7 Reasons Your Process Servers Should Use ServeManager

There’s a shift in technological sophistication occurring in the process serving world.

With pressure coming from the debt and collection industries to create compliance standards for their vendors and regulatory agencies requiring strict record keeping, process servers and their clients need to take a critical look at the technology that’s being used to manage service of process.

The word audit is no longer a foreign one for process servers and their clients within the foreclosure and collection industry. Unfortunately, not all process servers are prepared to provide transparency when asked for it. With the right software solution, however, a process serving firm doesn’t need to worry about audits, transparency and compliance. A software solution like ServeManager can provide this for them.

Up until recently, the off-the-shelf process serving software market has been stagnant, while larger companies rely on dated proprietary systems that have settled into their workflow over 20 plus years. Because of their platform and codebase these systems are difficult and expensive to modernize.

ServeManager is a SaaS (software as a service) product designed to provide process servers everything they need to run their business, yet offers a multitude of benefits for their clients too.

Here are just a few reasons why the process serving company you hire should be using ServeManager.

Reason №1
Accountability & Compliance

In 2011, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) implemented strict licensing rules. These rules require process servers to log the date, time, and location of service attempts using GPS technology through a third party vendor, without the option to alter these records after the fact. Implemented as a result of a sewer service scandal, the rules help provide accountability and transparency to clients and to the regulating body, a selling point that many companies in other states are implementing as well.

While more jurisdictions are sure to follow New York’s lead in the future, the financial and debt services sectors are not waiting. Driven by a demand for increased consumer protection and the subsequent need for transparency, process servers are being asked for a higher level of accountability and compliance standards outlined by their clients.

“Compliance isn’t just a requirement in New York,” said Kyle Jones of Aristocrat Investigations, who has offices in Kansas, Iowa and Missouri. “We service large accounts in the financial sector. We wouldn’t have that business if our technology wasn’t compliant. Ten of the 12 standards required by one client specifically mentions technology or software.”

ServeManager is a secure, SaaS-product backed by a company that will meet the technology requirements set forth by high volume financial clients or law firms. In addition to GPS-verified attempts with timestamps ServeManager allows the process server in the field to take photos and upload them to the job records.

Reason №2
Collaboration

Many process servers provide their clients with email or job updates via a client portal. Process servers who use ServeManager can allow their clients to create jobs, upload service documents, download affidavits, supply new service address, see complete job history and much more.

ServeManager allows multiple attorneys and paralegals to have their own accounts and access all the jobs that they are associated with, and even allows you to work with multiple process serving firms.

When a process serving company can update their client from the field and let them know an address is bad or a paper has been served, it doesn’t get more efficient than that.

“Most of our clients prefer contact electronically now,” said Jayne Rauser of Diversified Legal in Atlanta, Georgia. “We used to have paper field sheets that would be turned into the office. Now we’re getting instantaneous information back from the field that we’re immediately able to share with the clients.”

Reason №3
Speed and Efficiency

A recent survey of ServeManager users revealed a significant savings in time and increase in efficiency. Process serving firms save over 25 minutes per job just by using ServeManager. They also report that ServeManager saves them 13 minutes more than their previous software solution.

The survey also found that 96% of process servers who use ServeManager experience an improvement in workflow, with 65% reporting a dramatic improvement.

This improved process and newfound efficiency enables your process servers to serve more papers, faster. They’re also likely to reduce their overhead costs. Over 90% of ServeManager users are saving money in at least one of the following categories: printing, mailing/shipping, IT, computer hardware and payroll.

The companies that are looking at improving their workflow and investing in technology are the types of financially healthy businesses that are going to be able to provide you quality service on a consistent basis for the long term.

By the way, 89% of process serving companies using ServeManager say that their client happiness has improved, with 50% saying their clients are dramatically happier.

Reason №4
Official Affidavits

Most states and courts do not have an official affidavit, and will accept a general-purpose Nationwide affidavit of service. There are a handful of states, however, that have very specific forms that need to be utilized. California, Texas, New Jersey and New York are on that list. Thus far, 20 plus affidavits have been built into the system, making the generation of these documents instantaneous based on the service data.

Additionally, ServeManager allows your process server to share a digital copy of the affidavit after it has been generated. And, in jurisdictions that allow digital signatures, you can have the affidavit in your hand instantaneously.

Reason №5
Security

ServeManager is a secure, cloud-based solution. The level of security that is being employed, is essentially the same as any major banking institution.

With a cloud-based solution, not only do your process servers not need to worry about keeping their software updated, they don’t need to worry about hardware and back-ups. So, you can check Disaster Recovery off the list. That’s done for them so they can focus on running their business, not managing their technology.

Reason №6
Law is Adopting the Cloud

A recent LexisNexis study posted on their Business of Law Blog stated that Law Firms are increasingly moving toward the cloud. Currently, 39% of law firms are using the cloud for legal-related functions and 72% of lawyers believe firms are likely to look to the cloud in 2014 when it comes to choosing technology solutions.

Source: LexisNexis

So, what does this mean for process servers? First of all, if your clients are moving that direction, you should take notice. Second, if you’re concerned about security, who else to follow than law firms. Third, integration. Cloud solutions are spring-loaded to connect with one another. The ease in which two cloud based solutions can talk to one another securely is much greater and has fewer logistical issues than getting legacy system to to integrate. Or, a legacy system to integrate with a cloud solution.

There certainly are larger process serving firms that have created sophisticated software systems. But, is it as credible for them to be managing the data you need to be auditing? Or, should this be managed by a third party, like the state of New York requires?

Reason №7
Support and Training

ServeManager was created by the company that created ServeNow.com, a trusted network of professional process servers. Since 2003, ServeNow has been working working with process servers and supporting the industry with educational content and tools to run their businesses.

The ServeManager team includes an in-house development team and support staff dedicated to user success. Weekly training webinars are available to all new customers and an ongoing Pro Series has been created to help process servers improve their processes.

Summary

In summary, it’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when process servers across the board will be required to utilize a third party software application like ServerManager to track their jobs and store their service data.

The forward thinking companies that are utilizing this type of technology now are going to be best suited to support your service of process needs in the long run. They are going to be the one’s that help define the de facto standards or regional requirements, but most importantly they’re the ones that are going to protect your business and are focused on customer service.