As sustainability becomes the need of the hour, most business owners realize the value of paperless operations. It takes you a step closer to becoming a green enterprise. Further, it reduces clutter, saves space, and even decreases the workload of your team. The initiative is even more relevant today because it eliminates the need for physical contact between people. The paperless drive may take some initial effort, but it is worthwhile. Here are some measures you can follow to make your small business paperless.
Establish a policy
For any organization to go paperless, it is vital to have a policy in place so that everyone knows what they are expected to do. You cannot drive a change overnight but start with a roadmap that follows a vision to reduce monthly paper usage. Set limitations on printing, packaging, office materials, and mailings. Once you start, you will achieve the feat in a few months.
Switch to electronic communication
If you still use old-fashioned mail for business communication, it is time to switch to the electronic format. Emails save time and money, and you have complete records for anytime access. Use project management systems and instant messaging platforms to facilitate internal communication between the teams. Electronic calendars can help with scheduling meetings, client calls, and conference calls without using paper.
Downplay printing
Give up printing and store documents on devices in easily shareable formats like PDFs. It cuts down the paper load to a significant extent, but you must make sure that employee devices are clear of duplicates as they can slow down the systems. You can educate the employees to ensure that they understand how to do it so that they can implement the steps to boost the speed and performance of their devices. Store files and documents in the cloud as it makes them accessible to anyone in the team.”
Go digital with financial statements
You can go the extra mile with the paperless initiative by moving to digital financial statements from the traditional ones. Start by embracing online banking and avail the benefit of paperless bank statements. Switch to an online invoicing system with suppliers and customers and make and accept digital payments. The new system will benefit them as much as they help your business, so they will be more than willing to embrace the approach.
Move over to paperless marketing
When it comes to limiting the usage of paper for your business, you can realign your marketing processes as well. Think of innovative ways to communicate with prospects and customers through digital media instead of print ads, pamphlets, and brochures. Switching to digital marketing also extends your reach and serves as a cost-effective means for marketing your business. Utilize social media, email campaigns, video marketing, and digital ads to replace paper smartly.
Going paperless may sound like a big feat for a small business, but it isn’t as daunting as you may have imagined. Moreover, the effort serves benefits beyond only making your operations eco-friendly. You have a more productive and modern business that is all set to capture the digital advantage in the future.
