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| www.incspot.comContact UsArchive | August/September 2007 |
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Registered Agent 2.0 by Stephen Butler, Director of Marketing Much like the evolution of the Internet from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0, registered agent services have begun to experience significant changes – all for the benefit of the customer. Quickly vanishing are the days that you should look to a service company to simply act as your registered agent by providing mail-forwarding of your Service of Process (SOP). Because of developments in technology and service, you should demand more from your service providers. In recent years, customers have seen the introduction of many new services by their registered agent service provider including national coverage, electronic delivery for SOP (typically PDF images), online history of SOP, online calendar for tax compliance, as well as some basic entity information presented online. These offerings, while helpful, are merely extensions of services that most registered agent companies have been providing for decades and do not constitute a true evolution in service delivery. So what is the real difference between Registered Agent 1.0 and Registered Agent 2.0? Registered Agent 2.0 can be characterized in a number of ways, but the following chart outlines several of the key differentiators:
Same-day, electronic delivery of SOP: Mail-forwarding of SOP is truly the foundation of the service provided by a registered agent, but in today’s technologically advanced environment placing the documents into an overnight courier package simply does not provide you with the best service. Immediately scanning and indexing these documents and emailing or posting them online provides you with quicker access to your information. In fact, by utilizing Optical Character Recognition (OCR), these documents can be transformed from un-searchable images into full-text documents enabling you to search for specific words, word strings or characters. XML feeds directly into 3rd party applications: Extensible Markup Language (or XML), a tools that facilitates the sharing of data across different applications, can leverage your existing systems by eliminating the need to re-key information. Many of the documents that are received or managed by a registered agent service provider – such as SOP documents, invoices, matter data and documents, etc. – are perfect candidates for XML feeds. These XML feeds will then seamlessly integrate your documents directly into your third party or custom software applications. Collaboration tools: The proliferation of email has been a blessing for business – quick and simple communication with your co-workers. However, the flat side of email has become more and more evident, particularly in the legal world. Today, document file sizes are measured in multiple megabytes that often clog mail servers; audit controls and document versioning are difficult at best; and collaboration simply does not exist. The tools that registered agents provide are a natural fit for enabling collaboration around recent litigation, matters, contracts, merger and acquisition deals, etc. System-generated, automated updates: An automatic update, or “push technology,” is not new; its origins date back to the mid-1990s, however it is beginning to experience a revival in certain niche applications. Registered agent service companies looking to provide customers with information that they need at the time they need it are beginning to send updates directly from the system that notify users of status changes of their transactions, alerts of compliance activities, or notification of SOP. These notifications are particularly helpful for those that have many transactions or deals in the works and cannot afford the time to conduct searches for answers online. Multiple source; single dashboard tool: The rise of applications that address niche needs within the law department brought many new innovations. However, attorneys now struggle with 4, 5, even 6 different systems that are designed to assist with entity compliance, board communications, matter management, patent applications, trademark searches, brand protection, etc. In the Registered Agent 2.0 era this is addressed in a two tiered approach: 1) seamlessly integrated applications where data and information flow between and into each of the various systems and 2) the introduction of dashboard technology that enables users to view, analyze and act upon trends and information as it occurs (read more about dashboards by clicking here). At CSC, we are uniquely positioned to help you leverage the full potential of all these new innovations that are part of the evolution to Registered Agent 2.0. We were the first and remain the only company to introduce 100% scanned and OCR’d service of process for each one of our customers. We have been providing XML solutions for our customers for more than 7 years and are the only company with the infrastructure to support seamless XML. Several of our systems provide robust collaborative tools to enhance communication among your team. Any client can request automatic notifications of status changes for orders that have been placed with CSC. And, CSC again pioneered the industry with the introduction of a fully integrated dashboard solution. Contact us to learn how we can help you today by calling 800-927-9800 or emailing switch@cscinfo.com. |
Corporation Service Company® • 2711 Centerville Road • Wilmington, DE 19808 • 800-927-9800 CSCFlash™ is not intended to provide legal or professional advice. If such advice is required, you should seek the services of an attorney or other professional. CSC cannot guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information in CSCFlash. |