Have you ever tried to get documentation to legalise your hustle, import and export licenses, or even expand your business?

‍

The mostly manual paperwork process takes forever, and you will quickly become a sitting duck waiting for those documents to arrive. These delays adversely affect your operations, cause a stock backlog, impact the store's revenue and also force customers to wait longer for deliveries.

‍

Frustrating right? This is the same way paper-based processes in your business lead to headaches for you and your customers.

‍

The complexity of paperwork will stifle your business as you go for growth, you will hire extra staff to manage paperwork adding unnecessary financial burden to your business and your customers will keep battling long wait times, damaging their satisfaction and loyalty.

‍

In the end, your business loses with the paper trail system.

‍

You can create an organized system that supports your business growth and success. A little planning and the right tools can free you from the paperwork and allow you to focus on what matters most— running and scaling your business.

‍

Here’s how your business can benefit from digitizing your business records.

1. Customer Relationship Management: Storing customer data in a digital CRM system allows you to target promotions and send personalized offers, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
2. Make Smarter Decisions: Digitizing purchase orders, stock receipts, and sales records allows for real-time inventory tracking, reducing the risk of stockouts and overstocking. You can also identify trends in customer demand, analyze income, and expenses, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven strategies.

Here are some actionable steps to get you started:

‍

1. Identify Paperwork Pain Points: Start by analysing your current processes and pinpoint areas where paper forms dominate. This could be anything from customer onboarding to expense tracking.
2. Embrace Digital Alternatives: Look for digital solutions that can replace paper-based processes. Consider tools like:

‍

• Cloud Storage Services: Store documents securely online for easy access and retrieval. Popular options include Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive.
• Accounting Software: Automate tasks like invoice generation, expense tracking, and payroll processing with simple tools like Zoho Books or Sage Business Cloud Accounting.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems: Manage customer interactions, store contact information, and track purchase history electronically. You can do this with HubSpot, Zoho CRM, or Salesforce.
• E-signature Solutions: Allow for secure electronic signing of contracts and agreements. Try DocuSign or Adobe Sign for this.
• Encourage Electronic Communication: Promote email or online forms for communication with customers and suppliers. Discourage unnecessary paper documents whenever possible.

‍

3. Invest in Scanners and Document Management Systems: If you own a physical store, scan physical documents into digital formats and store them electronically. This allows for easy retrieval and searching. Consider software like CamScanner or Adobe Scan for mobile scanning, and document management systems like PaperSave for desktop solutions.

‍

4. Reports feature of Bloc Account: The reports feature of your Bloc business account gives you profound insights into your business finances and how customers interact with you daily, without having to track a paper trail. Here you get a holistic view of how money comes in and out of your business, and a ready-to-export record of every customer’s payment to your business.

‍

5. Schedule Regular Process Reviews: Dedicate a specific time each week or month to review and organize your records. This prevents small tasks from snowballing into a massive undertaking.

‍

A paperless process can help you unlock a new level of efficiency, and you can start gaining control of your business starting with your finances on the Reports page of your Bloc account.

‍

If you have any questions about moving from paper to digital in your business, don't hesitate to drop a message and we’ll be in touch!

‍

See your Business Report on Bloc.

‍