Despite the many environmental benefits and conveniences offered by paperless software, many people still don’t use it. This could include your boss, your co-workers, or anyone else who feels that paperless software is inconvenient, too expensive, or not secure enough to protect company data.
Luckily, there is a way around this potential predicament. Here are some of the most common complaints about paperless software and how to deal with them.
Hard to Take Notes
One of the biggest complaints among employees is that going paperless makes it difficult to take notes during meetings. Instead of leveraging apps, you may notice that they print out PowerPoints or emailed written materials, which completely defeats the purpose of going paperless. Conversely, employees who have iPads or tablets can download presentations and take notes right in the app. You can even sketch directly in the book.
Expensive to Update Hardware and Software
Another complaint the company has is that conversion is expensive. This is especially true if the software and hardware currently used are not compatible with paperless programs. The way to deal with complaints that are more of a misconception is to do a cost-benefit analysis.
Even if implementation and training times are expensive, consider the cost of storing and printing papers over time. When you consider that each sheet of paper you print costs roughly 3 cents in terms of printer, paper, and ink maintenance, this is very expensive over time. While the first few months or even a year may be quite expensive during the conversion, the paperless software pays for itself after time.
Tighter Security Required
Another reason why companies don’t want to go paper is because they are afraid of putting valuable company data online. However, there are strict security protocols in place to ensure company data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. This includes firewalls, encryption, password protected data, and physical safeguards that can keep your company’s data safe.
While you may have to pay for this type of software, it’s still more cost-effective than continuing to pay for file storage. This also provides additional protection, as it creates a higher level of accountability within your business.
There is a Potential for Error
One thing many businesses love about using hard copy in the office is that it provides a better paper footprint. They believe that using paperless software can lead to misplaced documents, incomplete transaction records, and incorrect scans which can lead to errors.
What they don’t realize, however, is that paper files can also be misplaced, missaved, or misreported. The way to deal with paperless software complaints is to implement strict policies regarding documents.
Ensure that employees update the information in the system within a reasonable timeframe and keep the information up to date. If you see an error, using a paperless system has the advantage of allowing you to trace it back to the erring employee.
Then you can take further steps to ensure employees make the right changes to their work tactics. Some companies even offer automatic and continuous backup systems, such as, Lucion’s Accident Planwhich is useful in recovering your documents in the event of an unfortunate event, such as your hard drive crashing or an office fire.
When it comes to paperless software, those who support the technology know that the difficulties outweigh the benefits. Often, despite the slight inconvenience associated with using paperless software, the investment is well worth it in the end. In addition, complaints experienced by the community can be overcome with these easy tips.
