On the Cover
or today’s document-intensive firms in particular, the challenge of physical records management remains a major hurdle in both time and cost, as the holy grail of the paperless office seems as far away as ever. Yet with the growth in remote, flexible working, for example, increasing the pressure to streamline internal processes, for many businesses the need to digitise paper documents and records is moving centre stage in improving administrative efficiencies and customer service. For such businesses, paper-based processes can create a number of operational issues, ranging from the time needed to re-key data, search for paper copies, the cost of storage and the monitoring of workflow progress. These can give rise to compliance and
14 on the cover
Effective records management F
Anthony Pearlgood, managing director at PHS
audit challenges and create an inflexible environment which prevents employees from working away from the office. By contrast, organisations that have effectively implemented document and data workflows within the business have benefited from lower operating costs, improved productivity, fewer data errors, better records for audit and compliance, faster customer responses and, last but by no means least, faster and more effective customer responses. So, what is holding firms back from setting off on the digital journey, despite the well-established advantages of integrating information into business processes and eliminating associated paper documentation? One hurdle to overcome continues to be internal resistance to relying solely on electronic copies, especially in meeting legal
compliance requirements, yet the gains in freeing up valuable time and office space can be considerable. However, it must be recognised more broadly that going digital will not be the answer in every case. For many organisations in both the public and private sector, there remains a continuing need to use and retain paper copies for certain parts of their operation. Although this is inherently less ‘green’ than digital alternatives, the adoption of best practice tools enabling effective storage and rapid retrieval of hard copies will ensure the organisation operates in the most effective and cost-efficient way.
Putting the customer first Fast, accurate response times are the key to retaining customers in increasingly competitive markets. And here, the greater efficiencies which document capture and data management critically provide when
Building & Facilities Management – October 2014
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