Even as businesses shift towards digital processes, paper and printed documents continue to hold importance in many ways.
Here are some reasons why paper and printed documents remain relevant in business, along with how they can work together with digital solutions:
- Legal and Compliance Requirements: Some industries and regulatory bodies still mandate the use of paper documents for legal and compliance purposes. For example, signed contracts, physical receipts, and official government forms often require physical copies to ensure authenticity and meet legal obligations.
- Accessibility and Portability: Printed documents can be easily accessed without the need for electronic devices or internet connectivity. They offer a tangible, portable format that can be carried, read, and shared anywhere. In situations where access to technology is limited or unreliable, paper documents can provide a practical solution.
- Personal Preference: While digital documents offer convenience, some individuals still prefer working with physical copies. They find it easier to annotate, highlight, and physically interact with paper documents, especially during tasks like note-taking, brainstorming, or reviewing lengthy materials.
- Security and Trust: Paper documents can provide a sense of security and trust, especially when handling sensitive information. Some people feel more confident in the physical control and ownership of their documents, reducing concerns about unauthorized access or data breaches.
- Collaboration and Workflow: Combining paper and digital processes can enhance collaboration and workflow efficiency. For example, teams can brainstorm and sketch ideas on paper, then digitize and share the results for further collaboration and storage. This hybrid approach allows for the best of both worlds, leveraging the flexibility of paper and the advantages of digital collaboration.
To leverage the benefits of both paper and digital, businesses can adopt strategies like these to integrate them:
Digitization: Convert paper documents into digital formats through scanning or optical character recognition (OCR) techniques. This allows for easy storage, retrieval, and sharing of documents while preserving the benefits of the original paper document.
Document Management Systems: Implement digital document management systems to organize, index, and search digital files efficiently. This enables seamless integration between paper and digital documents, ensuring easy access and retrieval.
Hybrid Workflows: Design workflows that combine paper and digital processes based on the strengths of each format. For example, documents can be reviewed and marked up on paper before being scanned and shared digitally for further collaboration and storage.
Secure Storage and Backup: Implement secure digital storage solutions to ensure the safety and accessibility of important documents, while also maintaining appropriate backup measures. This helps address concerns about document loss, damage, or unauthorized access.
By finding the right balance between paper and digital solutions, businesses can leverage the advantages of both formats, improve efficiency, and enhance collaboration.
Contact the ISI Team today and let us show you how adding IS Docs to your stack of services can help your customers gain control over their documents and increase your recurring revenues!
About ISI
Impression Solutions Inc. is a value-add, full-service distributor of printing and imaging solutions. ISI offers their dealers, resellers and their end users unparalleled service and support as an OEM full-line authorized distributor of Kyocera monochrome and color printers, MFPs, Wide Format Printers, printer accessories, printer supplies and customized printing solutions.
Recent launches include Virtual Inventory Services and IS Docs, a turnkey Document Management program for Imaging Dealers to grow their monthly recurring revenues (MRR).
ISI maintains a full inventory of over 2,200 SKUs of printer products ready for same-day shipment from their 35,000 square feet of warehousing space in 5 distribution centers from coast to coast.
