Appraisers in firms of all sizes and types are fast overhauling their offices and their working procedures to cut down on paper and completley digital.
The path to the elusive Paperless Office is fraught with complexity and hazards. But it's getting easier all the time. Appraisal software integration with sketching programs, data providers, mapping, and PDA-Tablet devices is now commonplace.
Dual-display monitors, multi-function printer-scanners, digital cameras and new storage devices and media are packing more bang for the buck than ever! It's a myth that going paperless is just for the bigger firms.
The fact is, anybody can do it, if they do it right. The trend to paperless is only accelerating. So what's the right way to do it?
Here are ten steps to consider . . .
1. Gain the complete commitment of the entire office. The lives and working habits of every appraiser or staffer may change in some way. And any one of them can become a roadblock.
2. Break down and study current business processes. Going paperless requires a tough and honest self-appraisal of how your appraisal office works - and where it doesn't. Attack the task like a Business Process Improvement consulting project.
3. Plan, plan, plan. Allow a good six months to get fully informed about your internal processes and the hardware and software you'll need. You'll want to consider office, field, and remote solutions.
4. Implement in stages. Most appraisal firms start by switching from paper “True Copies” of their reports to PDF electronic versions, because the software they’re using is already largely digital. I've found that it's difficult, if not almost impossible, to implement more than one or two new technologies at the same time. For example, if you're just starting out with electonic property data collection on a PDA, that is NOT the time to also start trying to learn electronic sketching!
5. Change and communicate. In many cases, clients may notice the differences in your business . You're actually modernizing your business, and they usually appreciate that. But some clients my resist your efforts. Communication with your clients is especially important if you're switching from a fax or telephone based ordering system to an Internet based online system. Remind them of the benefits to THEM! Like - online status updates, the ability to download reports in a more secure manner, and faster and more accurate order processing.
6. Don't expect immediate success. Considering the first year is one of planning and implementation, and the second year is one of working out the kinks, you may not feel fully comfortable with the whole thing until the third year. I've had lots of stumbles along the path to going paperless. For my office I've adopted an attitude of "less-paper" more then "paperless". I try to eliminate much of my paper use (and waste) at the source.
7. Stay flexible and well informed. Paperless and mobile technologies are constantly changing. What was a good "Paperless Office Model" two or three years ago may not be the best model today. We're constantly seeing shifts in how we acquire data and integrate it into our forms software. For example: Maybe a PDA was the best (or only) option for field data collection in 2005-2006? Visionary appraisers are starting to look to future "tablet" style devices to replace their PDA (Pocket PC) and eventually the "clipboard".
8. Backup, Backup, Backup! Going paperless means that your office is going to HAVE to have a plan to backup all of that electronic data. A paperless office cannot afford to be sloppy about the storage of data. USPAP and State regulations require that we retain our records for a minimum of 5 years.
9. "Saving" is the biggest benefit. Appraisers will find that the biggest benefit to going paperless are the "savings" --- saving time in finding things, saving space in throwing out file cabinets, and maybe even saving rent with the need for less space, or the chance to add more staff.
10. So it's worth it. And it's getting easier all the time. But it's still a shock to the office ecosystem. If your business is going to truly evolve into a totally paperless office, it's going to have to be part of your DNA! In future installments I'll be exploring some of the various hardware and software options that are available to appraisers in reaching their goal of a paperless office.
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