This blog is an updated version of a blog previously published by Xenith in April 2017: 4 Benefits of Going Digital with Document Workflows
Digital solutions and advancements are at an all time high and while the paperless world might not be a complete reality, our reliance upon paper is decreasing.
With this, there are a number of reasons that modern businesses are moving towards digital documentation; the ability to access information quickly, the ease of creating multiple copies, working on collaborative documents and backup and security of documents, to name a few.
Although moving to become entirely digital might still be seen as a risk to some, digitising certain processes and document workflows can reduce cost, wasted time and even increase productivity. In many cases, identifying the workflows to digitise is a struggle in itself, and a good place to start is either the most repetitive processes or the most error prone or wasteful ones.
If digitising some of your company’s processes is on the agenda for 2019, here are some of the key benefits for doing so:
1) Improved customer experience
Customers expect good service and experiences. While customers can be forgiving, document workflows can slow down a customer interaction or even spoil it!
Consider all of the times you have been subject to poor customer service where documentation has played a significant role; the contract is in the post but it never turns up for you to sign; your paper receipt is lost so you have no proof of purchase. etc. etc.
By digitising these processes and document workflows, you can benefit from faster communications and processes with customers, making the customer journey better and easier for all involved!
2) Increased employee productivity
In many job roles, the ability to share and digest information quickly and on the go is vital. Without important information, it’s possible for employees to fall behind on tasks and see their productivity take a significant hit.
Sharing information through hard-copy pieces of paper is slow and working collaboratively on a document is even more difficult. Paper has no version control or audit trail tracking.
By digitising document workflows, such data can be shared throughout the business, instantly and regardless of location, and productivity can increase as a result.
3) Reduction in overheads and increased revenue
Paper processes can be expensive and time-consuming, especially where printing isn’t a necessity. By identifying common, heavy paper processes within the business, it’s possible to review the process and work out which bits can be digitised.
By removing the heavy paper processes from the business, you can save on print costs and increase the time that employees spend on higher value tasks, rather than printing and filing documents.
A good MPS or digital solutions provider can guide you through this process to ensure you make the most out of it and get the highest return on investment.
4) Improved compliance and security
Remaining compliant is a constant challenge - particularly with an increasing number of laws and industry-specific regulations like the recently implemented General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Security can often be a roadblock for digitisation based on compliance and the fear that data being stored digitally can somehow be hacked or accessed. In fact, storing data digitally can help a company remain compliant with data protection laws so long as it’s set up properly.
As digital documents can be locked down, have a clear audit trail and can be backed up in multiple secure places, they are actually very secure.
Without the correct procedures in place, paper documents can be a risk to companies, especially where employees can access and print sensitive data and take it outside of the business. By keeping certain information digital and locked down, accidental sharing of data can be reduced.
BONUS Benefit: Document Workflow Automation
Workflow automation technology allows automation of high value, high volume activities such as data capture, data validation, look-ups and data distribution. This eliminates the need for administrative work and speeds up processing time. As a result, businesses also see a reduction in errors stemming from manual errors and improved data quality.
Beyond all of these benefits, It’s also important to remember that digital document workflows allow for business continuity if a disaster happens, where paper doesn’t.
By using a reputed MPS partner, you can be assured that the service will meet compliance targets and government legislation and help to disaster proof your processes.
There are many challenges surrounding the digitisation of document workflows, some of which lie within the culture of the business, others are based on time and cost. However, if the four benefits above resonate throughout the organisation, businesses stand a far greater chance of fostering a culture that invests deeply in digitisation.