As a busy entrepreneur, chances are you encounter paper on a near daily basis. From reports and memos, to invoices, contracts, and receipts, it’s impossible to avoid.
And yet, against the backdrop of cloud-connected services, smartphone applications, and the web in general, it seems almost unnecessary that a modern, forward-thinking business needs to use that much paper.
Don’t just take my word for it. The global consumption of paper has grown by around 400% in the last four decades, with almost 4 billion trees (35% of the total number of trees cut down worldwide) being used in paper industries around the globe. That’s the equivalent of 2.5 million trees being cut down every single day.
Even if you’re not particularly ‘green’, there are a number of important business arguments for going paperless. In this post, I’m going to tell you about three that might just convince you to give up on that filing cabinet full of hard copies once and for all.
Reason One: Increased Security
If you deal exclusively in paper, keeping your important information secure can be costly.
You need physical space to house it, and if there’s a lot of it (and it’s of a sensitive nature) you’ll probably need to invest in security measures or personnel to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. This results in a logistical nightmare, and brings with it many concerns, including theft and fire. So, is it worth it?
By choosing to go paperless, you’ll be able to securely store your information on servers, which can reduce your overhead and dramatically improve your security.
Reason Two: Reduced Costs
I mentioned the cost of keeping your hard copies secure, but that’s just scratching the surface when it comes to the price of paper. In addition to the boxes of the stuff you need every month, you’ll also have printing costs, mailing costs, and storage costs.
Then there’s the intangible cost of time, which can be saved when you remove the need to hunt through files or boxes in search of information. Store it electronically and you’ll enjoy near instant access.
Reason Three: Improved Communication and Workflows
Speaking of ease of access, cloud-based platforms ensure you and your employees can review and share crucial information from anywhere, at anytime, and on any device. You’ll only be a simple click or swipe away from finding what you need.
By greatly reducing the amount of paper in and out of your business, you’ll be able to make decisions quickly, while internal communication will also reach new levels of efficiency and effectiveness. For example, a cloud accounting platform like QuickBooks can help streamline your financial workflow, and all without a single sheet of paper.
Go Paperless Today
When you adopt a paperless approach, you’ll of course be doing your part for the environment. But you’ll also see an increase in security, productivity, communication, and efficiency.
Costs will decrease, as will the office clutter, and you’ll be thrilled by just how much space you can save. Take it from me, go paperless and transform your business. You won’t regret it.
Need some help getting started with the cloud? Let’s talk.