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There’s no denying that data is what makes the business world go around

And in a world that is reliant on technology to get everyday tasks done, businesses need to embrace digital processes – or risk being left behind, according to document scanning expert, Pearl Scan.

The company, which has assisted businesses all over the UK make the switch to a digital workplace, has warned firms that are yet to make the jump, that should they wait much longer they run the risk of being overtaken by competitors and perhaps being left at a point of no return.

Streamline management procedures with digital processing

Naveed Ashraf, Managing Director at Pearl Scan Group, said, “In a time of increasing uncertainty in the business sector as a result of the impending Referendum, and the start of a new year, now is the ideal time for businesses to start looking at their current offering, analyse what competitors are doing and look at ways they can streamline, increase production and save money to ensure they can continue to be at the top of their game.”

Moving from paper to digital offers incredible cost-savings which can then be used to fund other digital transformation initiatives, while embracing digital documents and digital document management allows files to be delivered as a hosted service on the cloud. Inevitably offering organisations the opportunity to cut down on storage costs and time wasted searching for documents, the savings seen can be company-defining.

The move towards digital has also been proven to support organisations in a number of non-monetary focussed ways. In addition to cost savings, moving towards digital processes offers organisations the opportunity to streamline management procedures and make it simpler for employees to find the information they need, when they need it, while also offering them the opportunity to deliver a better customer experience. Unlike with paper documents, customers are able to interactively engage with digital files, while companies can personalise them depending on customer preference and package purchased.

The advantages of scanning documents for a digital conversion

In an era where data breaches pose a significant risk, there has been a lot of talk about the security risks associated with digital data, resulting in companies being under an increasing amount of pressure to ensure their data, and in particular, their customer data, is secure. But digital documents offer security advantages for businesses that in this day and age are highly valued by customers. Digital documents can be protected in numerous ways, with encryption and secure networks for example, allowing companies to digitally transform while giving peace of mind to customers and enabling them to reap the benefits from day one.

“Despite security concerns, the future of business is undoubtedly cloud storage,” added Naveed. “Operating a cloud-based workplace correctly actually offers increased security for business and customers, while also bringing a myriad of other benefits, such as increased collaboration between staff, flexibility for workers and disaster proofing.”

Businesses hold on to thousands of pieces of paper and manual documents. And as time goes on, these accumulate until there’s multiple filing cabinets overflowing with neglected, but important, files that rarely see the light of day. Easily destroyed, thrown away or lost, these documents not only take up valuable room and cost companies thousands in time spent looking for them, but they are also at very serious risk of the elements.

Earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods are all common. Even in the UK, we are prone to floods, and have even been known to have the odd earthquake. With the weather getting wilder, making sure that important documents are safe and secure cannot be underestimated. So how can you ensure your important, and confidential business documents are kept safe, should disaster strike?

Document management with Cloud

The only sure fire way to keep your documents safe is by turning to digital practices. Some businesses decide to store documents away from offices and disaster-prone areas, such as at external storage facilities. However even if you decide to go down that route, you can’t guarantee that these will be kept safe from catastrophe such as fire or flood. Digitising your paper archive and current documents using a specialist scanner however will remove the need for storage facilities by enabling them to be stored on widely accessible cloud.

It is always worth backing these documents though as a secondary precaution. Although clouds are secure, if their server goes down, it will stop access which can hinder a businesses’ productivity for a time. Using a central server that is either located on or off site however will provide businesses with a secondary platform to access and store data and provide peace of mind. These are great for both large and small businesses as they are cost-effective to maintain, but there is always the risk that they can be damaged from outside elements. In order to combat this, some service providers store data on multiple servers housed at different geographic locations. So even if one of the servers is destroyed, your documents will still be safe as they are stored on other servers too.

The main benefit of backing up your documents digitally is that when you’re back in business, you can quickly recover your documents and resume operations which minimise disruption to both customers and employees.

Looking to disaster proof offices in London? Find out more about document scanning from Pearl Scan.

Poor Paperwork Management Blamed for FSA Sting

A respected hotel in the Isle of Wight was recently shocked when the Food Standards Agency gave them a rating of zero – and has said that a paperwork error was to blame. The George Hotel in Yarmouth used to be a Michelin starred restaurant and has played hosts to celebrity guests.

A rating of zero means that an establishment requires ‘urgent improvement.’ A manager at the hotel has said that an administration problem was the main contributing factor to the unforgiving rating, after the inspection in September. The paperwork error is said to be resolved, but the hotel will have to wait until the next visit to be rated again.

Poor paperwork management has obviously been a recipe for disaster for The George Hotel. Unorganised paperwork can be a problem in all businesses, but to many it would seem unlikely to affect a hospitality establishment. But all businesses have files to keep and standards to upkeep, so having an efficient system is a must.
In November, a spokeswoman for The George Hotel said that the administrative problem had been rectified, to the satisfaction of Environmental Health Officers. She said, "Although we now have a clean bill of health we have to wait until the New Year to be given our official new rating which we are confident will be back to our previous high standards. We apologise to our customers for any concern caused by these administrative errors."

Improving Document Management

If your paperwork was to be inspected by an industry body, do you think you’d pass? Businesses drowning in paperwork should take action before it starts to affect quality of work and compliance. Electronic document management has already been embraced by many organisations, and these forward thinking companies have seen results.

Firstly, using digital files instead of paper frees up lots of space, which can be put to better use. Some businesses can even save on storage costs or choose to move to a smaller office.

Implementing an electronic document storage system also increases productivity and efficiency. Your staff will no longer have to search through filing cabinets to retrieve information – it’s all available at the click of a button. Basic admin tasks will take less time which means that valuable time can be spent on other important jobs or business development.
If you think you need to improve your document management, see how Pearl Scan’s scanning services can help.