Top 3 Reasons to Ditch Paper (and use a CRM instead)
How many hours in your lifetime have you or your employees spent filing paperwork, or searching for improperly filed paperwork? (Probably a lot.) With technology improving at a rapid pace, paper usage was predicted to decrease drastically, but unfortunately, it didn’t. In fact, demand for paper is expected to double before 2030. Does it have to be this way? The answer is no.
With an effective CRM, or “Customer Relationship Management” system, all of the critical pieces about a customer, account, moving crew, inventory and more can be accessed by anyone, anywhere, at any time. Whether that’s bringing in more customers, or ensuring the best service to your current ones, improved access to information will enable every person in the organization to make the most out of each day.
With slim margins, there is very little leeway to be wasting time heading from desk to desk tracking down files that someone forgot to put back in the right cabinet. A CRM puts an end to missing files.
Here are the top 3 reasons you should ditch paper in favor of a digital-based CRM:
1. It Will Save You Time
Deciding to implement a CRM is a big decision. They cost money and time to setup, however, “one step backward, two steps forward” certainly applies for CRM’s. After the initial period of setup and training, you will wonder how you survived without it. Never having to file and find paperwork means that your entire company can spend less time searching, and more time focusing on what matters, creating tangible value.
Without a CRM, it often seems that it takes countless hours for paperwork to flow from the driver to the accounting department. With virtual documents, the time between the customer’s move to the time you can invoice her/him drops from weeks to minutes.
When you eliminate paper, almost every process in the business is faster and more efficient. Time is money.
2. It Will Save You Money
The moving process requires many documents, and almost all of them need signatures, lots and lots of signatures. Most moving companies still use the old school pen and paper method, some use software like DocuSign, but many of the innovative companies are now utilizing CRM’s that replace paper forms of all types. A CRM returns the cost of third-party software that provides a custom document creator with certified e-signature capabilities.
We’ve already outlined how ditching paper can make your work more efficient, but how about the raw material costs you’ll save for your company?
Offices in the United States use 12.1 trillion sheets of paper per year, according to a study done by Statistic Brain, and about 45% of paper printed every day ends up in the trash. That isn’t good! Wasted resources are not only a drain on your wallet but also the environment, which leads to the third reason listed below.
3. It will save the world!
Ok, maybe a bit dramatic, but there is no doubt that paper consumption is taking a massive toll on the environment. In an increasingly eco-friendly world, green moving companies are gaining more traction. 81% of consumers say they will make “personal sacrifices” for environmental issues. That means they are willing to pay more when they see a company that reflects their eco-friendly values.
For example, It takes about 3 gallons of water to make one sheet of paper. Using the 12.1 trillion sheet estimate earlier, that adds up to a tremendous amount of water used every year to make paper that is probably destined for the trash. With paper accounting for 25% of landfill waste and 33% of municipal waste, electronically based CRM solutions could undoubtedly make a significant dent in that total.
Eliminating manual processes that rely on people passing paper from person to person will drastically reduce waste in both time and resources. Incremental improvements can make a significant impact, so it stands to reason that substantial improvements will change the entire landscape of your company for the better.
To learn more about how HQ CRM, will help eliminate paperwork, click here.