Documents are the lifeblood of business. Every budget, every proposal, every invoice, every part of every process in every department – all of it is documented. When a company’s documents are well managed, its workflows flow smoothly, its operations run efficiently, its business runs profitably. And when documents are not well managed? Well…
Document infrastructure consists of the document technology, both hardware and software, on which document processes run. At most companies, it includes a wide range of printers, scanners, copiers, ink, toner, and other supplies, as well as document management systems, security protocols, and more. Collectively, document technology functions as the backbone of business operations, relied on by most employees, almost every hour of every working day.
You sure would think it’d be a high priority at every organization.
The Most Common Document Technology Strategy? Neglect.
No, companies don’t willfully ignore their document technology. It’s just one of those items that never quite rises to the top of the to-do list. The lack of attention leads to countless small inefficiencies, then gradually, inevitably, to operational dysfunction. And that was before the pandemic.
The last few years permanently changed how work works. Print volumes dropped dramatically, the hybrid workforce is here to stay – and companies have been slow to adapt. Today, a typical document infrastructure might best be described as an over-bought, under-secured patchwork of different models, from different manufacturers, resulting in admin complexity, process work-arounds, and a mess of a supply closet.
Where to Begin?
The first step to solving your organization’s document infrastructure problems is acknowledging those problems in the first place. Awareness precedes action. So, congratulations! You’ve read this far, which means you’re well on your way. The next step is to connect with a document technology specialist, who can conduct a methodical assessment of your company’s specific document technology needs, and determine how well those needs are begin served by your existing document infrastructure.
While all organizations are unique, assessments often have similar findings: too much print capacity, too many different models, too many kinds of supplies, and (much) too little print security. And none of it is going to fix itself.
