Having access to the correct information in real-time is critical to making better business decisions, and fundamental to the agile organisation. However, in some organisations paper is still king, which hampers fast access to information and proper real-time business capabilities.
If you`re serious about building an agile business, says Paul Mullon, divisional director of marketing at Metrofile, then you need to seriously investigate document scanning options. The phrase "agile organisation" is firmly entrenched in the modern IT lexicon, but few organisations have managed to make it a reality. One of the reasons is that although in some instances there is a lot of information secured in databases and corporate information systems, there is still a large tract of data residing outside of digital systems, making them slow to respond.
Essentially there are two types of information in the organisation: indexing and contextual information. Both are equally important and should be immediately available and accurate. Indexing information should be immediately searchable in a meaningful, intuitive manner, so it cannot simply be scanned and digitally dumped somewhere on a dungeon-bound server.
Fresh information is the most valuable, and paper-bound information cannot work its way onto the desks of all who need it in a meaningful manner in a short space of time. Paper-bound information today comes in the form of delivery notes, for example, which should be immediately electronically available to a number of organisational entities if it is to show its immediate operational worth.
Exercising good judgement on critical business decisions requires complete information, which is seldom contained in databases. Very often peripheral, yet equally important, information is not captured or indexed for searching and tends to be wrapped up in correspondence. Business decisions, particularly in the agile enterprise, also very often require input from multiple members. Sharing paper is not efficient. Being able to make information available digitally also means complete information is shared, and not only extracted components that may lead to false impressions or misunderstandings.
Timing is essential
Proper timing of document scanning and digital data capture is essential. For example, when completing an application, such as for a credit card or electricity service, the customer very often captures data on a piece of paper. The paper then enters a process to have its data captured into various systems, passing from one desk to the next, to finally be filed for storing. However, immediately scanning that document means firstly that human error is reduced as the information is not re-captured, and it can be made simultaneously available to many individuals as part of a parallel process, reducing the amount of time required to deliver the service back to the customer and feed the information to the business`s decision-makers.
That`s particularly critical, for instance, in a services organisation trying to feed a call centre with the most up-to-date information for improved customer service.
Imaging is not the pin on which the success or failure of an agile organisation hinges, but it does play an important role in enhancing derived value. It also aids the organisation in more successfully and quickly achieving several other common corporate goals, not least of which is good governance and shortening the supply chain. It`s also as simple as deploying information-liberating technology or contracting a third-party specialist partner and adopting a philosophy that makes information available to members of the organisation and a culture that wants to share information.
Share
Metrofile, an Empowerdex BBB-rated empowerment company, is the South African market leader in the management of business documents, and is committed to help customers reduce costs and improve productivity in processes that are centred on documents and corporate records.
All companies have a combination of paper and electronic documents, and are forced by law and customer requirements to secure the availability of the documents for the duration of their lifecycle. For most organisations, the volume of documents is growing at an exponential rate, and is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
Metrofile is uniquely positioned to provide consulting and implementation of full lifecycle paper and electronic records management solutions from storage and conversion through to destruction.
Editorial contacts