The new information age

As technologies like web forms and e-signatures transform information management, the future is brightest for businesses that think differently about how they collect, store and analyse data.

From Medicare records to cinema session times, most information in our day-to-day lives is easy to find and consume. Until we get to the office, that is.

The average office worker still spends 50 minutes a day – more than two full days each month – searching for information. This is mainly due to outdated information management practices. Older technologies and processes aren’t equipped to handle the deluge of printed and digital data that modern workplaces generate.

These productivity killers aren’t just frustrating for staff. They also affect customer experiences, compliance and content integrity.

It’s a grim picture but it’s easy to fix. Connecting people, information and processes can be as simple as choosing an information management solution that leverages the latest web form, data validation, e-signature, business analytics and data extraction technologies.

Armed with the right tools, like Canon’s Therefore™, workers can instantly and securely access the data they need. At the same time, businesses experience improved productivity, collaboration and security.

Say goodbye to paper forms

As anyone who has ever completed a hard-copy tax return form will know, paper forms are time consuming to fill out. They require significant resources and are expensive to process.

Deloitte calculated that if just one of the NSW government’s paper forms were submitted 300,000 times, it would cost $12 million to enter, scan, file and store the data.

It’s easy to see why businesses are adopting digital alternatives, such as web forms. As part of an information management solution, web forms make data capture simple and cost effective.

Unlike paper forms, users can securely complete web forms on any device. Once captured, data can be extracted, stored in a centrally managed location or enrolled in a workflow. This delivers a more streamlined customer experience and reduces manual effort.

When combined with analytics tools, web forms also provide relevant performance insights. By analysing data like web form and workflow completion rates, businesses can identify and resolve bottlenecks to improve customer experience.

E-signatures for end-to-end digital processes

In this new information age, customers expect to sign and return documents online. They want to sign contracts on their smartphones, or open home loan accounts without stepping into a bank.

As a result, businesses are increasingly swapping ink and paper signatures for integrated e-signature tools. These secure, legal tools streamline signature collection and validation, supporting end-to-end digital experiences.

Get to know your data with business analytics

Business analytics can provide a competitive advantage. As Vidal Consulting founder Rudy Vidal told The Huffington Post earlier this year, insight “can be the key differentiator to optimum customer experiences and ultimately, to increased loyalty”.

Business analytics tools provide deeper insight into captured data. They offer real-time, interactive dashboards that are easy to configure and use. In just a few clicks, anyone can generate reports, view dashboards and share insights. Executives can identify areas for improvement, while ensuring processes deliver maximum ROI.

Data extraction made easy

Until recently, information management systems couldn’t extract index data from embedded file types without losing formatting. Workers painstakingly formatted PDF documents to meet digital document preservation standards.

Information management solutions like Therefore™ 2016 make these headaches a thing of the past. With PDF/A-3 technology, users can extract data while retaining the PDF document’s user-friendly appearance. Documents are automatically classified, indexed and stored, reducing manual input and human error.

Unlock tangible business benefits

An information management solution that combines the best of these technologies can pay dividends. Just ask occupational therapy clinic Life Live It. The Perth business recently implemented Canon’s Therefore™ to:

• Reduce paper use.
• Standardise workflows.
• Tighten patient data security.
• Provide remote access to digital documents and clinical notes.

Field physiotherapists now have instant access to documents on their tablets. They enter clinical notes straight into Therefore™, and follow the same standard workflows and procedures as physiotherapists working in-house.

Senior occupational therapist Lisa Smith says the solution has improved data security, content integrity and process consistency. “I’m confident in the service I provide. I’m confident that I haven’t missed anything because we have the workflows in place to remind me to do things at the right time. We can provide a better service because we can track what’s happened, and what we want to happen,” she says.

Canon product manager Adel Szklenarik says Therefore™ aims to help businesses like Life Live It work more efficiently and collaboratively.

“By employing a strong information management and workflow solution, businesses can harness the power of their content, regain control and improve workflows, compliance, information security and customer satisfaction,” she says.

To see more about how Therefore has benefited Life Live It, watch the video case study.

No-one said information management was easy but as technologies become more advanced, businesses can capture, analyse and file data more effectively. To find out how a robust information management and workflow solution like Therefore™ can transform your business, read more here.