About the client

Smith Stone Walters is an immigration specialist firm that supports businesses and individuals with relocating staff into the UK and EU countries. Their services cover a wide range of immigration processes, with a major focus on managing immigration applications and permits for employees on behalf of their corporate clients.

The challenge

Smith Stone Walters had been using a bespoke case management system developed in 2012. While it had served the business well, it was built on outdated technology and no longer met modern requirements for:

• A streamlined, user-friendly interface.
• Enhanced security and compliance with current data protection standards.
• Flexible workflows that could adapt to the complexity of different immigration processes.
• Greater transparency for clients through access to case progress and documents.

A rebuild was required to modernise the system, improve efficiency and deliver a more professional experience for both staff and customers.

The solution

Hero worked with Smith Stone Walters to rebuild their case management platform as two integrated web applications connected by a secure API:

• Internal case management system: Used daily by staff to create and manage cases, monitor progress, generate documents and track actions. Flexible workflows guide team members through each stage of a case, prompting actions or providing tools depending on case details.
• Customer portal: Provides clients with an overview of their cases and secure access to documents. Notifications are automatically sent to customers when new documents are available.

Key features include:

• Workflow automation: Cases move through key stages with system prompts and reminders, reducing manual oversight.
• Document management: Case-specific data can be used to generate professional documents, reducing errors and speeding up delivery.
• Role-based permissions: A complex access control model ensures staff only work on cases aligned with their office, country, case type or experience level. Permissions cascade to team colleagues, ensuring collaboration while protecting sensitive data.
• Quality assurance: Built-in tools allow documents to be flagged for secondary checks by senior staff before release.

The impact

• A modernised case management system has been delivered, with improved usability and security.
• Workflows have been streamlined, reducing time and effort required to manage complex immigration cases.
• Customer service has improved through a professional client portal with real-time access to updates and documents.
• Compliance and data protection have both increased through advanced role-based permissions and audit trails.
• A scalable system has been produced, that supports future growth and changing immigration requirements.