Often times, the old way of doing things is better than the new way. Just ask your grandmother how she feels about instant mashed potatoes compared to her homemade made from scratch spuds and you’ll get an idea of why the old way isn’t necessarily better than the new! However when it comes to modern day business practices, the old way of doing things can actually be counter productive. In fact, clinging to outdated business practices and refusing to change with the times can hurt a business in more ways than one.
Seemingly small and mundane day to day business practices such as filing are a big part of the big picture! Although these tasks may not seem like a big deal, the amount of time required to do them and do them properly can add up. This is where the new way of doing things can really make a difference.
What is document scanning?
Document scanning is a new way of doing old, tedious tasks such as filing, organizing, and storing important documents. Also known as document imaging, document scanning can be described as the process of creating a digital image of a paper document. The process of document scanning requires hardware equipped with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. Document scanning can be used to support or replace a number of day to day business tasks such as faxing and filing.
Here are five big benefits of document scanning and why all small businesses need to get on board!
Save time and therefore money
Digital document management makes it easier than ever to access important documents and files with a simple click of a button. Say goodbye to wasting time rifling through file cabinets and boxes searching for an important document. The time it takes to locate documents can add up and can put a cork in your overall workflow.
Room to grow
File cabinets can take up a lot of space that could otherwise be used for more important things. With electronic file storage however, the use of file cabinets for paper documents is completely unnecessary. This allows you to put the space to good use rather than having to use it for storage.
Even better customer service
Although the new of storing documents is far more efficient than the old way, nothing beats good old fashioned customer service. Document scanning allows you to better serve your customers. Digital documents allow you quickly locate important customer documents such as contracts, receipts, invoices, and more. As such, you and your employees can provide prompt customer service while operating with a high degree of accuracy.
Environmentally friendly
In the old days, environmental practices were pretty much nonexistent. Today however, more and more businesses today are not only adopting more environmentally responsible practices but they are making them mandatory. Without the need for paper documents, document scanning allows your business to do its part in the fight for environmental preservation.
Improved security
Digital documents containing sensitive material or confidential information can be password protected, unlike paper documents stored in file cabinet. This offers a higher degree of confidentiality and security, which is extremely important for businesses or industries that are required to uphold federal privacy regulation.