Office peripherals such as scanners, fax machines, PDAs, and shredders are typically viewed as accessories.  Individually, each adds value and convenience.  When brought into the information continuum, however, they no longer sit on the periphery. Web-based electronic document management (EDM) and workflow move peripherals into the mainstream, streamlining time-consuming tasks and freeing staff to focus on more meaningful work.

How can you transform peripherals into cost-saving, profit-generating tools your clients won’t want to do without? First, understand your clients’ business challenges to learn where peripherals can result in corporate gains for both you and your customers.

Peripherals -Tapping Into Their Potential
Few businesses fully understand the capabilities of their digital devices.  Most managers don’t have time to read manuals cover to cover to learn how the tools they buy can support business goals.  They buy equipment to address specific business needs—and move onward. 

By taking time to understand the potential of peripherals as part of the ongoing business information continuum, dealers can help their clients shorten turnaround times, improve revenue cycles, reduce expenses, enhance services, and position these companies to manage future growth more cost-effectively. 

Here are three ways to use peripherals and EDM to transform your clients’ business:

1. Create a digital mailroom
Despite increased digital communications, many documents are still received on paper and are processed every day.  If your customers don’t take advantage of their peripherals to digitize information and mechanize routine processes, they’re missing significant cost-saving opportunities.  Efficient business processing starts with efficient capture of mailroom communications.

• Scanners and desktop copiers:  Scanning and indexing documents into an EDM system makes files digitally accessible to authorized persons from the moment of capture.  Whether clients use a high-speed scanner, desktop scanner, or desktop copier with imaging capabilities, scanning generates significant savings.  Digital files eradicate paper waste and reduce postage expenses.  Desktop access eliminates frustration from misfiled or lost documents.  24/7 remote access keeps business moving at any time, from any location. 

• Fax machines:  Routing faxes electronically to email inboxes eliminates paper, ink, and problems that result from poor quality fax transmissions and ghost faxes.  Security concerns from exposed papers are no longer a concern.  Fax communications are secured, indexed, and stored in EDM.  They can be accessed remotely, routed electronically, and addressed quickly.

With EDM, clients gain insight into mailroom activity virtually rather than waiting for the mail to be delivered to them.  Distribution costs and delays are eliminated, so the real work can begin.  No more back-breaking mail deliveries.  No more inquiries about mail awaiting action on someone’s desk.  No more claims of “I never received it.”  Once it’s digital, it’s there—logged, indexed, secure, and accessible simultaneously to everyone who needs it.

2. Streamline & automate tasks

• Electronic workflow:  Although workflow software isn’t what you would call a traditional peripheral, it’s a vital add-on to integrated EDM.  Workflow pushes and pulls data wherever it’s needed according to business rules, driving work across the enterprise efficiently.  It pushes peripherals’ productivity to the max.

• PDAs (and laptops):  When tied to EDM and workflow, they let workers access files and act on important business without trips or calls to the office.  Whether office staff is waiting for a document approval or a remote worker needs to review a file, processes keep moving according to established business rules.

• Hand-held scanners:  Workers can scan documents from any location for storage in EDM, ensuring that real-time data feeds the flow of work.

• Telecommunications devices: You’ve probably experienced automated calls from your doctor or insurance agency, reminding you of upcoming appointments or important deadlines. You get better service; the company sees better response, while saving time and money.  Integrating workflow with digital storage and telecommunications software and devices improves services while conserving resources. Texting included.

Consider how peripherals, EDM, and workflow expedite a simple insurance claim process: 

• Digital, time-stamped receipt of claims forms ensures clients are handled consistently and within manated deadlines. 

• Adjusters’ digital photographs are stored in EDM with pertinent scanned paperwork for easy, secure access & quicker processing. 

• Electronic documents, communications, and faxes are digitally packaged and sent to pre-authorized persons for approval or rejection according to business rules.

• Automated calls are made to customers requesting additional information that is needed. 

The result:  Claims are handled more quickly while involving fewer people, reducing costs and generating higher profits.  The insurer is well positioned for future growth as the economy improves.   

3. Facilitate compliance
A byproduct of tying peripherals into electronic document management is the ease of demonstrating compliance with regulations and internal governance policies.  Once it’s set up there’s no work,  it happens spontaneously.  Digital devices tied to EDM leave a detailed electronic trail of every scan, fax, copy, call, and transaction.  No more Clue-like questions of whodunit, where, and with what device.  Not only does EDM guarantee appropriate access to stored files in accordance with your rules; it proves compliance with the directives you set in place. 

Organizational efficiencies are limited only by imagination.  Help your clients migrate from survival to victory during the economic slowdown; aim to position their companies for success. Start brainstorming ideas about ways they can automate work more cost-effectively. Tying needed peripherals to a software program is the key to efficiency.

Rethinking the key to success
Maximizing the value of peripherals requires thorough analysis and creative thinking.  By linking your peripherals with document management and workflow, you will help position them to manage cost-effectively while the economy improves. First, analyze your clients’ business needs in order to be effective.  Ask about challenges they face now and those on the horizon.

By understanding their primary business goals you’ll discover what equipment and programs are best suited to achieve them. Include the document lifecycle requirements (the info that needs to be captured, stored, managed, retained/archived, or destroyed) and consider the importance of managing related IT networking.

By becoming the hybrid dealer or total (or nearly) solutions provider, where each ‘accessory’ was brought into the equation to accomplish a goal, you and your clients understand how peripherals interact with document management and workflow, and the potential value they bring to business. They move from the periphery to cost-saving, profit-generating, prized possessions.  You won’t need to “peddle your peripherals” anymore - clients will see them as part of their plan for a successful office environment.

A note about shredders
Shredders may seem like ‘blah’ peripherals—but they don’t have to be.  As documents are captured electronically and paper is no longer needed, they can become a reason to celebrate. 

Back to claims processing:  One insurer recently scanned tens of thousands of claims forms.  By automating claims processing, they turned their 30-day process into three days and eliminated 90% of their paper and paper-related expenses.  While shredding the imaged files, they decided to frame the last shredded claim as a reminder of life before EDM.  Without the marriage of EDM and peripherals, there would have been nothing to frame and, more importantly, little to celebrate.

Although workflow software isn’t what you would call a traditional peripheral, it’s a vital add-on...

Laurel Sanders is the director of public relations and communications for Optical Image Technology, makers of the DocFinity® suite of document management and workflow software.  For information, contact her at lsanders@docfinity.com or visit  www.docfinity.com.