Phygital information management provides the best of both worlds for your organisation. But what does the journey to phygital look like? Find out our process for implementing phygital information management within your business.
An objective view
Your dedicated account manager will begin the process by asking about your business objectives. Because phygital information management is at its best when it contributes to those objectives.
Do you want to become a digital-first organisation? Do you want to empower hybrid working? Do you want today at your fingertips while yesterday rests in GDPR-friendly storage?
Whatever your goals, understanding them means we can recommend the phygital information management strategy that’s right for you.
Data capture
Now it’s time to figure out what’s worth digitising and what’s worth storing. To do that, you need to know what’s in your records library.
But, like many of our customers, you might have been building your library over years, even decades. Sometimes that leads to inconsistent archiving practices, with missing metadata that makes records hard to find. Sometimes, it just means some records have lain undisturbed since Billy Joel was topping the charts.
Whether you’ve records that are hard to find or boxes that you haven’t opened for The Longest Time, we’ll sort it all out. We’ll work with you to lift the lids and figure out what’s inside. We’ll also import any missing metadata, ensuring you don’t just know what information you have, but that it’s also easy to find again.
Unneeded files
Don’t be alarmed if this process unearths records you no longer need to store; it’s more common than you’d think.
We can securely destroy any file you no longer need, with a spiffy certificate of destruction that looks at home on an office wall or an audit trail.
Your digitisation strategy
What should be digitised and when?
It’s often worth digitising the records you most frequently access to make the biggest savings in time, money, and space. We’ll analyse your usage to identify these records for you.
But how will you use your information in the future?
- Are there any imminent changes that will reduce demand for frequently requested records?
- Is there information your teams need access to at the same time?
- Administrative Overhead – Trusts must allocate staff to track, retrieve, and manage thousands of records Does everyone have the right hardware/software to access digital records?
- Do any stakeholders require digital/physical records?
Understanding how you’re going to be using your information means we can determine whether we should digitise records you don’t often access or keep some frequently requested records in physical format.
Once we know what to digitise, we’ll work with you to establish when we should do it. Do you want a pilot project to stress test systems and processes? Are there certain business areas or teams you want to digitise first?
Whatever you need, we’ll make sure your phygital strategy is right before we get started.
Systems and processes
We’ll use over three decades of information management experience to make sure you have the systems and processes you need.
For example, you’ll want to ensure the change to phygital still meets the standards of your sector, remains compliant with relevant regulations, and satisfies your business continuity needs. So we’ll conduct risk assessments, recommend the right accreditations, and help create everything from archiving processes to lifecycle management policies.
You’ll also want systems that can seamlessly manage both physical and digital information. So we’ll recommend a Document Management System that not only handles both, but integrates with your existing systems too.
We’ll also implement our 24/7 web portal and provide any training needed so your teams can quickly and easily find, request, and return physical files from our secure, local storage facilities.
Digitisation
Wolverhampton*, start your scanners.
With your plan in place, we’ll start the process of scanning your physical records.
The digitisation process can move quickly thanks to our extensive scanning facilities. Even unusual and out-size files won’t slow us down thanks to the expertise of our scanning teams. They’ll ensure everything is included (even the Post-Its), uploaded, indexed and catalogued, and securely transferred to your Document Management System.
Once your digital record has been created, we can either carefully reassemble the paper original before returning it to storage, or securely destroy it; whichever option you’ve chosen.
*We’ve actually got scanning facilities all over the UK, but “Scanning facilities all over the UK, start your scanners” didn’t sound as good.
Secure storage
Don’t think the records you’re not digitising will disappear into some dusty archive. They’ll be kept nice and cosy in temperature- and humidity-controlled, secure facilities less than two hours from your front door.
Because we checked and imported missing metadata, it’s easy to find a record via our 24/7 web portal. And same-day delivery means you won’t be left waiting to get your hands on your physical records.
Find out more about our secure, local storage facilities.
Ongoing support
The process doesn’t end when the scanners fall silent.
Instead, your dedicated account manager, supported by our local care teams, will make sure your phygital information management adapts to your needs as they grow and change.
Perhaps you find that stakeholders or customers are sending you paper linked to records you’ve digitised? We can set up a Digital Mailroom to seamlessly digitise this paper as it arrives.
Or perhaps you need some of your physical records digitised? Our Scan on Demand service can provide same-day scans of any record you have in storage.
And we’ll constantly keep an eye on your records in line with your retention policy, proactively letting you know when information can be securely destroyed to keep you compliant (not to mention keeping costs low!)
And if a problem rears its head? Our relentless resourceful team are on call to take ownership of the challenge and deliver a prompt solution.
A phygital process for you
Three decades of experience has taught us what works and what doesn’t.
But it’s also taught us when to put aside an established process in favour of building a bespoke solution that’s a better fit for your organisation.
So whether you’re ready to get started or you think you need that bespoke touch, speak to our resourceful team. They’re ready with answers to your questions, eager to take ownership of your problems and deliver some prompt solutions.
And they’re ready to get you on your journey to phygital.
Case Studies
