Businesses often get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of documents and complicated workflows. Canon Business Services helps them get unstuck with customised digitisation solutions.

In today's fast-paced landscape, businesses struggle to manage extensive document workflows efficiently.

A leading insurance brokerage firm in Asia found itself bogged down by the scanning and mailing out of claim documents. Overwhelmed by high volumes of claim forms, their manual workflow led to misplaced documents, causing delays in the availability of updated information on the client's portal.

The daily loss of vital documents resulted in longer processing times and unhappy customers, putting the company's reputation at risk.

Tailored digitisation

Canon Business Services (CBS) stepped in with a tailored solution. They established an on-site Hybrid Processing Centre for inbound document digitisation and mail services, and the tide was quickly turned.

CBS's process re-engineering simplified workflows, improved visibility and accountability in document processes, reduced processing time with digital copies, and enhanced expense transparency for the customer.

The results spoke for themselves: claim document losses were eliminated, employees could track documents at all times, processing times adhered to strict SLAs, and courier spending was cut by half.

Five reasons for document digitisation

Mr Vincent Low, Head of Enterprise Business, Singapore Operations, Canon Singapore said, ""CBS enables organisations to embrace digital transformation, safeguarding critical documents and streamlining document sharing. Our tailored solutions not only save costs but also pave the way for clients to thrive in the digital era,"

Mr Low also shared five reasons why document digitisation is essential for modern businesses:

1. Disaster Preparedness: In regions like Singapore, businesses face threats from fires, floods, or unexpected incidents like the Covid-19 pandemic. Digitisation prepares businesses for such disasters, ensuring critical documents are preserved and accessible.

2. Space Efficiency: With real estate at a premium in Singapore, digitisation frees up valuable office space, saving on storage costs and supporting business growth and operational expansion.

3. Enhanced Document Distribution and Sharing: Digital documents facilitate effortless distribution and concurrent access across departments and locations. This capability proved invaluable during Covid-19 lockdowns, enabling seamless remote work and maintaining business continuity.

4. Efficient Retrievals: A robust digital document management system enables users to retrieve information within seconds using keywords, eliminating the common problem of misplaced documents and reducing the risk of document loss over time.

5. Cost Savings: Digitisation offers significant indirect cost benefits by liberating employees from manual document handling, allowing them to dedicate more time to productive activities that drive business growth and innovation.

CBS: More than just a service

As Canon's specialist document process outsourcing and consultancy arm, CBS excels in tackling challenges within organisations.

First, by delving into each organisation's strategic needs, CBS provides more than just a service — it forms a partnership aimed at achieving operational excellence.

With its expertise and track record in document digitisation, mail, and central print room management, CBS aligns with each customer's strategic goals, supporting them through the proven blend of people, process, and Canon imaging technology.

By streamlining processes and integrating technology, businesses can focus on core activities, foster continuous innovation, growth, and build long-term customer relationships.

Most importantly, CBS recognises that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, as seen in how it helped another major customer in a different industry resolve its challenges.

A bank's strategic overhaul

One foreign private bank in Singapore faced an operational challenge.

Although it was renowned for its impeccable service and extensive client portfolio, the bank needed to upgrade its Document Service Centre to manage internal scanning and statement printing demands more efficiently and securely.

CBS took on the challenge of transforming the bank's Document Service Centre into a model of efficiency and innovation.

CBS redesigned the centre as a dedicated Service Point, designed to meet document production and handling needs, all governed by robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs). As a result, the bank's operational efficiency improved significantly, meeting the needs of internal business units, regulators and customers with increased speed and accuracy.

At the Service Point, clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and service levels ensured transparent, measurable outcomes, aligning the Document Service Centre's goals with the bank's high standards. The new setup also ensured document integrity and accountability, ensuring the bank's critical statements were always sent out on time.

Green innovation

Shifting to a digital document workflow also underscores a commitment to saving the environment.

CBS is at the forefront of this transformation, guiding businesses from traditional manual paperwork to efficient, eco-friendly digital operations.

For example, one audit firm that had two million physical documents. The documents were cumbersome to deal with because they were extremely confidential and thus could not leave the office.

CBS provided a team of operators to help the audit firm digitise everything and free up office space.

Said Mr Low, "Stepping into the digital future means adopting a greener and more dynamic approach to business. Canon Business Services is committed to partnering with you at every step of this journey."