Hurricanes highlight why small businesses should use document management
The two major hurricanes that made landfall in the U.S. in the past several weeks put a lot of small businesses in difficult positions, and many will even close as a result. However, document management platforms could help them stay in firms even when difficult times arise beyond their control.
Recent data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency shows that nearly 2 in 5 companies affected by a major natural disaster never open again, and other polling shows that many small business owners simply don't think about those threats as being materially harmful to their companies, according to CNBC. Business experts say this highlights the need for companies to think more critically about the ways in which they can stay afloat even after being battered by earthquakes, tornadoes or hurricanes.
What does that entail?
One of the biggest issues for businesses when hit with a weather event is that they may have some or all of their critical files damaged or destroyed, the report said. With this in mind, investing in one-time backfile scanning to digitize existing documents, then using document capture and management software on an ongoing basis can help keep all important information safely stored in the cloud.
Everything from payroll data and invoices to client contact information or sensitive data can be scanned and stored, then accessed – sometimes with the help of robotics process automation – whenever needed going forward.
A growing sentiment
The good news for small businesses of all types is that entrepreneurs nationwide – and indeed, around the world – are now starting to see the value of ongoing document management rather than continuing to store physical documents either on- or off-site, according to Forbes. Some sectors are more eager than others to adopt, but nevertheless there has been an uptick in scanning efforts more or less across the board.
This means any company that isn't at least exploring its options when it comes to document digitization and management leaves themselves at risk not only if major weather events hit, but also of falling behind the competition. The more they can do to get a better understanding of both their needs and what modern options can do for them, the better off they will be in the long run.
