Prepress
Survey Confirms Business Benefits of Efficient Document Management
Thursday 10. April 2008 - Managing Documents Throughout Their Lifecycle Improves Business Performance yet Presents Challenges, According to Océ Business Services Survey
While 90 percent of senior executives involved in document management agree that managing documents throughout their lifecycle (creation through disposal) helps improve business performance, only 12 percent of the surveyed executives rate their organization as highly effective in this practice.
These are a few of the key findings highlighted in a comprehensive survey report issued today by Océ Business Services. “A Premier Standard: How Organizations can Elevate Business Performance through Advanced Document Process Management” links six advanced document management processes – including document imaging, records management, enterprise-wide print/copy, mail and shipping, automated print/mail workflows and legal discovery – with high-value business benefits according to senior executives experienced in document management.
The executives surveyed agree that of the six document management processes, document imaging (paper to digital conversion) has a high impact across the greatest range of top business goals that include reducing costs, increasing competitive advantage, enhancing regulatory compliance, and improving customer service (along with automated print/mail workflow and records management). Automated print/mail workflow (creating, printing and mailing personalized communications) was seen to have the highest impact on driving faster time to market. Records management was designated as having the highest impact on improving operational efficiency.
In another key finding, a majority of survey participants indicated that their organizations are measuring document process performance, with the highest number of organizations measuring service level performance followed by user satisfaction, user activity, and return on investment. Survey respondents also specified that the key benefits of measurement include enhanced efficiency and reduced cost of document process activities.
“Executives surveyed indicate that their most urgent business goal is to improve operational efficiency closely followed by reducing costs,” notes Joseph R. Marciano, President and CEO, Océ Business Services. “The executives see document management processes as having a high impact in meeting these and other goals. This is particularly the case with processes such as digital imaging, as well as methodologies such as document lifecycle management and document performance management.”
Marciano adds that in the case of document lifecycle management, most executives realize the potential business benefits but rate their organizations as only moderately or slightly effective in managing documents throughout their lifecycle. “Part of this performance gap is due to the fact that, because they are not specialists in this area, many companies dont integrate the management of their document processes,” says Marciano. “In our experience, performance improvement frequently occurs in companies that integrate the management of document imaging, print, mail, and records.”
“A Premier Standard: How Organizations can Elevate Business Performance through Advanced Document Process Management” is comprised of over 170 online surveys completed by executives involved in document management. These include chief administrative officers, mid- and upper-level operations managers, and chief information officers. Among respondents, 46 percent work at organizations with annual revenue under $100 million; 22 percent have revenue between $100 million and $1 billion; and 32 percent have revenue of over $1 billion. Survey results reflect responses from participants at organizations with annual revenue over $100 million.