This article originally appeared on https://www.alarisworld.com/en-in
Digital transformation is a necessity. Learn how work will increasingly be optimized by information capture solutions.
The convergence of work and information capture
As digital transformation continues to accelerate across organizations of all sizes, the future of work and information capture continue to converge. In fact, it’s fair to say the two are inextricably linked.
According to a study by IDC, by 2020, 60% of all enterprises will have fully articulated an organization-wide digital transformation platform strategy and will be in the process of implementing that strategy. Yet, according to AIIM, fewer than one in five organizations are near where they want to be in their core transformation challenges; many struggle with understanding, anticipating, and redefining internal and external customer experiences.
Digital necessity
The reason for this? It has a lot to do with effectiveness of technology. The future of work is undoubtedly all about digital, but only if it’s easy – something we can all relate to if we’ve struggled with cumbersome, slow digital processes or database interactions at one time or another.
The lines between communication methods in our personal and work lives are blurring and this is impacting the way we connect and collaborate in the workplace, and with customers. Mobile working and digital collaboration are key enablers of improved efficiency. Research has found that the right collaboration tools make employees significantly more productive. 70 percent of respondents said they would be more efficient if they could update databases and work on documents when travelling rather than having to do it in the office. This trend will continue with the influx of digital natives – who are expected to make up to 25 percent of the workforce by 2025.
Customers increasingly expect similar levels of service and the same choice of communication channels when they communicate with their bank or insurance agent as they do with their favorite retailer. Omnichannel service is absolutely what customers want, customers do not understand organizations not having one standardized view of all their interactions.
Self-service portals are becoming increasingly popular, but surveys show that customers are getting frustrated if they cannot get their inquiry resolved quickly and comprehensively.
Although 73% liked the control that digital self service tools gave them, 92% experienced problems using these tools. 66% found dealing with customer service issues exhausting. BT, 2017 CEO Research https://www.globalservices.bt.com/en/insights/articles/what-do-digital-customers-want
Digitize paper
In order to ensure a positive customer experience, it is key to give customers a choice of digital and analog communication channels. This needs to be reflected in information capture workflows, where business inputs arriving in different formats from different communication channels need to be consolidated. The automation of business processes requires digital information, hence paper documents need to be digitized as early as possible in the workflow.
Paper is a good place to start thinking about digital transformation, because it’s the Achilles heel of most organizations. Paper clogs up processes . Paper creates disruptions to smooth information flows. Digital processes require digital information.”
John Mancini, AIIM
Make it easy
The common theme about ease of use extends to the document capture process, especially in a front-office application. Here, for example, when a knowledge worker such as a bank clerk interacts with a new customer to open a bank account, digitizing the documentation quickly and smoothly as part of this transaction has a critical impact on the satisfaction of this new customer and, potentially, his or her loyalty.
The future of work and the future of information capture will also rely on effectively managing the different communication methods that sit side-by-side such as email, text, chat functions and, of course, phone. Most consumers expect companies to provide a consistent experience wherever they engage with them (e.g. website, social media, mobile, in person).
There are so many channels to navigate seamlessly and effortlessly from the customer’s point of view. This goal dictates persistent data and frictionless handovers, as customers swiftly move from, say, a mobile app to social media to the organization’s website to its contact center and back again. A mobile app may be great for the customer but once he moves to social media and the website, the experience may be awful, jolting, or disappointing.”
Connie Moore, Digital Clarity Group
Overcoming the challenges
Building a more connected, collaborative workspace is not without challenges. While technology is considered essential in a modern workplace, its efficacy is dependent on the solution’s suitability and how it is deployed. Common complaints such as too much (techno-overload), too fast (techno-uncertainty) or too difficult (techno-complexity), sit alongside issues including creating an always-on culture (techno-invasion) or a situation where people feel insecure in their job (techno-insecurity).
Many of these challenges have similar counterparts in the digital transformation (DX) economy. For example, common roadblocks to successful digital transformation include information overload – or ‘data chaos’ – which continues to be an enormous challenge for companies. Furthermore, processes and requirements keep changing, which makes it hard to select the suitable technology, especially thinking several years out.
Simplicity is one of the key unmet needs
The way we work is undergoing significant change. Technology needs to be easy to use and integrate. Intelligent Information Capture is an essential first step, where state of the art technology makes document capture smarter and supports businesses on their digital transformation journeys.
Simplicity is one of the key unmet needs in information capture and requires seamless interaction of all elements in an ecosystem. This will transform how we do business and it will drive disruptive change in information capture. Capture is a key building block in digital transformation, especially as digital processes demand digital inputs and the processing of them in a very automated and intelligent way.
By Petra Beck, Director Customer & Market Intelligence
