Imagine an office with no oversized all-in-one printers, clunky filing cabinets, or big recycling bins, where individuals can gather with their laptops and use the “cloud” to access the tools they need to collaborate seamlessly.
That’s what a paperless office looks like. Thanks to emerging technologies, businesses can decrease their reliance on paper and improve their environmental footprint without compromising productivity. In addition to increased sustainability, paperless offices enjoy less physical clutter and more streamlined processes. Let’s take a look at how you can use technology to employ a paperless office.
What is a Paperless Office?
Over the past several decades, the use of paper has dwindled, making the idea of a “paperless” office a reality – A paperless workspace functions without the use of paper. By converting documents into digital form, businesses can eliminate or reduce the need for paper while simultaneously helping the environment. Thanks to innovative new technologies, it is easier and more cost-effective than ever to digitize your office.
6 Benefits of Having a Paperless Office
Going paperless can provide your business with a variety of benefits. Here are just a few:
Less Physical Clutter
Relying on paper-based processes requires offices to maintain a large inventory of supplies. They also need to invest in equipment such as printers, scanners, and metal filing cabinets – all of which demand considerable space and resources. A paperless office, on the other hand, can be modestly equipped with desks, chairs, and computers. The use of local network storage eliminates the need for clunky equipment and physical clutter, freeing up space for other uses.
Streamlined Processes
In addition to utilizing space more effectively, paperless offices enjoy streamlined processes. Digital record-keeping allows businesses to pay bills automatically. Furthermore, this information is searchable and can be accessed anywhere. Likewise, electronic mailing means staff no longer have to sort and organize stacks of paper invoices; instead, they can download statements and save them to digital folders.
Ease of Finding Things
Paper filing systems are challenging to search, and staff can spend hours trying to find the appropriate document. Electronic documents, by contrast, are easily organized and indexed, which makes retrieval of information more efficient. Using search capabilities, staff can locate what they need in a few clicks. As documents become more accessible, staff spends less time retrieving information and more time performing high-value tasks.
Increased Security
An often overlooked benefit of going paperless is improved security. IT can control staff access to electronic information by assigning appropriate permissions, and a strong username and password are more secure than a locked cabinet. Electronic data management systems can track and protect confidential information against unauthorized use, and access can be revoked as necessary.
Positive Environmental Impact
Each year, nearly 1 billion trees worth of paper are discarded, not to mention the number of resources, including oil and water, that are dedicated to creating paper. Reducing our reliance on paper-based practices is a positive step toward ending this waste and improving our environmental footprint.
Financial Savings
Most importantly, going paperless can improve your bottom line. Each year, nearly $460 billion goes toward paying people to manage paper-driven information. For every dollar a company spends on printing (paper, toner, printer maintenance, etc.), it incurs another $6 in handling and distribution. By converting to a paperless environment, businesses can save money.
Becoming a Positive Contributor to a Sustainable Future
Unfortunately, paper manufacturing contributes to environmental pollution. It results in the production of sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon dioxide, which are responsible for acid rain, greenhouse gases, and water pollution. In addition, nearly 26% of landfill waste consists of discarded paper. When paper rots, it produces methane gas, which is 25 times more toxic than carbon dioxide.
Companies that are committed to going paperless can attract and retain environmentally conscious customers. Research shows that consumers worldwide are more likely to buy products from companies that support the same issues they do. For example, a Unilever study revealed one-third of shoppers prefer buying from brands they perceive to be environmentally conscious. Likewise, Cone Communications found 76% of consumers refuse to buy from companies whose policies conflict with their values.
Technology to Help Businesses Go Paperless
Today’s businesses have a variety of tools to assist them in going paperless. Companies like Ombori can give you the resources you need to transition to a paperless environment and start preserving the environment.
Digital Signage
Digital signage consists of any size screen displaying any type of content for any reason. It’s commonly used to display video, audio, animations, images, or text. Digital signs can be found in offices, restaurants, retailers, healthcare facilities, airports, and entertainment venues.
Utilizing Ombori’s digital signage is a great way to save trees. When people print memos, flyers, or posters, they are more likely to toss them because the information quickly becomes outdated. With digital signage, you can update information with just a few clicks, ensuring your message stays relevant and accurate. You also save money on printing costs.
Virtual Queuing Systems
Over the past few years, virtual queuing systems have started replacing physical queues. Instead of standing in line, customers can enter a virtual queue via their mobile device and wait where it’s most convenient for them. After making a reservation online, they receive real-time updates on their status. When they receive the proper push notification, they move to the front of the queue.
Ombori’s virtual queuing system can help reduce overhead expenses and improve a business’s environmental footprint by eliminating the need for paper tickets. Additionally, it can result in less waste produced by customers waiting in line.
Appointment Booking
Our appointment booking allows offices to manage both pre-booked appointments and walk-in tickets. Because customers can book an appointment electronically, they can easily cancel or reschedule as necessary. When they are notified of the appointment, they can use their mobile device to complete the check-in process.
By digitizing appointment making, offices can limit the time staff spend on admin-related tasks and paperwork. Instead of sifting through various cabinets looking for customer information, they can easily access records electronically and spend more time providing top-notch service.
Wayfinder
Ombori’s Wayfinder technology is a response to the drawbacks of traditional workplace maps, which can be expensive to develop and maintain. This software creates interactive, digital versions of floor plans that work on any mobile device. Employees and customers can download directions and receive estimates on the time it takes to reach their destination.
In the past, when a floor plan changed, you had to reprint and redistribute paper maps, which was time-consuming, expensive, and detrimental to the environment. Wayfinder addresses these problems because it allows management to update floor plans in real-time.
Sales Remote
Ombori’s sales remote software allows employees to present with ease. It allows users to view information on a large screen and use a mobile device to browse for information, including text, images, video, or audio.
One of the benefits of using sales remote technology is that a business no longer has to spend time and money making expensive paper packets to share with their clients as they pitch products and services to them. A sales remote or video wall offers them a valuable way to share multimedia data with large groups of people in a meeting room or presentation area.
Omni Visit
Omni Visit allows businesses to integrate online and face-to-face appointments via a single queue. Customers can join either virtually or at a physical location and choose to meet online or in person. They don’t need to remain on the phone or at their computer or wait in a physical line – they can do whatever they want while waiting. Staff members are notified of the next person in line and whether it is a virtual or physical appointment.
This is the perfect paperless solution because it eliminates any need for manual record-keeping, paper calendars, and appointment cards. All customer information remains secure via electronic data management software and can be accessed only by authorized personnel. Customers don’t have to worry about losing paper reminders because they receive virtual notifications.
Utilizing Analytics to Improve Business
Utilizing Ombori technologies also provides businesses with crucial analytics that can be used to improve business operations further. Management can identify peak hours and see which promotions brought in the most business, and they can determine how many employees to schedule at a given time. Ombori crunches the numbers so businesses can focus more time on enhancing the customer experience.
Paper documents and filing cabinets have been the way to organize information in offices for decades. However, that doesn’t mean paper documentation is the best option. Many businesses are transitioning to electronic data management systems with the hopes of building a paperless office.
Now is the time to start exploring technological solutions that allow you to not only save trees but also boost revenue and ensure a more convenient, positive, memorable experience for customers. Contact Ombori for more info!
Björn is Chief Experience Officer of Ombori Grid. He spent the early part of his career in the music business before moving into retail design and video production. His passion is for creating unique and memorable retail experiences that excite and delight customers. He spent 6 years at Visual Art in Stockholm before joining Ombori in 2018.
