Digicom Technology News

Ricoh Company, Ltd. is advising companies that improving document processes such as sales and marketing, customer communications, customer onboarding, service and support, developing new products, and billing and collection, which are traditionally seen as a strategy primarily for cost reduction, could yield some surprising revenue benefits - in fact, a potential increase of approximately 10 percent to the top line based on a recent IDC white paper sponsored by Ricoh.

The reasoning? Improved document processes can enhance the overall experience of a customer's interaction with an organization. Efficient processes, which allow for greater focus on the customer's needs, can have a positive impact on customer satisfaction, which is critical for retention and revenue growth. On the other hand, customers may flee to competitors if confronted by inefficient and ineffective customer-facing document processes.

These assertions are backed by research reported in a new IDC white paper sponsored by Ricoh, "Organizational Blind Spot: The Role of Document-Driven Business Processes in Driving Top-Line Growth (September 2012)." The white paper is the second major product of Ricoh's new Process Imperative initiative for improved information management. The white paper is based on IDC's recent global study of 1,516 document-driven business process owners and information workers.

Deficient document processes may cause customers to defect, the research revealed. Sixty-nine percent of respondents said they would be less likely to do business with companies having inefficient or ineffective document processes. Sixty percent said they would take their business elsewhere, and 57 percent said they would tell others not do to business with these companies.

The good news is that better document processes have the potential to improve revenue. More than 8 in 10 respondents indicated that optimizing customer-facing document driven business processes would increase revenue - on average by 10.1 percent. This could be achieved by improving customer communications, streamlining the sales and customer on-boarding process, and improving customer support.

"This is great news for executives who are struggling to prioritize business process improvements," said Sergio Kato, Deputy General Manager, Ricoh's Global Marketing Group/Services Business Center. "No longer do they have to wonder if tackling document processes will yield a big enough return to justify the investment. Especially in this economic climate, any process that can both reduce costs and improve revenue is a win-win and should rise to the top of the priority list."

For more information on Digicom's document and information processing solutions, please visit Digicom's website.