From our first bankruptcy filing to valuable partnerships, new features, and pizza parties, 2016 was a big year for the NextChapter team!
What did we ship in 2016? Everything! NextChapter officially launched and filed the first bankruptcy case on January 20, 2016. Since then, we’ve grown 15% month-over-month. Take a look at our transparency report to see what we accomplished in 2016.
WHAT WE DID IN 2016
Built Awesome Features
Although we’ve been building NextChapter for the past few years, 2016 was the year we got to set it free in the wild. We unveiled more than 50 big features and conducted 1,100 small fixes, bugs, and user requests.
We released many new features: Common Creditors, Smart Income Calculators, ECF Integration, Chapter 13 Calculators, Preview Button, Client Document Storage, Innovative Dashboards, Easy Onboarding, Advanced Algorithms and In-App Calculators
In addition to the features we’ve built, we have focused our energy on our user requests and customization in the app.
Added powerful integrations
With a growing customer base, we knew it wouldn’t be long before our attorneys would ask for integrations with NextChapter.
Clio Integration
Clio helps lawyers build a better practice by being a comprehensive, yet easy-to-use cloud-based law practice management software. Together with Clio, we make it easy to manage bankruptcy matters, contacts and more.
Credit Report Integration
Import credit reports directly into the schedules by pulling a credit report for your client through NextChapter's seamless credit report integration.
We've partnered with Universal Credit Services (UCS) to pull reports for your clients. When you order a report through NextChapter, we automatically import the creditor data directly into NextChapter from a tri-merged report from all 3 bureaus: Transunion®, Equifax ® & Experian®.
Focused on Customer Success
We love our users! Without you, we wouldn’t be here so we spent the year showing how much we care by sending hand-written cards, cupcakes, notebooks, succulent desk plants and even pizza parties.
At NextChapter, we focus on Customer Success every single day. We provide 24-hour chat services and have an average response time of 2 minutes. In addition to chat, we give one-on-one demos, training webinars and even put the learning in the hands of our users with easy onboarding tutorials and training guides.
Pledged to Give Back
In 2016 the NextChapter team announced our integrated philanthropy model and delivered on providing 1% of time, equity and product to those less fortunate by allowing attorneys to use NextChapter for free for their pro bono cases.
We’ve started working with legal aid and pro bono organizations across the U.S. and in 2017, we hope to expand our reach in the pro bono community and form more partnerships so we can provide our services to those who truly need it.
Started a Tradition
After working remotely together for two years, we decided it was time to all meet face-to-face. In February, we had our Inaugural Team Retreat in the Columbus, Ohio headquarters where we all got together for three days bonding and brainstorming over NextChapter’s purpose and position in the legal space.
A look into the future:
Where will NextChapter go in 2017?
Artificial Intelligence for Bankruptcy Attorneys​
The more you use NextChapter, the better the system gets. One thing that has been gaining a lot of attention in the legal tech space is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in computing. Simply put, artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science that develops computers that can perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence. Meaning, the more you teach the software, the better it will cater to your needs as a user. At NextChapter, we are excited to use AI in the bankruptcy software space to allow attorneys to prepare bankruptcies smarter and faster. We plan to discuss more of this in the coming year.
More Free Bankruptcies
In 2017, we hope to work with legal aid organizations, bar associations and attorneys doing pro bono cases to provide free bankruptcies for as many people as we can. We will also be building a pro bono directory to help consumers find the help they need.
More Integrations
At NextChapter, we truly value our relationships with our partners and hope that by collaborating together, we can provide meaningful solutions in the legal space. Over the next year we plan to build more integrations that will help attorneys prepare and file bankruptcies and manage their firm more efficiently.
More Features
In just a few weeks we will be sharing our biggest release yet. And although Winter ’17 Release has several highly anticipated features, I have a feeling Spring ’17 Release will be the one that blows everyone away. This release will come in line with NACBA‘s 25th Annual Convention where we are set to exhibit for the first time. If you're attending, be sure to let us know so we can meet up.
We can’t wait to share all of the exciting new developments for the new year. Thanks for always sticking by our side and helping us create the online bankruptcy program of your dreams. We couldn’t do it all without you!
Cheers to a healthy, happy and fulfilling 2017!
