Sustainability and climate change have risen to be in the top five significant concerns Australia’s business leaders’ face in 2020.[1] It’s likely that this year will see more companies changing their processes and undergoing digital transformation journeys to reduce their environmental impact.
Mounds of paperwork are a typical way of running administration processes for most businesses, with filing cabinets full of receipts, invoices, delivery notifications, letters, job and time sheets, compliance checks, service documentation and so much more. And, if there isn’t a good filing system in place, finding a particular document can be near impossible at times.
When it comes to proof of delivery (POD) processes, this usually includes manually filling out paper documents, ensuring the right paperwork is attached and given to the delivery drivers, and turning in the physical files at the end of day to the office.
This creates issues for businesses such as:
- excess paper usage, which has a negative environmental impact
- time-intensive processes mean staff members aren’t as productive as they could be
- having to return to the office to hand in physical documents is inefficient
- paper-based documents can easily get lost, destroyed or misfiled, creating difficulties in proving that deliveries occurred, making it challenging to address disputes.
Sign on Glass (SoG) is a simple, easy-to-use technology that replaces the mountains of paperwork associated with POD processes. It is a much more environmentally-friendly way of operating that reduces both the need for excessive printing and the costs involved. Rather than traditional methods that involve paperwork being shuffled from one location to another, SoG only requires a tablet or similar electronic device and manages and stores the digital files in your company’s document management system via an integrated solution.
To provide greater flexibility for personnel in the field or offsite, the process to access and lodge documents has been made simple through digitisation. The same process can be used for multiple functions, such as: deliveries and distribution; invoices and other transactional documents; service and maintenance job sheets; and logging compliance checks and requirements.
The benefits of SoG include:
- reducing paperwork and storage
- digital storage of dockets and paperwork, making it easier to find and access files
- reducing risk of lost or destroyed dockets and missed signatures
- limiting errors and incorrect payments
- decreasing the spend on printing costs and space needed for storage
- streamlining POD processes
- visibility and control on job information
- multiple proof points for easier dispute resolution.
Previously, the costs to your business of a digital proof of delivery solution could be exorbitant due to additional device and tablet requirements. This huge investment in hardware made it unviable for most companies. It could also take time for your business to be supplied with stock. Now, with the maturity of sign on glass, the paperless digital proof of delivery solution can be deployed to existing devices.
The solution can be pushed out onto any mobile device or tablet, saving your business money by optimising current company resources instead of requiring new ones. It can also be easily distributed across employees and even provided to third-party contractors to make processes simpler by using one, centralised process and platform.
The process is still managed the same and enhanced through the digital solution: the appropriate document is generated; the digital transaction is completed; and the document is stored in the system, able to be retrieved or viewed at any time. SoG technology is not only environmentally-friendly, but also more efficient and budget-savvy when it comes to operating POD processes. To find out more about how SoG technology can help your business, contact Upstream today.
[1] https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/au/pdf/2019/issues-facing-australian-leaders-2020-outlook.pdf