Though few people will claim to be a lover of paperwork, this does not stop it from being necessary and needing to be completed. This cannot be avoided when running a home with paperwork such as bills, quotations, and receipts, and it especially can’t be avoided when it comes to running a business.
The paperwork that arises during the course of running a business can be considered even more important than that which arises in a domestic situation. This is due to the fact that there can be dire consequences if business paperwork is not completed correctly, accidentally destroyed, or mis-filed.
Accordingly, in order to maintain a streamlined business, it is essential to make use of an efficient paperwork system. This can be achieved with the use of a quality client portal that can offer multiple benefits, regardless of the type of business.
Customer Alignment
In order to maintain a profitable business, it is essential to keep up with the market and be able to match what others are doing – you don’t want to get left behind. When other businesses in your field are capable of providing customers with something you can’t, then it is time to make a change. Nowadays, customers appreciate convenience and will take advantage of goods and services that make their lives easier.
One such way in which to offer your clients convenience is to create a client gateway to share documents. This will provide your clients with an easy way to exchange documents with your company, enabling them to simply log on in order to review documents you’ve sent or send their own documents, when necessary.
If you work in a manner that your clients are accustomed to, they are more likely to feel comfortable when interacting with your company, which will prevent them from needing to go elsewhere.
It is common practice for people to undertake many processes online, so it is prudent to give them this option when dealing with your company. Forcing them to change how they would ordinarily do things may put them off and make them feel like there are other companies that suit their needs better.
Increase Efficiency
Though physical paperwork may be practical in a number of ways and easy to use, this does not mean that use of it will make for an efficient workplace.In fact, hardcopy documents can create a pretty inefficient workplace solely from the need to store it all. An ever-increasing number of filing cabinets and desks piled with papers will only take up space and get in the way, creating a cluttered workplace that isn’t conducive to operating smoothly.
A messy workplace doesn’t even deal with the inefficiency that arises from having to transfer paper documents from one place to another. Within an office, it will mean it needs to be physically taken from one place to another, but this goes even further when it becomes necessary to provide customers with documents. Not only will you need to prepare the documents, they will need to go through the process of being mailed out and all the work and expense that entails.
All of this is quite a waste of time when it is so much easier to use a client portal that will allow you to transfer electronic documents quickly and easily.
Also, you won’t have to worry about paper cuts!
Go Green
Alongside other environmentally friendly practices that you can implement, you can help reduce the carbon footprint of your entire business by using a quality client portal. As a client portal will enable you to exchange documents in an electronic format, you will not have any need for hard copies of documents. As a result, you can avoid the environmental impact that comes from producing paper and envelopes, the materials and power used in the printing process, and vehicles used in transporting it all.
This will add to your environmentally ethical credentials, making the company more attractive to those customers who are wary of using companies that are not prepared to play their part in looking after the environment. Some consumers who feel strongly about looking after the environment will often make a choice about which company to use according to the steps they take to help prevent climate change.
In addition, a bonus that can arise from this process is that it can help you to save money due to the range of products that you will no longer need to purchase.
Step into the Future
As much as you might like to, you cannot stop the passing of time and – as part of this inevitability –things are going to change. This is no different when it comes to technology, which will be a major factor for many businesses.
Technological advances that can be used in the workplace can help increase productivity and make life easier, enabling a business to develop and progress. As part of this process, you will find that using a client portal system for document production and storage will help you keep up with the times.
This will ensure that you can send documentation to a large number of customers at the same time, if necessary, and they will be able to transfer documents to you. One of the advantages of this use of technology will be that it is possible to correspond securely and without the risk of documents and letters going missing.
Being able to easily adapt to changing processes will be a key part of a developing business, ensuring it can meet the needs of customers and the market as a whole.
There are many ways in which a client portal with comprehensive abilities can transform your practice into a business that you can be proud of and which attracts customers effortlessly. Giving clients an easy way to correspond with your business will give them peace of mind and leave them more confident to do business with you, which can help enhance your business and increase your profits.
