CASE STUDY
AmLaw 200 Firm Shifts to Work-Cell Environment,
Captures 24% in Cost Savings while Substantially
Improving Operational Efficiency
Problem: This 320 attorney, AmLaw 200, Houston-based firm was in the throes of implementing a
“work-cell” environment for their secretaries per practice area. The restructuring of staff and office layout
required a different output strategy to be deployed in order to provide the tools and technology within close
proximity to the work-cells, while also looking to reduce expenses. However, the firm had several expiration
dates for their existing multi-function devices, requiring a creative plan for addressing replacements that
also substantially improved the convenience and efficiency for the new work-cell environment.
Solution: The firm hired Mattern & Associates for a two-pronged project. The first was to assist in the
selection, procurement and negotiation of a multi-function printer (MFPs) fleet agreement that would best
support these newly created work-cells. The second was that as the MFPs were being rolled out throughout
the various offices, Mattern would conduct an on-site assessment, develop and manage a customized
Request for Proposal process, and negotiate an extremely competitive contract for the firm’s multi-function
devices (MFDs) that addressed the overall output strategy for the firm. These steps would help the firm
decipher the best options available.
Result: After reviewing the newly held recommendations, the firm decided to retain their service provider.
However, new agreements were negotiated that addressed the output strategy firm-wide, allowing the firm
to have appropriate standardization throughout. The negotiations gave way for:
•A single expiration date every five years for the total fleet of MFDs
•Replacement of most MFDs with new devices
•Absorption of approximately $243,329 in buyouts
•Flexibility for the deletion or upgrade/downgrade of 40% of the devices
•Established penalty-based performance standards for service response times and up-time
These new adjustments allowed for a projected savings of $149,090 in the first year--overall allowing for the
firm to achieve a total savings of 24%.
Client Takeaway: “Very satisfied with the work of the Mattern Team. Reduced costs and increased
efficiencies resulted from their work.”
Mattern & Associates
223 Wilmington/
West Chester Pike
Suite 104
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
(610) 459-7750
www.matternassoc.com