eFileCabinet CEO Explains Why Digital Document Management Is The Future

Five Strategies for Improved SMB Document Efficiency

In a previous post, I discussed ways that small to midsize businesses (SMBs) can take their offices paperless. One of the biggest issues that companies face is finding a better way to store all those files than a clunky file cabinet full of papers.

Many companies rely on servers and cloud services to store their vast collections of files. One up-and-coming company, eFileCabinet, provides software and web services for SMBs to create, organize and store their important documents.

In an email interview with Matt Peterson, president and CEO of eFileCabinet, I discussed why many SMBs haven’t gone paper-free, the future of digital document management and how the eFileCabinet service works.

I asked Peterson why he felt more SMBs haven’t embraced a completely paperless office. In his opinion, people are afraid of change and find conversion of current paper files to be overwhelming:

Change is hard. Many businesses do not want to change their way of working because it requires effort, refocus and a temporary decline in ‘normal production’ even if the end result is a better, more efficient system.  There is always another client project, deadline or goal that distracts them from focusing on improving their system.

Many businesses see their [current] multiple filing cabinets, or even warehouse-full boxes of old documents, and become paralyzed with the daunting task of scanning all of the files.

Peterson believes that it’s often easiest for a company to choose a date and start going digital from that moment forward. Once users get used to the new system, working in time to start going back to scan in old documents can be done more easily and won’t seem as overwhelming.

Peterson also thinks that eventually all companies will totally embrace digital document management and move away from using paper:

It is not a matter of ‘if,’ but rather ‘when’ all companies will go paperless.  The future of electronic document management, or document management software (DMS), is that business is being driven by consumers.  Businesses and customers alike want the freedom of doing business from multiple devices anytime, anywhere. Consumers are accelerating the need for businesses to adopt electronic document management.

When I asked Peterson what the top reasons were for SMBs to start using eFileCabinet, he said that often it’s because of word of mouth:

They heard that eFileCabinet was easy to use and required little training to understand. Friends and peers told them about the results they had experienced, including reduced use of paper and other office supplies. eFileCabinet would provide quick, accurate access to client data so that customers feel like they are with a trusted, accurate organization.

Peterson says that eFileCabinet is easy to use and supports various types of files:

eFileCabinet would provide quick, accurate access to client data so that customers feel like they are with a trusted, accurate organization. eFileCabinet allows templates to be created. Templates unique to each business provide consistent filing structure, which allows files to be searchable and easily found. [It] indexes all file types so that search queries are accurate and quick, including imported PDF files. Information can be sent securely to clients and partners through a web portal. This eliminates the need for insecure emailing, faxing, courier or UPS/FEDEX.

To meet compliance standards for those industries that require it, eFileCabinet uses 256-bit SSL/TLS encryption to secure data both in transit and at rest. Once in storage, data is kept in Level-1, PCI data centers compliant with ISO 27001 SAS 70 Type ll and HIPAA.

Kim Mays has been editing and writing about IT since 1999. She currently tackles the topics of small to midsize business technology and introducing new tools for IT. Follow Kim on Google+ or Twitter.