Globally, COVID-19 has disrupted standard operating procedures for many organizations. In order to create business continuity, businesses have adopted new remote and distributed workforces.

However, a remote workforce creates new business operations questions. Some of these questions include: “How will I ensure my legal team receives critical mail?” “What employees need to be in the office to complete their work effectively?” “Are there alternative solutions that maximize employee safety but ensure high quality output?” 

The answer: expedite digital transformation efforts to scale the day-to-day operations.  

Organizations that have embraced new technologies and automated solutions have benefited from seamless business continuity, reduced risk, operational efficiencies, and cost savings. Some of these changes have created enough value that most organizations will incorporate these technologies and process improvements as ongoing best practices, even when the workforce begins to return to the office. 

Below are a few key areas where organizations have been utilizing transformative technology and reimagined approaches during the pandemic. 

Digital Mailroom

Digital Mailroom (DMR) is a technology-enabled solution that streamlines mailroom’s operations, increases compliance, and strengthens an organization’s information governance strategy. 

On a foundational level, a digital mailroom ensures that physical mail is collected, scanned, and delivered to its intended audience within a few hours, regardless of their geographic location. Indeed, law firms and corporations have been converting physical documents into electronic content through basic scanning techniques for years, but DMR goes the extra mile. DMR is an end-to-end workflow solution that captures data from receipt, logs incoming pieces through the scanning and intelligent routing of digitized content to an organization’s repository of record.

Organizations that have adopted DMR during the pandemic have already benefited from cost savings, a strengthened information governance program, and for most users, this solution has become their standard. Continuing to use this technology post-pandemic can improve efficiency and productivity. It can also help organizations reach their goal of having a paper-free environment and downsizing physical office space. 

Smart Lockers

Smart lockers are a storage solution powered by intelligent software that supports mobility, flexibility, and safety in the workplace through enhanced package management, day storage, and more. Originally, smart lockers appealed to organizations due to its contactless and efficient delivery model. Teams that have installed smart lockers have found that delivery of packages have sped up by roughly 70%. 

How do smart lockers work? When a package arrives to an office location, it is immediately sorted, scanned, and placed in a smart locker. Once placed in the locker, the employee is alerted via email that their package has arrived and it is available using a scannable QR code. The employee can scan the code and pick up the package at their convenience. 

In addition to maximizing employee safety through minimizing physical interactions, smart lockers also have numerous other benefits. For teams who have already adopted DMR technology, smart lockers act as a key step in the overall DMR process by safely delivering any request for physical copies of mail or packages. And, as many trends demonstrated, remote working will continue to be the standard for many employees and teams – even after the pandemic. Smart lockers enable teams to work from anywhere, but still safely and efficiently access supplies, critical mail, and more. 

While the impact of COVID-19 is ongoing, it is the resilient organization that uses this time to pivot and recalibrate. Those who adopt transformative digital solutions now are the ones who will continue to set the standard for years to come.

If you found this blog informative, you may enjoy: Digital Mailroom: A Vital Component of your Information Governance Strategy