Challenges of Converting to a Paperless Real Estate Office

Real estate agents and businesses stand to benefit from using paperless and e-signature software. These tools provide convenience for both you and your clients. However, converting to a paperless office presents challenges. Before making the commitment to move away from paper, consider the following issues:

• Online security: You need to make sure your paperless data is backed up in at least several locations, such as a building or server. Also consider cloud-based technology. One of the most important things with paperless documents is security—stay on top of it!
• Storage of paper files: There are laws about how certain documents and files must be stored. Not all paper documents can immediately be transitioned to digital files stored on a server.
• Office printers and copiers: Even though your office is going paperless, your clients or customers may not be ready for this transition. You’ll also likely still receive some paper documents, such as bills or bank statements. It might make sense to keep a printer and copier on hand, just in case you need to work with a paper document.
• Your agents and clients: Will everyone be comfortable with a paperless office? If not, consider putting off the switch until more people get on board.

On a general level, there is a host of reasons why you should switch to a paperless office, regardless of your industry:

• Use less space & save money on a lease: Because a paperless office means eliminating paper, you’ll be able to eliminate many file cabinets and piles of paper. This means you can move to a more compact office and save money on office space.
• Save money on paper-related expenses: Think about your current processes of communicating with clients. Is a lot of paper wasted? If your process involves printing, mailing and shipping, you’re wasting paper and money. Online faxes and emails can save you time, money and paper.
• Lower chance of losing documents: Electronically-stored documents are much harder to misplace because they are almost always trackable. If someone loses a paper file, how will you find it? Chances are, you won’t. Even something as simple as misplacing a file in a filing cabinet can result in a fruitless, frantic search for the document.
• Flexible work schedules: This is a great benefit for employees, especially if you offer remote access to the company system. Employees can work from the comfort of their home and upload finished documents to the server—no more forgetting paper on a desk.
• Impress clients: Being environmentally-friendly is just another trait you can use to sell your company in the ultra-competitive business world of today.
• More immediate access to information: Need a file now? Can’t spare the time to walk to the filing cabinets on the second floor and search for that document? With a paperless office, you can search for files on the server without leaving the comfort of your seat.
• Dynamic documents: Ever had a situation where you changed something on a document, printed it out and needed to make another change the following week? If your office isn’t paperless, this involves printing and copying hundreds of papers. But with a paperless office, you can make the change electronically and save the changes to the server.

formsRus offers paperless office and e-signature solutions for businesses in all industries in the United States and Canada. For more information, please contact us today!

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