At McDonald Jacobs, the push toward technology developed in the late 1980s. Jacobs and another young partner attended a microcomputer conference, quickly realized that to stay competitive the firm would have to computerize, and then hired a consultant to help develop an office strategy. The partners really led the charge. Jacobs also believes the firm's focus on internal technological innovation helps it attract the right kind of clients. When we pitch a client, we talk about how we do business and how we're positioning our firm.
Some prospective clients find that very appealing.
As opposed to the less profitable prospects who are just getting by. Those are not the kind of firms we're trying to build our practice on. In-house technologies also often translate into new business opportunities. And McDonald Jacobs has been communicating electronically within the firm since the late 1980s. Now that every employee has access to the Internet, more clients are starting to use e-mail as a way to keep in touch with the firm.