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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.”

Going paperless using a document scanning service is one of the most progressive and beneficial steps you can take for bringing your business up to date, and there are a number of benefits that you’ll begin to notice as soon as you make the switch. If you’re a business considering document scanning in London, here are five things that happen immediately after going digital:

Your working environment will be cleaner and tidier

Imagine how much less clutter you’ll have loitering around the office without stacks of paperwork clogging up shelf and desk spaces. This will make for a more streamlined atmosphere overall, but it will also make keeping everything clean a much simpler, quicker process as you won’t need to move documents around and worry about replacing them in the same order. Bins will no longer be full of discarded notes and will need emptying less frequently.

Your energy bills will be smaller

When using document scanning, you will notice that your printers will be used less and photocopiers and fax machines become virtually redundant. Appliances such as these are a huge energy drain and, especially for SMEs, the impact of not using them could be considerable. You’ll also be reducing your carbon footprint. The average tree produces around 8,000 sheets of paper, so when you consider how much paper your business used to use, you can get an idea of how many trees you could potentially be saving with a document scanning service.

Your working day will be much faster

Paper documents are easy to mislay and misplace, and finding the right sheet can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. After going digital you’ll eradicate all those frustrating hours spent hunting for physical copies of information, as everything will be stored safely and organised in a way that makes it simple for you to access exactly what you need.

Your workforce will be more efficient

Digitised documents can be viewed remotely and can be shared with as many people who need them at any one time. Staff won’t need to waste time scanning information to send to clients, or worse, having to post it out to them, which also runs the danger of misplacement. Digitisation makes everything happen faster.

Your auditing process will be far simpler

Even small businesses will have guidelines to follow regarding compliancy, and if you outsource your accounts you’ll also see an immediate benefit from going paperless. You can give each document relating to your invoices or bills a unique number, which creates an audit trail that is simple to keep on top of. You will also be able to keep a history of any amendments such as payments.

To enjoy these benefits yourself, learn more about the document scanning services in London offered by the team at Pearl Scan online.

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.