Ever since computers hit the mainstream workforce in the 1970s, we’ve been imagining a radically different office environment. One of the things that experts have continually predicted is the “paperless office.” While many of their predictions have come to fruition—often earlier than expected—the paperless office is not one of them.

Most businesses still rely on paper records for many functions in spite of mounting evidence that the shift to paperless solutions is hugely beneficial. We’ve known for over a decade that digital solutions that replace paper cost less, are more secure, and speed up processes. Plus, as digital wallets and payment processors like Square become more common, consumers are becoming more comfortable with purely digital transactions.

But what about your business? 

Are paper files still taking up space you could use more productively? Are you spending time making copies manually—or coaxing a stubborn copy machine to cooperate?

If so, now might be the time to take your business paperless. Read on to learn about ways going paperless can help your business thrive.

Paperless Solutions Cost Less

What do you spend on paper? printer cartridges? toner? postage? It’s probably more than you realize. Now consider other expenses that are hard to document, like the cost of downtime when printers or copy machines don’t work. These expenses add up quickly.

If you’re storing physical documents in filing cabinets, what does that storage space cost you? Think of it this way: the space taken up by an employee is active space in the sense that the employees generate income. But storage space for files is inactive. It has costs, but doesn’t generate income—and the cost of document storage can be huge. Is that how you want to spend your budget?

In contrast, digital solutions save money. While digital storage isn’t free, it increases efficiency and allows companies to cut other costs. In 2016, Larry Alton of Inc.com estimated that businesses save roughly $80 per employee when switching to digital solutions. That number is even higher now.

Digital Technology Offers Greater Security

It’s easy to mislay an important paper document. You slip it in the wrong folder, someone picks it up off your desk by mistake, and now you don’t have the document you need and important information might be leaked. It can also be hard to control who has access to sensitive data when it’s stored in hard copy.

But with paperless solutions, you’ll always know where your documents are. Strategies like zero-trust architecture allow you to control who has access to different types of information and what they can do with it depending on their job. For instance, you might allow some employees to view reports but not edit them, while other employees might be allowed to both view and edit these reports. However, the greatest benefit of digital solutions is automated backup, which protects your data from natural disasters, theft, ransom, and network failure. If the worst happens to your network, automated backup can get you up and running again within an hour.

Paperless Alternatives are Faster

Whether you’re accessing a document, editing it, copying it, or distributing it, paperless solutions win the speed test every time. And in times of disruption like the 2020 pandemic, paperless solutions can actually be more reliable. Digital solutions also mean paying, getting paid, and getting money to the bank faster. Both your employees and your clients with thank you.

Digital Solutions are More Accurate

Digital solutions offer greater accuracy for a number of reasons. For one thing, if customers have access to their own data, they’re more likely to notice errors and correct them (or have you correct them). They are also less likely to make mistakes entering personal data for themselves than having your employee enter it for them.

Another way paperless solutions increase accuracy is that once information is in your system, your employees won’t have to key that information in manually. Instead, they can copy and paste or import data, avoiding typos and other mistakes. Many systems also have built-in checkers to ensure data accuracy.

On the financial side, paperless solutions offer up-to-the-minute information about your budget and expenses. They can create detailed financial projections automatically and update these projects with each new bit of data you enter. What would take humans time can be done instantly with the right system so you always work with accurate data.

Customers Want Convenient, Paperless Solutions

Consumers will give up a lot in exchange for convenience. Consider the last time you paid a little more at a drugstore just to avoid longer lines at Walmart. Offering consumers greater convenience is a form of customer service. When a client reaches out to your business, they want a clear response fast. Paperless solutions make it easy to deliver that experience. Whether it’s an automated invoice they receive instantly or a digital form they can complete on-the-go, your customers will thank you for making their life easier.

Go Paperless with Technology that Works the First Time

TracSoft has been helping businesses go paperless for over 20 years. From building custom web applications to designing or building out custom computer networks, we know how to help you go paperless the right way.

As cybersecurity experts, we keep data privacy in mind from the start. And as application developers, we understand the importance of functionality and user experience. Work with us to create paperless solutions that will power your businesses reliably for years.

Not quite sure? Then schedule a free technology assessment today and learn more about what TracSoft can do for you.