Adam Richardson, Regional Marketing Manager for Kodak Alaris
Kodak Alaris’ Information Management division said the office “doesn’t have to be paper-free”.
Kodak Alaris stated that with the World Paper Free Day on 4 November, organised by the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM), the paperless office is “set to [be] firmly back on the business agenda”. It added however that it is “encouraging businesses to think about digital transformation in terms of becoming a ‘paper-lite’” business, or using less paper “as opposed to ‘paperless’ operation”.
The company’s view is that “paper documents take up storage space, slow down administration and can get lost, all of which have an associated cost”, and “the bottom line is always at the heart of any business decision”, so “any investment in technology to digitise information needs to be carefully considered”. Its view however is that “the good news is that AIIM survey findings point to a strong ROI (return-on-investment) on paper-free investment”, with 36 percent of business executives stating “that payback is possible between three and six months”.
Adam Richardson, Regional Marketing Manager for Kodak Alaris, commented: “When we talk about the paperless office, what we should be focusing on is not getting rid of paper entirely, but on ways that will help us manage information with greater efficiency, facilitate better sharing and collaboration, reduce costs, boost productivity and improve the bottom line.
“Whilst it’s widely accepted that paper-based processes can be inefficient, many businesses are still largely dependent on paper-based inputs and for this reason, are resistant to change. We recognise that what businesses need is help and support in overcoming any obstacles that may be preventing them from transforming their operations to become more competitive in today’s digital, mobile world.
“It makes business sense to digitise expensive and inefficient paper-based processes first, and as the benefits of these paper-free processes trickle throughout the organisation, it will become easier to uncover and address any barriers to becoming ‘paper-lite’ in more areas. Paper is not going to go away anytime soon, the reality is that it could potentially take years to become a completely paperless office, which is why we encourage businesses to think of the paperless office in terms of being one that uses less paper, as opposed to no paper.”