I wanted to shed some light on Enterprise Content Management. I hope to answer a few questions like...What is it? What does it do? Why should I consider it? and How can I justify that purchase?
I'd like to start with a sample company. Let's say this company has downsized recently because business is a bit slower.
Most companies today have computers that help them run their business. They use applications for specific purposes. There happens to be a software product for almost every job duty out there. I am sure you could name at least 5 applications that are used within a typical company.
Word
Excel
Some sort of email app
Quickbooks
Maybe a point of sale
Or a reservation application
How about a design app
I guess you can add what you use.
Traditionally the investment to purchase computers is a no brainer. I guess you can see the value in that investment.
Now this company would like to start producing money. How does this process begin and where does it end? There are departments that are involved with their tasks and personnel trying to be productive enough to keep up with task demands. After downsizing, task demands have grown and personnel are now trying to do more.
Now let's pick apart the company into components.
Personnel
Computers
Documents
Processes to complete
Deliver services or goods
Keep existing customers
Attract new customers
Let me know if I have missed anything.
If you were to put a stress on one of these parts you may lose existing customers and you probably won't attract new ones. This is a direction that a lot of companies have gone or are going, but this company is hanging on and pushing through. So far, customer satisfaction is still good, and the level of competition has declined.
This is the point at which a company can really gain some competitive advantage if the company was able to meet the added stress demands. This is where Enterprise Content Management comes into play.
Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software investments usually have a quick return on investment (ROI) because of the efficiency it adds to company internally.
I'll explain.
One of your most expensive resources is personnel. So how can you maximize that investment. The second resource that is sitting in your company are the computers that you use everyday.
Now lets say that by utilizing your personnel and your computer infrastructure your personnel would be more productive, the business would run more efficiently, and the end result was a great customer experience.
This is the point were a company then decides to work smarter rather than harder and gains high levels of customer satisfaction and jumps ahead of the competition.
Enterprise Content Management is a software strategy that includes Document Management, Workflow Management, Information Management, Business Process Management, Project Management, Data Management, and Electronic Document Management, to name a few, which provides the tools for this company to "Run Smarter".
If your duties at work involve finding paperwork, filing paperwork, doing key entries from documents, producing orders, approving purchases, printing, copying or faxing paperwork, paying invoices, looking through applications, and everything else your would do throughout your work day............
Remember this. There is a way to do what you are doing...... smarter.
With a little investment that has a quick ROI......your have everything to gain.
You can't afford to do nothing because your competition is looking into using an Enterprise Content Management solution in their business.
Take the first step towards gaining your competitive advantage by learning more about ECM.
If you like what you have read or would like more information...
Visit our website at http://www.mountain-scanners.com/
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