Originally published September 9, 2021.
Small business owners know all about quality vs. quantity. When it comes to resources, small businesses don’t have the same quantity that big corporations have. However, just like with their products and client bases, a smaller quantity doesn’t mean a lack of quality. Far from it, in fact. When it comes to resources, small businesses don’t have the same quantity of document management that big corporations have to deal with. In a small business, one resource can provide multiple solutions. Consider your document management solutions, for example.
You may already know that your document management tools can provide better organization and security, but did you know that they can also help with customer service? One clear way to make your small business stand out from the crowd is to provide excellent, efficient, and thoughtful customer service. Thankfully, these are exactly the types of advantages that document management solutions offer your organization. Here are four document management tools that will take your small business to the top.
Information Capture and Data Entry
First of all, the right document management software can help you with information capture tasks. A lot of people are surprised to hear just how much customer service goes beyond face-to-face interactions. In fact, a lot of customer service involves tasks that the customer will never see.
Consider data entry, for example. Data entry helps you keep track of important customer information — the kind of information that you use to provide your customers with the best experience. However, data entry isn’t exactly a walk in the park. In fact, it’s time-consuming, exhausting, and often results in significant transcription errors. But what if it didn’t have to be this way? What if you could get everything you needed from data entry without any of the difficulties?
Well, with the right document management solutions at your fingertips, you absolutely can. As you collect data from clients, investors, or interested parties, skip the manual labor and opt for instant information capture. You can also opt for a combination of scanning solutions, software that captures the documents in your system, and e-forms. Not only does this offer you document management solutions for your data input woes, but it also ensures that new contacts are immediately available in your wider system. In turn, this prevents delay in utilizing the connections and networks you form.
In other words, you’ll spend less time capturing data and more time using the data that you’ve captured. Plus, you’ll have more time to interact with your customers on a more personal level, which means that everyone wins.
Automatic Indexing and Fast Search
Here’s another way to gain more time for customer interaction: switch to automatic indexing. In a small business, time is extremely precious. One person often takes on several roles within the company. If you own a small business, then you probably know exactly what it’s like to work across several departments. At the same time, you also want to talk to your customers, get to know them, and make sure that they’re getting the best experience from your business. That’s why it’s so frustrating when something as simple as a file throws the whole system off balance.
While you’re taking on all of these tasks, the last thing you want to do is search endlessly through files, both paper and electronic, looking for the one you need. Document management software can help. These solutions add automation to your filing system, which keeps you from wasting time and dealing with unnecessary frustration. How? When you receive a file, your document management platform automatically indexes it according to your unique parameters within the program. This allows you to search for and retrieve files as needed, turning your hours of searching into seconds.
Maximum Document Security
For some business owners, document security is an important part of providing excellent customer service. After all, a lot of your business data involves customer information, and your customers count on you to keep that information safe. When your customers can trust you, they’ll know that they’re getting the service they deserve. That’s why small businesses need the right document management solutions to keep data safe from breaches and other disasters.
Just because your organization is small does not mean that your files shouldn’t be protected. Thanks to the scalability of document management solutions, your data can receive the same high-quality document-level encryption and protection that it would in any Fortune 500 company. Additionally, you only pay for the users and access you need, making this top-of-the-line security affordable on a small business budget.
Small Business Workflow Collaboration
Finally, document management software can help small businesses provide great customer service thanks to their collaborative workflow solutions. Collaboration is extremely valuable for smaller organizations. Small businesses frequently run with minimal staff, meaning that many team members have responsibilities in different areas or locations at the same time. Since team members have to do so much juggling, communication is the key to everyone keeping the balls in the air.
Once again, document management tools can help. To keep your team on the same page, even when they aren’t in the same place, document management solutions include collaborative workflow software. By running all company projects and goals through a workflow platform, your team stays accountable and communicative with one another. No more wondering about the next step. Instead, you can rely on effective and timely notifications to keep all your work on track.
When all of your employees are on the same page, they’re better equipped to provide excellent customer service. For example, when a customer asks a question that involves a specific process, any employee can provide an accurate answer.
FAQs
How do I evaluate what my business needs for document management?
Evaluating your small business’s document management needs is an important step to ensure efficient organization and accessibility of your files and records. Here are some key factors to consider:
First, identify the different types of documents your business handles, such as contracts, invoices, employee records, financial statements, marketing materials, and so on. This will give you an idea of the volume and variety of documents you need to manage.
Next, assess your current document management practices. Are you still relying heavily on paper files or shared drives? Are there any pain points or inefficiencies in retrieving, sharing, or archiving documents?
Then, determine if your business needs to comply with any industry-specific regulations or legal requirements regarding document retention, security, and privacy. This may influence what document management software you select.
You should also consider how many employees need to access and collaborate on documents simultaneously. This will help you determine if you need a centralized system with version control and access permissions.
Other issues to consider include your business’s growth plans and how your document management needs may evolve over time, the level of security and backup capabilities you require, and the budget you have for a document management software.
What are some tips on managing business documents?
Start by establishing a standardized file naming convention and a logical folder structure based on categories like departments, projects, or document types. Use metadata fields and tags to add contextual information, making it easier to find and filter documents.
Additionally, implement version control systems to track changes and revert to previous versions when needed. Setting up appropriate access permissions based on roles or departments is also essential for maintaining document security and integrity.
Define a retention policy that outlines how long different types of documents should be retained, and set up automated archiving or deletion processes to comply with legal requirements and declutter the system.
Implement the use of cloud storage solutions for improved accessibility, collaboration, and backup capabilities. Finally, train employees on document management procedures, and regularly review and optimize practices to enhance efficiency and compliance.
Small businesses often have the advantages of being agile and connected to a local community. Add to these distinct characteristics the document management solutions above, and your small business becomes unstoppable. Of course, you’ll want to make sure that your document management solutions are the right ones for your company. At Vasion, we offer flexible and affordable solutions for small businesses. Want to see how our solutions can work for you? Schedule your demo today to see our platforms in action.