Saying Goodbye…

Making it easier to let go of paper and familiar, but slow, processes.

Driving to work the same way, eating the same breakfast, drinking the same coffee, routing the same papers across the same co-worker’s desk - day in and day out, the same thing. As monotonous as this sounds, it does build a sense of security. And, even if we know it might be the most beneficial move for our business, saying goodbye to the things that are comfortable can be difficult. The familiarity of certain processes and the reassurance of holding physical papers in our hands can be too much for some companies to overcome.

Being the decision maker for such a big change can be daunting. If no one or no particular event is forcing you to make the change, how and when do you decide it’s the right time?

The article, Paperless Processing: Moving from Fear to Confidence in Buying Technology describes some tips to make it easier to say goodbye to ineffective processes within your organization:

• Learn from your peers – Document management is a mature technology with many success stories. Ask your vendor for references – not just when searching for a solution, but to offer advice during the implementation process.
• Take advantage of your vendor’s knowledge – Reputable vendors are used to providing business solutions rather than just products. They should be able to recommend partners whose offerings complement their own. Ask for their advice.
• There’s no such thing as a free lunch – You’re bound to discover vendors that tout EDM software for free or for a minimal investment. Make a choice that will grow with you for decades and serve your long-term needs – not an option that makes you start over as you uncover its shortcomings.
• Don’t pretend – get your staff involved – Build a team that will embrace your vision, perfect it, and drive it toward completion. Enthusiasm, commitment, and strong communication and interpersonal skills are just as important as understanding IT.
• Be a sponge – but don’t communicate like one – Whatever you learn must be communicated to your staff so they can work with the project rather than expending their energy in frustration, wondering what’s next. Make your project transparent.

And, if you happen to be the one in charge of the “Saying Goodbye to Paper” project, check out the Manager’s Checklist for Transitioning to a Paperless Office for some great tips on how to be successful.

Bottom line:

Loosening the grip on the familiar way of doings things can strike fear in the bravest of individuals. But, sometimes you need to recognize when it’s time to move on and say goodbye to the old way of doing things...including your manual business processes and that habit of holding on to your paper. It may be scary in the beginning, but you’ll find out that everyone and everything – especially your bottom line - is better off in the long run.

Talk with us:

Need help saying goodbye to your paper or manual processes? Contact us today...we can give you the right words to send inefficiencies out the door.

For more information or to schedule a demonstration, please Contact DocFinity now.