Several companies are already on the way to digitize their office, but some companies are still running on paper. Using advanced digital tools, businesses can convert their valuable data into digital files. It helps in getting rid of paper-based filing system and go completely paperless, and the digitization can be done with the help of a document scanning service. Digital files take up less room compared to paper files that require a lot of storage space. It also prevents the need for employees to search through mountains of paperwork and lose valuable working hours. Digitization of paper records gives quick access to any data with an internet connection. It also makes it easier to share knowledge and circulate information and thereby improve teamwork, promote innovation, and ensure seamless workflow in the organization. Most importantly, digital files are safe even if an unexpected disaster strikes.
Disaster Preparedness for Business Continuity
It is never easy to predict when a disaster can strike. Natural disasters like hurricane, tornado, flood, tsunami, earthquake etc or man-made disasters like fire can cause businesses to lose data and face devastation. Reviving from this loss is not an easy task. Therefore, document scanning is vital for preserving valuable documents that are vital for the growth of the business. Document scanning and digitization helps in easy storing, and quick retrieval of the required data; it preserves old documents safely and provides easy access to the documents. Digitization prevents loss of information and digital files are cheaper to maintain also.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 40% of businesses do not reopen after a disaster. Another 25% of businesses will fail within the first year after experiencing a disaster, while the United States Small Business Administration found that over 90% of companies fail within two years. From all these statistics, it is clear that it is important for businesses to have a proper recovery system in case of a disaster.
A good data recovery plan is useful as it helps the company to recover the data after any disaster.
Cloud Storage for Disaster Recovery
Organizations should have a recovery mechanism in place that can be used to restore data in the event it gets corrupted, destroyed or lost. Cloud storage is a popular trend today and businesses that need to protect their data can benefit from cloud storage. It is a cloud-based managed service that helps to quickly recover the organization’s critical data after a disaster and provide remote access to vital data. Once the documents are stored online in the cloud, they can be accessed via the internet. Unnecessary expenses involved in maintaining a backup storage facility can be avoided. Businesses opt to back up to the cloud to keep files and data readily available in case of any system failure, outage or natural disaster.
Every organization should have a good disaster recovery plan so that they can be prepared for any unforeseen disaster. This will ensure the safety and continuity of the business. A strong disaster recovery plan should understand and include your infrastructure, potential threats and vulnerabilities, the most critical assets, and the order of their recovery.
So, if you want to restore your data after the disaster and ensure business continuity, you should first digitize your vital business data, which can be stored easily in a reliable cloud system. It also becomes useful if the employees are unable to return to the office. They can access the files and work remotely from a computer, mobile or laptop. This helps to reduce customer disruption and prevents company-wide downtime during and immediately following a disaster.
Apart from digitizing important business data, destroying unwanted documents is also essential for every business organization. Companies usually save all the data that they own, which may include both essential and non-essential records. Digitizing unwanted documents is a waste of money and hence these documents should be shredded to prevent them from getting into the wrong hands. Discarding non-essential files ensures the security of your documents by preventing strangers from stealing your identity and also reduces storage space and maintenance cost.
If your organization is planning to digitize business documents, make sure that you choose a reputable and trained data conversion company that can ensure quality output within the targeted time. Also, make sure that they provide customized service as per your requirement, maintaining absolute confidentiality of all data entrusted.
