As a company, you are thinking of implementing an electronic document management system. But certain factors are stopping you from starting this process. You have heard of companies who have gone through the process and spent millions of money but the implementation failed and yet you have no idea what transpired. What are some of the challenges that companies encounter or fear to start the electronic document management system implementation process. We will look at some of the challenges and possible solutions that could help to reduce the impact.
Cost
The cost of implementing electronic document management is quite high. But when we look at it from that angle it can discourage you from the process.
If we look at it from the angle of what we would save vs what we will spend then it becomes reasonable.
What would we save if we were to implement an electronic document management system?
The staff prioritizing more productive tasks rather than maintaining documents would increase the company’s income. If the 30% that was being used in maintaining paper documents is completely immersed in productive activities the additional income would be profound.
Reduction in the cost of consumables such as paper, toners, cartridges, files and filing cabinets.
Office space that was being used for storing paper documents would now be used for other productive activities or leased out. This is after digitizing all the paper documents and ensuring that all the documents being received into the company are strictly in the digital format.
Possible solution
It would be viable to analyze the Return on investment (ROI) before the implementation. Why do you want to implement an electronic document management system going forward? Is it to save costs or to increase income? Would it change the trajectory of the company?This would give the company confidence to go ahead after confirming that the cost reduction or increase in revenue would be well above the implementation cost.
Retention policy and legality of electronic documents
“Do you know if you don’t have a retention policy you are keeping those documents beyond their usefulness period.”
Having a retention policy gives a guideline on the timeline on how documents are managed and which ones are to be disposed within a certain period. This brings consistency in the management of the documents. Destruction of documents which have reached their retention period are approved with adherence to the retention policy.
If there are no policies in place destruction of wrong documents would occur leading to loss of documents which are still in use. And it would also lead to retention of documents which have already by-passed their usefulness.
Possible solution
It would be viable to create a retention policy within the company and to ensure that it is adhered to for consistency in managing the documents before implementation of an electronic document management system takes place. With proper indexing and classification of the documents, creating an aligned retention policy would make it easier to dispose of documents which are no longer useful. This would also help avoid disposing of documents which are still required.
Vendor support
Most vendors regardless of having the technical know how lack training capacity and also have less knowledge of a company’s internal process. This leads to an ad hoc training with no impact on the staff. And also the vendors conducting the training can be expensive but with no impact on the change that is to occur with the implementation.
Possible solution
Technology in itself does not influence the working ins of the company, It is the business requirements that does. Deciding on the business methodology before deciding on the system is very crucial.When selecting a vendor, getting someone who is more tech savvy is not as crucial as selecting somebody with the best methodology. Understanding a good methodology is very important.
Training is a long term process which has to ensure that all the staff using the system are on board and can use it comfortably. This requires more of a coaching process.
“The single biggest reason why projects fail is because of a shortage of integrators and consultants with appropriate skills. Vendor have good technical skills, but managing the softer aspect of the project such as cultural change is where issues arise” (Vernon 1997)
Work culture
When implementing the electronic document management system, a company has to take up a number of key elements. These include dealing with culture change, having a training program in place and having to work as a team. not only among staff but also departmental.
“70% of all change programs fail due to employee resistance” JPC training and consulting LLC.
Possible solution
There would be a necessity for the human resource department to conduct a needs assessment across board. This would be done by analyzing where they are at the moment and where they want to be and what they want to have accomplished.
Staff have to be educated with a positive expectation.Benefits should be articulated prior. These are the benefits that would occur as a result of change. How do we acknowledge and manage the change? This is very important. The leaders should lead by example in being positive about the changes. A case has to be built on why the change is required and what are the results.
“Cultures don’t change when people are forced to do something at the same time, culture changes when a few people find success and spread it”Tom Werner, Change management and e learning.”
Increased communication is important and has to be maintained.This addresses resistance to change. Communication should be open to such an extent that staff can share their fears without reprimand. This can only work if they are all involved in the decision making.
Inadequate training
Lack of sufficient training leads to staff being reluctant to take up the challenge of using the system. This is something new to them, thus it needs a lot of patience and support. This would mean practically training with the tools they have been using for them to feel the need. Training as a group in the long run will not help because each and every person has a different need. And also every person’s capacity of understanding is different. One time training is not sufficient.
Possible solution
A training program has to be in place to help in alleviating the fear and reduce the negativity of culture change. Training helps the staff understand the benefits of having an electronic document management system. Skills required should be identified in advance to help alleviate the effects of training. This also helps the staff alleviate their skills. The training has to be done systematically, with every individual need taken into consideration. This is especially with the staff that will use the system directly. And familiar tools can be used to take them through the process to make them feel comfortable learning in the space they are in. It would also make them feel the difference before and after implementation.
Staff can be trained in segments rather than one session of training. Individual coaching would be necessary especially with the staff that are resistant to change. And also training them with practicals with what they do every day would make it easier for the staff to understand the process.
Lack of teamwork
Certain groups of people or departments in a company, take over the whole process to show they are more knowledgeable. They try to control the whole process without taking into consideration the feelings of the other staff. This can cause resistance slowing down the process or having the implementation process take place but becomes a white elephant because its not being put to use.
Possible solution
Teamwork is very crucial in the implementation phase of the EDMS. Embracing different perspectives is very important and then finding ways on how to work around it. Everyone has to be on the same page and working for the long term vision. Leaders have to set a good example to the team to create that positive environment. Having to look at the big picture then breaking it down to smaller goals helps in eliminating the overwhelm.
For a team to learn and be successful the vision has to be unified.
“Great things in business are never done by one person, they are done by a team of people” Steve Jobs
Conclusion
When all these factors are taken into consideration, it would minimize the hurdles a company would encounter in the implementation phase of the electronic document management system. The impact is usually not felt immediately after implementation, but in the long run the return on investments will be huge.