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As a document management software company, we’ve come across many new clients who previously used one-size-fits-all software that lacked the features and configuration they needed for it to adhere to their business processes. These businesses chose the quick and cheap options for document software because they felt it’d be simpler to set up, fit better into their budget, and be ready to use faster than a configurable software. But in the end, they came to us—so the question is, why?
Many of these businesses couldn’t exactly pinpoint why the software wasn’t working for them beyond that their processes had not improved as they expected. This is where Mindwrap came in, and helped them understand exactly the issues behind their one-size-fits-all document management software and why their business had issues implementing it.
Generally we can lump all of these same businesses into one group: The software didn’t conform well enough to the way they did business. In order to help them better understand the difference between a one-size-fits-all, rigid software solution and one that conforms to the business it’s applied to, we had to break down the issues on a more granular level..
In this blog, we’re going to break down the three main issues we’ve seen with businesses using one-size-fits-all software, and what configurable software can do to negate these issues and provide a more streamlined solution that simply pays for itself in optimized business efficiency.
DIY Implementation
“No training required!” is one of the many taglines a one-size-fits-all document management software will advertise, exclaiming that it is intuitive and easy to use, and doesn’t require intensive training to implement it. We tell our clients all the time that while this may be enticing, it’s actually a huge red flag. While it’s important for your software to be intuitive and easy to use, these software companies shouldn’t assume that every business admin or owner is readily available to become a self-taught software installer when they claim it’s easy to use.
And even if it is easy enough to install yourself, that’s another part of the red flag that indicates the software most likely isn’t very robust and cannot provide all the necessary features other softwares can. Part of the cost of configurable document management software is for the experienced training and implementation guidance provided. It’s about finding the perfect balance between user-friendly experience and feature-rich configurations. Unfortunately, many one-size-fits-all solutions fall short here, making implementation and ongoing usage difficult and inefficient.
Out-of-the-Box Features
One of the most important steps to take before purchasing your document management software is building a list of your business document requirements—for all departments. Without this knowledge ahead of time, it’s easy to take the plunge with software that may not provide you with all the features you need. One day you need to fill a field that doesn’t exist, and you’re just out of luck.
Many businesses may think they’ll “make do” with software that doesn’t conform to their processes, but you always get what you pay for. Configurable document management software was built specifically to conform to your business document processes. This is actually our Myth #3 in this blog where we explore 5 of the most popular myths we hear about document management software. The more rigid the software, the more difficult it becomes over time to use.
A document management solution that conforms to your business processes can make daily document creation a breeze. Using Optix, we can quickly design and deploy various configurable indexing and query screens for different departments in just a couple of hours using our supplied Optix Application Generator tool. The Optix Application Generator is intuitive and easy to use without any programming or coding background, so that you have control over your own software. In short — Optix conforms to the way you work, not the other way around. Take a moment to read this blog where we go into more detail about how our Optix Application Generator tool simplifies screen and document creation.
Zero Support
Ongoing support is a critical part of your success using document management software. Training is just a piece of it, because no matter how well your team uses it there will be plenty of opportunities to request help from an expert. A document management system like Optix is built for this type of ongoing support, where you learn your expert by name and can communicate freely about anything you may need their support on.
A one-size-fits-all document management solution rarely provides ongoing support that is quick to respond and efficient in understanding your challenges. Your business doesn’t have the time to wait for less than efficient support responses. This is why any reputable document management software company can provide support in hours, not days.
Questions
During a partnership with us, one of the first things we do as a document management software provider is get to know your business. With deep knowledge into your documentation processes and intra-document sharing, we’re able to guide you through Optix in order to best provide a document management system that can optimize efficiency and pay for itself in freed bandwidth overtime.
Implementing a document management system is easier than you think—we even wrote a blog on it for our clients who had questions! If you’re still considering which type of document management software to implement for your business, reach out to us today to learn more about Optix and begin your digital transformation.
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