Hybrid work, AI, and real-time collaboration are here, is your infrastructure fit for the future?
Only a decade ago, the legal and finance world saw technology as a supporting act, remote access was a luxury and collaboration meant conference rooms and paper trails. Then came 2020, and overnight, Teams calls replaced boardrooms, digital portals became lifelines, and the pace of change accelerated beyond expectations.
Today, clients demand real-time updates, seamless collaboration, and uncompromising security, whilst internal talent expects flexibility, and tools for speed and efficiency. The stakes couldn’t be higher, modern infrastructure isn’t just an upgrade, it’s the foundation for competitiveness, even enabling smaller firms to challenge industry giants and giving large organisations the edge to attract and retain the brightest minds.
Legacy systems are holding firms back
For many legal and finance organisations, the technology that once felt revolutionary now feels painfully slow. Outdated infrastructure struggles to support hybrid working, real-time collaboration, and AI-driven processes. Bottlenecks appear everywhere, from lawyers waiting for case files to load via remote access, to finance teams juggling siloed data across multiple platforms. These inefficiencies don’t just frustrate employees, they erode client trust and create compliance risks.
What was advanced is now table stakes
Before COVID-19, remote access and basic digital portals were considered progressive. Today, they’re the bare minimum. Clients expect access on demand, instant updates and secure platforms. Talent wants tools that make their job quicker and allows them to focus on value-add work. Firms that cling to legacy systems look slow, are less secure, and ultimately, out of touch. In a market where reputation is everything, this perception is costly.
According to a recent CIPD survey, nearly three-quarters of organisations now offer hybrid working — and the benefits speak for themselves: better talent retention, access to a wider pool of candidates, and happier employees. Making this possible isn’t a nice-to-have anymore; it relies on modern infrastructure and has become essential for staying competitive.
So, how can you make sure your infrastructure is your strategic advantage?
Underpinning modern ways of working
The real game-changer isn’t just speed; it’s the flexibility, insight and resilience that comes with modern infrastructure. The right foundation doesn’t just enable AI adoption; it underpins modern ways of working.
Think seamless hybrid collaboration where lawyers can securely access case files from home without waiting for clunky VPNs, or finance teams running real-time analytics during client calls without system lag.
Tools like Teams Calling with integrated recording and analytics become effortless when supported by robust infrastructure, no more makeshift workarounds from the COVID era. Instead, firms gain clear, actionable insights: how long clients wait, how many calls are missed, and when peak demand hits throughout the month.
Smaller firms can punch above their weight, using cloud to access enterprise-grade security and performance without the overhead of on-prem systems. Larger organisations, meanwhile, can future-proof operations, reduce technical debt, and create digital-first environments that attract top talent.
The reality firms face
For many firms, the reality is far from seamless. In legal, legacy processes still dominate, paper-heavy workflows and manual data entry create inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Even where CMS or DMS systems exist, they’re often tied to outdated infrastructure, forcing staff to rely on slow remote access tools. This results in long load times, laboured remote working, and frustrated teams.
Although financial firms may seem further along the roadmap, research suggests the sector is still more cautious than other industries. A report, AI in Banking: Big ambitions, broken foundations, surveyed 150 UK banking innovation leaders and discovered 63 percent think AI in finance is “going nowhere fast” without real-time access to quality data, while 79% agree that strong data foundations are essential to compete in an AI-driven world. SaaScada president, Steve Round said “ultimately, you can’t build the future on foundations from the past.”
Without a modern foundation, even the smartest AI applications or collaboration tools can’t deliver their full potential.
Navigating your infrastructure decisions
Navigating cloud solutions, cyber security, connectivity and communications can be complex. By partnering with a Managed Service Provider, organisation can make sure they operate securely and effectively, growing their business while mitigating risks that come with scale and innovation.
Talk to an expert to learn how Redcentric can help your firm build right foundations for innovation.
