With millions of South Africans working from home, among the first-hand discoveries many businesses are likely to be making is the limitation imposed on their processes due to their dependence on hard-copy documentation.
When it comes to getting information down and conveyed to remote teams who are servicing customers, going paperless and taking your business into the digital age is key.
Mark Elliott of BSI Integrated Applications understands that digital transformation is a business trend that is daunting for many businesses, regardless of their size.
The good news is that going paperless is simple for most businesses and there has never been a more opportune time for those companies that have yet to digitise their data and processes to re-evaluate their needs and get on board with cost-effective digital solutions.
“Going paperless may seem like a small step, but it will streamline key processes by drastically reducing the need for paper documents while maintaining security of client money and data. And critically, it will also help ensure the smooth running of services for clients at this crucial time,” Mark says.
To introduce digital technology in your business, here are five ways a solid content management platform and shopfront can better improve performance in your business:
Instant, simultaneous availability, anywhere, anytime
When companies have their data digitised and in a content management system, information access is instantaneous.
With improved connectivity and continuity in the workplace, huge volumes of structured and unstructured data can be scanned, indexed, classified and made quickly searchable to users.
A remote workforce poses no challenge – hundreds of specific documents can be called up with a few keystrokes and multiple people can view the same documents simultaneously on any connected device. Plus, collaborating on document changes can promote teamwork.
Efficiency off the charts
While going paperless (or as close to it as possible) significantly boosts an entity’s efficiency and organisation quotient, the technology’s true impact is in the delivery of an excellent customer experience.
A digital shop window can be massively more efficient when it comes to providing customer service with automation such as online bookings, online check-in, online quotations and even customer history shortening the time between the initial call and solving the customer’s issues.
This all results in higher customer satisfaction and more repeat business. And running an efficient operation that delights customers also means competitors have less of an opportunity to get a foothold on your customer accounts.
Social distancing made effortless
In our current COVID-19 environment, paper is the enemy. The physical transfer of documentation from one coworker to another is still happening and it is often essential but that doesn’t make it wise.
While so much remains unknown about the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, it is “a sticky virus” and it has been shown to live on paper for up to 24 hours. So why take the risk of contaminating oneself or coworkers by sharing paper documents?
A digital management system means social distancing is maintained, no face mask or gloves required.
In addition, if there’s no physical documentation being transferred from one desk to another, employees stay at their workstations. The technology facilitates the movement and interaction of information between departments, not people.
Increased security
There’s no question about it: in this age of customer data protection, digital documentation is miles more secure than paper.
Online, data is easily encrypted, boosting cyber security and keeping your business safe. Information stored in a highly secure system is unreadable except by those who have been granted explicit permission. Tailorable administrator controls are also available so accessibility can be made bespoke for each user within a business.
Money Savings Galore
Whether they are in a cherrywood file cabinet in corner offices, a lockup safe or offsite in a storage unit, there is no question that housing paper files costs money. Lengthy searches for documents eat valuable resources and finally, there’s the loss of potential revenue that stems from locating a specific document or piece of data at the time an opportunity presented itself.
Going paperless is all about running your business more efficiently. It’s about reducing the amount of time you and your employees spend on paper-based administrative activities and discovering what can be gained through new technologies.
By taking small steps to introduce digital transformation, it is possible that businesses that have had to go fully remote due to the Coronavirus can refocus their efforts on growth, not just recovery.
