Running a business is tough. Storing files, piles of receipts, and stacks of forms ensure your office and life are completely cluttered. Add to that making sure customers are happy and your business is being profitable, and even an organized business owner will have a headache.
One way of getting your business organized and running smoothly is by using less paper. It's as easy as using a few apps and folders on your device. Bonus: It's good for the environment!
Technology as a tool for your business is convenient and helps you stay organized. It also shows customers that your company is current and cares about evolving. Imagine you're a homeowner that needs some drywall hung. Would you hire the contractor with a hand crank drill or a power drill?
Starting is the hardest part! Once you've made the decision to use less paper, there are simple things you can do to make sure everything stays neat and tidy.
Scan it! Scan and file documents into folders on your device, then shred the physical copy- if appropriate. There are even portable scanners like Doxie Go.
Generate Reports into a PDF You'll have access to them instantly and can sort them into folders.
Download a PDF of User Manuals You can read them on your phone, tablet, or computer.
Use Google Docs to organize your documents. Set up shared folders so everyone on your team has access to what they need.
Try an Online Fax Provider like Nextiva. They'll email you incoming faxes so they don't end up on your desk.
Take a Picture of important receipts with your phone and upload them into a searchable folder.
Write on Paperless Post-its Use a team chat service like Slack or "to do" apps like Trello or Evernote so everyone is on the same page.
Opt for an Email Blast to prospective customers and follow-ups to existing customers instead of traditional mail.
Get on Social Media Facebook and Twitter are great tools to keep you connected and advertise to your customers.
Use Estimate Rocket to keep all your information on a contracting job in one editable, easy to access, paper-less place. Organize projects, send email estimates, invoices, work orders, and receipts, and stay connected with your customers.
When you have a paper-less system in place, finding important documents is as easy as typing a keyword into the search bar. So spend less time looking through mounds of paperwork and more time getting things done!