When you’re running a small or midsize business, it’s easy to think that document management is a big-company concern. It’s not surprising. Most small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are so focused on just doing business that the mere mention of ‘workflow’ or ‘digitization’ can seem like a solution in search of a bigger problem.
But things are on the move, as our recent international survey clearly shows. Over 1,000 SMBs from the U.S., France, Germany and the UK answered a wide range of questions about their current situation and future plans.
The survey reveals that these organizations are well aware of the importance of document management. They know that getting it right can mean big potential gains, as they streamline business processes and operate more efficiently.
These SMBs told us they have big plans to improve document management over the next 12 months.
Getting Priorities Right
With document management affecting every area of the business, the challenge is knowing where to achieve maximum return on investment.
When we asked which departments these SMBs were targeting first, finance and operations were right up there as you might expect but it was actually IT that topped the list.
Sales and customer Service are also high on the agenda, thus proving that these forward-thinking SMBs are looking beyond internal efficiencies. They recognize that improved document workflow ultimately affects every interaction with customers and prospects.
Moving up a Gear
They’re also planning to take document management further, as they automate workflows, embrace cloud and mobile print technologies, and design a security strategy to meet the challenges of an increasingly connected world.
With this end-to-end solution deployed, SMBs will be well placed to reap the rewards. In fact, two-thirds of respondents in our survey say they expect improved document management to make a meaningful impact on their bottom line.
So they’re fully on board with the idea that document management isn’t just about cutting costs. It’s about harnessing the tremendous potential to operate more efficiently, increase productivity and provide better customer service.
If you want to find out more about how SMBs are using document management, check out our slideshare How Forward-Thinking SMBs Think about Document Management.
It’s a great top-level view of the survey findings, and will give you the inside track on what the smartest SMBs are doing in the area of document management.
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This is a great read! Balancing work for SME’s can get tough, but learning how to manage and prioritize the right tasks can help a lot. That goes with managing a whole load of documents. Thanks of the must-share article!