported product, and also buy additional licenses. Look at your
Tech Support as a relationship builder rather than a cost center and you'll realize that
good Tech Support actually helps the bottom line.
QUESTION: What if you can't afford a large tech support staff. What do you do?
ANSWER: Create a network of value-added consultants to help develop custom
implementations and training on the software. This is the model followed by Bob Butler
in building out Time Matters. You then support this network with the resources to
deliver value-added services to your customers.
A consultant network is a win-win-win situation. The female user benefits from a close
relationship with a consultant who understands her needs and finds the appropriate
solution. The company benefits from a large network of unpaid (except for nominal
commissions), but well-trained consultants motivated to move their products. The
consultant gets access to advanced training and as the primary tech support, gets an
opportunity to offer value-added services. With the advent of quality remote technical
services such as GoToAssist (www.gotoassist.com), which allows the tech support to link
up directly with the user's computer and determine the problem, consultants can now
offer quality support without expensive on-site visits.
Bringing Venus and Mars Together
As you can see, Rose's views on how to get women to adopt technology in a law firm can
apply to and benefit all of us (including the men). There is a lot to be said about a
commitment to tech support and a focus on what technology delivers in terms of
productivity and process improvements.
Raw power, size, and oomph, in fact, is on the way out. Computers are more than
powerful enough to deliver our work tasks at lightning speed. What is now the
differentiation in large sales is the service component and the implementation. If you look
at the average laptop, the processor speed has actually gone down, as dual core
processors, running at lower processing speeds, taking less power, are dominating the
sales cycle. Dual cores are a response to the Venusians, who, when multi-tasking, just
don't want to wait until the CPU finishes its task.
Help and support are valued on Venus. Computer Manuals, buying guides and
magazines need to be written in plain, understandable English with clearly defined
terminology. Computers and software are no longer a secret club; they're a serious
business tool. At Basha Systems, we have a company policy of creating step-by-step
guides, with concise instructions in standard English; far preferred over manuals with are
catalogue of functions and properties.
You can bring Venus and Mars into the same marketplace; but Mars is going to have to
give up some of its old notions of technology adoption to make it happen.
Click here to download the PDF of How To Sell Legal Technology on Venus
