Uks largest ever Microsoft digital dictation installation

nFlow announce the single biggest digital dictation installation yet performed in the UK on Microsoft Terminal Services. Top law firm Ashfords report a “very positive” response from users.

nFlow, a leading supplier of digital dictation solutions today announced that Ashfords, one of the UK’s Top 100 law firms, has completed the roll out of nFlow digital dictation to 350 users throughout its 6 offices in the South West. The decision to select nFlow was largely based on the software’s unique ability to use distributed audio stores and localised caching in a thin client environment. This allowed Ashfords to run their digital dictation software solution entirely in a Terminal Services environment on link speeds that called in to question the viability of competing solutions. The installation is believed to be biggest Terminal Services installation of its kind and once again reinforces the unique strength nFlow have in enabling digital dictation to work in a thin client environment without requiring upgrades or affecting user experience.

Mike West, Ashfords IT Manager, stated “We evaluated all the leading suppliers on the market comparing functionality, cost, service and support. Ultimately nFlow were deemed the strongest supplier across many fronts but it was their unique ability and understanding in the thin client environment that swayed our decision. The distributed audio stores allowed us to centralise the application on our Terminal Servers without streamed audio data clogging up the bandwidth between the servers and remote sites. In addition the systems local caching technology means the user experience in terms response to handset or footpedal operation is unaffected by the loads on the links. In practice this means I don’t have users complaining about the reaction times of the system or the audio quality just because the link had been temporarily loaded with extra data. With all that said, nFlow’s reputation for customer focus also came out in selection and I have to say that we enjoy an excellent working relationship with them.”

Phase one of the project involved full roll out to 240 users with phase two then rolling out to a further 110 users. Prior to reviewing nFlow Ashfords believed they would need to install a digital dictation solution in their Tiverton office on the standard Windows desktop because of the available bandwidth or incur more cost by upgrading the link. nFlow digital dictation’s ability to have distributed audio stores in the thin client environment gave the firm the option to run a rich application in their Terminal Services environment without incurring link upgrade costs. It has also demonstrated that the bandwidth availability, in the case of sudden peak loads on the link, does not impact user experience by introducing latency or audio degradation.

Ashfords have also installed the telephony dictation interface (TDI) component of the nFlow Mobile Suite for remote workers. This allows them to use any phone to call in and record dictations that get routed immediately for typing as soon as complete. Wendy Clarke, Ashfords Product Development Manager added, “The response from users has been very positive and application performance in the Terminal Services environment high quality and consistent. We have asked for tweaks to the system and found nFlow extremely flexible, friendly and cooperative.”

Rob Lancashire, nFlow Sales & Marketing Director commented “It has become evident that with little differential in the basic digital dictation functionality firm’s are now basing their digital dictation purchasing decisions on a few key areas including technology and reputation for customer service. Our ability to deliver an advanced and innovative solution in a thin client environment is unrivalled and is currently the reason behind a number of firm’s decisions. Head to head testing against a competitive solution in a virtual environment at accountancy practice PKF demonstrated nFlow’s ability to perform perfectly despite extreme network loading conditions and seamlessly recover when the link was purposefully broken. Ashfords joins a growing community of large Terminal Services sites who have chosen nFlow for the scalable and resilient way it can deploy in the thin client environment. Furthermore with a 100% client retention rate, excellent references, a demonstrable investment in new .Net technology, award winning customer support and most of all a straight forward, no nonsense approach, more and more firms are rejecting alternatives and choosing to join the nFlow user community.”

nFlow Launch 2008 Digital Dictation Conference

nFlow, one of the UK’s leading digital dictation suppliers today announced the launch of the nFlow Annual Conference kindly hosted by Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP, London. The conference is set to take place over the 4th & 5th June, with nFlow opening up the wide range of sessions and content to existing customers as well as law firms and those interested in understanding more about digital dictation, a unique stance for a software vendor. nFlow technology partners, independent industry consultants and journalists will also be participating in the event to ensure well rounded and unbiased content.

Central to the conference will be the launch of nFlow Version 5, the latest digital dictation offering from nFlow. Version 5, nFlow believe, is the future of digital dictation or ‘DDS2’ a phrase they have coined. Designed and developed in conjunction with consultants from Microsoft, Version 5 is an entirely new service orientated architecture built from the ground up utilising the latest best practice for .net, Neil Cameron, keynote speaker at the conference commented, “I am delighted to be hosting a keynote session on the future of digital dictation and looking forward to facilitating some interesting panel sessions on dictation mobility and the role digital dictation plays in disaster recovery. nFlow are a key player in the digital dictation space and the conference promises to be an excellent event for both existing and potential customers.”

Rob Lancashire, nFlow Sales & Marketing Director commented “This year’s conference is building on the success of our inaugural event last year. We have opened the event up to anyone interested in digital dictation as we want to share knowledge and expertise. Customers will have a separate user group session at the start of the conference and then mix in with the remainder of the conference delegates on day 2. I would urge anyone, regardless of existing digital dictation system, to come along as the conference is going to be a great opportunity to gain information and feedback from Microsoft and RIM, leading independent consultants and nFlow staff and user base. The conference also offers excellent networking opportunities, interactive sessions and the opportunity to talk to suppliers of complimentary solutions.”

Delegates can also take advantage of the excellent networking opportunities whilst enjoying an evening champagne reception and dinner cruise along the Thames setting the scene for what promises to be an excellent conference.

The conference will take place at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP, London on the 4th-5th June 2008.

Rix & Kay Solicitors select nFlow Digital Dictation in Swap Out

nFlow, a leading supplier of digital dictation solutions today announced that Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP, a member of LawNet and one of the leading law practices in Sussex, has replaced their incumbent system with nFlow digital dictation software to run across their extensive Citrix environment.  With over 100 users across 3 offices the firm offers services ranging from Corporate and Commercial Property to Private Client, Family and Residential Property. Their decision reflects a growing trend of firms making the switch, as an increasing number recognise the functional and business benefits delivered by the nFlow digital dictation system combined with its market leading performance in Citrix and Terminal Services environments. Furthermore the planned integration of nFlow digital dictation with Rix & Kay’s TFB Practice Management System reinforces nFlow DDS as the best integrated digital dictation system on the market.

John Kay, Rix & Kay Senior Partner and head of I.T. stated “We were overwhelmed by the functionality nFlow could deliver and ultimately this was key to our decision. The performance and the resiliency of the nFlow system in our Citrix environment was beautifully demonstrated when we had two power outages in the space of only a few hours. The system recovered itself perfectly each time with no lost dictation whatsoever!”. Mr Kay continues, “As a practice we have innovative and exciting future plans so it was paramount that nFlow could demonstrate their capabilities in the areas of support and customer focus. This was confirmed by their impressive track record and glowing reference sites as well as our experience of them during the trial period.”

With nFlow’s pioneering Version 5 .net product soon to be released Rix & Kay were keen to understand how the future developments of the product could benefit the firm. Lee Dadswell, IT Manager commented “We were concerned that our existing system may have reached its maximum potential and might not be able to deliver the functionality required by the firm in the future. We were aware that nFlow invest heavily in research and development and that the impending Version 5 .net Product had a wide range of planned features that we could benefit from. As a result we were confident that nFlow digital dictation software would not only meet our current demands but would also meet those of the future.”

Rob Lancashire, nFlow Sales & Marketing Director said “We spend a lot of time and money researching and developing our product set and continually look to our customer base for feedback and recommendations. Rix & Kay’s decision to replace SPS with nFlow validates our process and highlights that nFlow DDS is the preferred digital dictation product for innovative and progressive law firms now and in the future.”