4/20/2021

By Karen Edwards, RT3

Are you still following the paper trail in your business? You aren’t alone. A recent survey of 3,500 business leaders found that 44 percent said they use paper on a daily basis.

While many businesses have been forced over the last year to make changes to allow employees to work remotely, many are still following old habits and pushing papers around their desks. Paperless offices were first predicted in a 1975 BusinessWeek article that imagined by 1990 most handling of records would be electronic. Nearly 50 years later, many of us are struggling to achieve the paperless environment. 

There are tremendous benefits that come with going paperless for both your business and your employees. Here’s just a few: 

• Electronic files can be found quickly using search options, eliminating the nearly 40 percent of time wasted by employees looking for lost documents. 
• Printers, toner, repair and maintenance costs are virtually eliminated by moving to paperless. It also frees up office space when you remove the machines and file cabinets needed to manage all that paper. 
• Improve workload stress by eliminating the piles of papers on workers’ desks. Going electronic gets rid of the visual clutter and stress that comes with stacks and stacks of paper. 

So, how do you make the leap to digital? Here are a few tips to make the process easier:

1.  Understand that it takes time. Going paperless is not going to happen overnight or even over a few weeks. It is going to take time, so it is important to have the right mindset. 
2. Involve your team. As with any change to operational processes, it is important to involve your employees. Meet with them to gain their input and develop processes that they will accept because they had a say in it. 
3. Identify some of your most paper-intensive processes and start with those. Many businesses find that requiring written signatures on contracts or invoices generates a large paper trail. Switching to e-signature acceptance is something that is affordable and easy – a good first step. 
4. Ask your vendors for paperless options. Many building material suppliers offer online portals and apps that allow you to place orders, track deliveries and view and pay invoices. 
5. Hire a consultant. There are companies and consultants that specialize in helping you make the transition to be paper free. They also can help with digitization of old paper records to eliminate those rooms filled with file cabinets.  

Ever-evolving technology is making it easier and more affordable than ever to move your business away from the piles of paper and into the cloud. For more in-depth information on digitizing your business, be sure to look for the RT3 contractor panel at the 2021 International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas titled: Roadmap to end the paper trail and make your business 100% digital. You’ll benefit from the open, honest discussion from these contractors on how to get started, cost expectations, time investment, pitfalls, challenges, success and timelines for the process.