Going paperless brings along numerous benefits which include simplifying your workflow, saving you time and money, and saving the environment at large.
Despite all the benefits, most businesses are still yet to embrace the paperless system—with the few already in the system, reaping unequaled benefits especially when it comes to staying ahead of the competition.
You’ll most likely agree with me that it’s almost a normal practice to see unnecessary paper printing even in your organization—a practice that eventually surges your operating expenses. However, you can cut down all the unnecessary expenses by going paperless regardless of the size of your business or company.
Ready for the transition? Consider the following ways to ensure a smooth transition into the paperless world:
EASY TIPS FOR GOING PAPERLESS
Start with Paperless Meetings
Of course, you’ll have to engage your workforce in the intended transition by training them and also working hard to instill the new culture in them. Holding paperless meetings is a good way to start out on the entire process.
Encourage the use of phones and tablets with regard to minute-taking.
Consider Moving Your Business to the Cloud
This allows for cloud data storage which implies that your workforce can access any work-related information from anywhere using any device—a practice that saves you time and money.
Remote information access also enables your employees to work from anywhere thus improving their productivity and the company’s overall output.
Encourage Scanning of Documents
Scanning is a good way to cut down on paper usage. Encourage your employees to scan every single work-related documents they receive—this helps to curb data lose related issues and also ensures the safety of your company’s vital information.
Scanned and electronically filed documents also save you and your employees time when it comes to locating the much-needed information or files.
Remember you can instill the scanning culture in your workforce in a number of ways including cutting down on the number of photocopier machines in your organization, as well as rewarding your employees’ efforts with regard to document scanning.
Embrace the Use of Online Forms
Technological advancements are changing the way businesses operate—which means that it has also become a necessity for every business to have an online platform where they can easily interact with customers.
Having online forms is such one effective way to address your customer’s concerns and queries thus boosting their confidence with regard to the prompt responses they receive.
No client or user would want to go through the stress of filling up physical forms and then queuing to get support—it’s obviously a tedious process. And sometimes it even makes clients feel offended in the manner in which they’re handled.
Stay ahead of the competition by ensuring prompt feedbacks to your clients—simply embrace the use of online forms as this also ensures personalized feedback. It won’t cost you anything to add forms for every purpose. In fact, you can take advantage of free resources such as EmailMeForm to add forms in mere minutes.
Adopt Electronic Signatures
Why waste time printing, appending signatures, and then having the document scanned before sending it to the intended party? Electronic signatures / esign softwares save you time; which is an essential resource when it comes to boosting your company’s overall output.
As a matter of fact, the practice also saves you money since you don’t have to print papers every time you send out formal documents that require your authorization.
Conclusion
Going paperless can be relatively a slow or quick process depending on the mechanisms you put in place as a company. However, note that it’s not an overnight transition process.
Embracing the paperless system will help you remain financially competitive in this fast-changing business world while also enhancing your employees’ productivity—and you know what that means: a big boost in productivity.
Author Bio: Deborah Tayloe is a blogger and freelancer who often writes for EmailMeForm. When she’s not blogging, you’ll probably find Deborah working on DIY projects around her home in North Carolina.