Improving the PI Company Through Technology

It is known by various names, Case Management Systems, Case Management Software, CMS, Investigation Management Software, PI Software, and the list goes on.  All of these typically refer to technology solutions that help private investigators manage case data and assist with various other administrative duties, such as assigning and scheduling cases, expenses and invoicing and writing and storing reports.  Most systems also give you the convenience of having case information in one location complete with storage for photos, videos, audio and other important evidence.
Case management software for private investigators is nothing new.  There are systems on the market to fit the needs of any size investigative firm.  That includes one man show that is the backbone of the investigative industry.  Sole practitioners make up the majority of the private investigative industry in most states.
What private investigators may not realize is how much a case management system can improve a business, improve a company’s image, and contribute to the immediate and long term success of a private investigation firm.  This is especially true for smaller firms that are competing with larger companies in their area and those that compete with nationwide companies.
Traveling across the country and attending PI conferences is one of the ways our team helps spread the word about PI Direct Link.  At our conference exhibits and speaking engagements we provide valuable information to the industry on the benefits of case management software.  We learn a good bit about the habits of private investigators and what makes them tick.  We also learn how their businesses operate, what headaches they deal with, what they like and what they dislike.
PI’s are comfortable with the investigative tasks involved in a case.  The administrative and business related tasks and the business side can be daunting.  Now why is that?  Well, those tasks are time consuming and with some exceptions, unbillable.   Sitting behind a desk and doing paperwork is tedious.  Filling out, creating forms, or composing client emails is a necessary evil.  Acknowledging case receipt and shuffling manila file folders can be time consuming.
What causes such a reluctance to implement a turnkey solution that would immediately improve a business or process?  One of the most common phrases heard is “I have been doing it this way for (insert number of years here) and it works just fine.”   The “old school” way is not necessarily the right way.  Just because someone has been performing tasks a certain way for 10 years, does not make it the right way.   Investigators used 8mm Hi8 cameras in 1999, by the logic above every investigator should still be using them now.
Some investigators do not have enough cases to support their business, yet refuse to change habits, business operations, or invest in the business by upgrading technology.  In the coming year investigators should take an opportunity to look and see how case management software can help themselves and their businesses.
For more information on CROSStrax, please visit our website at www.crosstrax.co