Data Chaos Is Mainstream for the Holidays
After a drawn out election week I sat on my couch daydreaming of how to spend my still-unused vacation. Local weekend news was playing as I fired up my laptop to complete an online vacation request. Then the words “data chaos” rang out from a news anchor and stopped me mid-keystroke.
Yes, the same problem Toshiba has been helping businesses solve for years has finally caught mainstream media attention. Who knew that counting paper ballots from the 2020 election could be the catalyst that makes DIGITIZATION OF DATA a household topic? Not me!
Digitizing for the New Normal
2020 has been a chaotic year filled with several “firsts” for most of us. A primarily in-person workforce has transitioned to a remote, digital workforce. As a result, paper documents and manual processes have become a challenge many were not prepared to face.
And here we are on the brink of 2021, with several businesses and organizations STILL struggling to complete crucial tasks and processes modeled around paper and human interaction.
On top of that, many people, like myself, haven’t yet taken vacation because of pandemic-related interruptions. Now it’s the end of the year and some employees face the use-it-or-lose-it dilemma.
With many scrambling to put in time off, it may inevitably leave workforces short-staffed. Covering the responsibilities of these employees will be much more difficult without digitized processes and data in place.
So, What’s Next?
The International Data Corporation predicts that “The Next Normal” will leverage “adaptive business and operating models.” Meaning that data will continue to digitize via e-forms, e-signatures, e-faxing, paper-to-digital backfile conversion, and automated digital workflows to adapt accordingly.
What does that mean for current paper-driven processes? They will transform into digital processes.
What does that mean for businesses and organizations still relying on paper-driven processes? They will have the massive task of daily inbound data digitization on their hands, OR their infrastructure will evolve, and digital will be the new way of doing business.
Something tells me a lot of people reading this aren’t necessarily surprised these days, thanks to the media. Going digital has been a hot topic in the corporate world, and on many people’s radar for some time now. No, this is nothing new.
What was missing previously, and now driving this rapid transformation, was a catalyst; enter COVID-19.
But instead of looking at this virtualization and digitalization as a negative (don’t get me wrong, I know this sudden change is challenging), let’s try and focus on the positives:
- Complete digital automation
- Process standardization
- Enhanced security
- Audit logs
- Compliance
- Workload balancing
- Automatic notifications, approvals, and escalations
- Streamlined infrastructure management
- Less overhead
- Greater employee satisfaction & quality of work-life
Getting Started
In working with our field representatives and customers, it’s clear that a LOT of time and attention is being dedicated nationwide to implementing new best practices that will utilize electronic adaptation.
However, success will hinge on strategizing for “The Next Normal” not just the “new normal” of 2020. So, how can you ensure your business stays on the cutting edge of “The Next Normal”?
Toshiba has been extremely pro-active in empowering our customers, and we’re gearing up more than ever for 2021!
A Business Process Optimization Study (BPOS) by our professional services team is the FIRST STEP. This team is highly skilled and trained in digital transformations, assessing, capturing data, reporting it, creating a future-proof, go-forward strategy, and navigating the seamless rollout. You can request your BPOS here.
So, as you head into the holiday season, and hopefully some downtime, take a look at our offerings and ponder how we can eliminate some of the pain-points keeping you up at night.
Happy Holidays from all of us on Team Toshiba!
