We've been in the eDiscovery business for twenty (yep, you read that right...twenty!) years, and we've picked up a few secrets along the way. The reality is that we're small and we're going to stay that way. Here are a few things we've noticed while competing with giants and weathering the mergers & acquisitions of eDiscovery's recent past.
How to Stay Small
It’s hard to stay small in this industry but we’ve done it, and that’s because we’re not willing to give up on quality. We have superb project managers, incredible folks working in our lab, and we aren’t really interested in merging with anyone. We are programmers, computer scientists, and we have outlasted the mergers and acquisitions that happen on a daily basis. It’s because we pour all our efforts into making sure that you – the customer – are getting what you need.
"Bigger is Better" is a Myth
The assumption is that industry giants offer the most reliable solutions, and it’s a fair one. We definitely use that thought whenever we purchase from Amazon or Walmart. But here’s a secret: most large eDiscovery provider don’t own their own platforms. They resell tools through middlemen – and we all know what “middle” means (yep, more cost). We also know that customer service can be pretty tricky with bigger companies (anyone ever try to get Amazon help on the phone? IYKYK). We’ve also seen customers get unexpectedly large bills for the per-gigabyte fees in these larger platforms and who are shocked when they find out that we own our process start to finish, and that we don’t charge by the gigabyte.
You Don't Spend on Marketing?
Nope. And yet, we’re still here. How is that possible?
Because we put our resources into excellent project management, superior work by our laboratory, and truly innovative solutions by our research and development team. The tools we use (and that we create) are to specifically help customers with thorny data and review problems.
The Real Cost of Doing it All
Anyone who has been a solo practitioner knows that it’s not just about the cases. We know well how many roles we take – expert, troubleshooter, customer service rep, and sometimes the IT guy who’s resetting passwords. Another secret of being small? We’re the last line of defense. If we make a mistake, we can’t blame the platform, the middleman vendor – we fix it and we do it ourselves and we do it right away..
Others with Outlast Power
Avansic isn’t alone in this fight. Plenty of small businesses have survived—even thrived—despite bigger competitors trying to steamroll them.
🎸 Fender Guitars – Competing against massive music brands, Fender has kept its legacy alive for decades by sticking to quality, craftsmanship, and loyalty to its users.
🥤 Dr Pepper – While Coca-Cola and Pepsi dominate the market, Dr Pepper has survived by being different — a unique product with a loyal following.
📚 Powell’s Books – This independent bookstore in Portland has outlived corporate bookstores by focusing on community engagement rather than cutthroat retail tactics.
Avansic follows the same formula: stay true to what you do best, let the work speak for itself.
Final Thoughts
We are never going to have the biggest booth at the legal tech expo. Heck, we might not even be there at all. We don’t sponsor awards or lunches. But we do have a team of experts who care about our clients success. That’s why we’re still here after 20 years, and that’s why we will continue to be here.
Do you want to work with an eDiscovery provider that actually picks up the phone? Contact us at experts@avansic.com.