To keep abreast with the competition and manage data efficiently, businesses are on the road to digital transformation. Converting paper documents into digital format is very useful for any business that deals with huge volumes of documents. Digital transformation of data enables businesses to scan, store and access any vital data and also ensure its safety. Businesses are now hiring document scanning services to convert their documents into digital formats. However, choosing the right vendor that can ensure accuracy and an affordable deal is important. You may get many quotes from multiple vendors and the prices may differ.
The following are the reasons for varying quotes from different vendors.
- Technology they use: With innovative technologies available in the market, vendors use different types of technology and hardware and this is one of the main factors that determines the pricing. If they are up-to-date, then they should have a production scanner that can scan around 100 sheets in a minute. This helps to minimize the overall cost and also quicken the process of scanning. Similarly, uploading of scanned documents is also important. If OCR technology is used, the software must be able to identify that quickly. Service providers utilizing high-end software and technology can cost more.
- Prepping involved: Before the scanning process, document prepping is important. It includes steps like removing all staples, arranging odd-sized documents, separating pictures and color documents, re-assembly of all documents after scan etc. All these efforts are time-consuming and efficient prepping results in quality output. Prepping is an important price factor.
- When you want the project completed: Timing is important in the scanning process. The quicker you want the scanning project completed, the higher may be the cost of the project. This is because more man hours would be required for the completion.
- Experience matters: The experience of the vendor is an important element as it determines the quality of the output they produce. Some experienced companies may charge higher rates but it is worthwhile, considering the superior quality of work and quicker turnaround time.
- The processes used: Each vendor may have a different type of processing. If you are choosing a vendor that has worked with different industries then you can expect and smooth process and workflow. On the other hand, if the vendor is new and using only minimum processes, you may find them not up to the mark. The vendor may charge high or low depending on the processes employed.
- Overhead cost: Overhead costs can have a major impact on the pricing. If a company is situated in an expensive area, then the rent for office space will be high and other costs may be there associated with storage space, lease etc. This cost may reflect in the pricing as well.
Questions to Ask Your Document Scanning Company
Digitization is not an easy process, it involves various processes such as document prepping, scanning, quality control, indexing etc and all of these have associated costs. So, it important to find out whether the quoted price includes all the services that helps in producing quality output. So here is a helpful checklist.
- Is there any handling charge?
- If they charge per box how many pages does each box hold?
- Is indexing included in the scanning price?
- Are there additional charges for scanning legal documents?
- Is document preparation included in the price that they quoted?
- Are there separate charges for quality control?
- How are the documents stored or do they get shredded, and what are the costs involved?
- Is there any pick up fee?
- Do they charge extra for particular file formats?
Document scanning services have become a common trend, or rather a necessity today for organizations that want to keep up with technology best practices. Digital documents enable business users to work from any place and access their documents at any time. Since each organization may have unique requirements, spend some time to research and find a partnering service provider that can meet those needs and at the same time offer fair pricing.
