Paper-Less Challenge - Using Technology to our Advantage
It's 1979, I'm working in the Insurance Industry which has an enormous amount of paper (maybe even more than the real estate industry!). IBM goes into partnership with Aetna C&S Insurance Company to provide desktop computers to the Aetna's Agents to help them go paperless. Requires an investment of a minimum of $50,000. Not chump change, (remember its 1979) that's for sure ;) But, the insurance broker/agent I'm working for is an early adopter - and he goes for it!
And, for the next nine months, we all (28 of us) get on board and become a paperless insurance brokerage firm!!!
Short-lived though.... people could just not resist the urge to print out insurance quotes, payment transactions, and INTRA-office email conversations between the agent and the underwriter. What a bummer :( Instead of being paperless, we quickly became a paper hoarding agency.
Fast forward to 2011 - here are three + great ways to help conquer and control some paper clutter from this SF Bay Professional Organizer.
1) If you frequently print out draft copies of proposals, presentations, ideas... etc. and then edit them and print out the edited versions... don't throw those original printed copies in the recycling bin! Save those pages so you can re-use them as scratch paper for the next time you're going to print out drafts! Re-insert them according to your printer's directions and print on the 2nd side.
2) Receipts - the bane of our existence if you are in business for yourself (even if you work for someone else and need to turn in Expense Reports!). NEAT RECEIPTS - a very practical technology solution. You scan your receipts and with this software program you are, in effect, creating a weekly/monthly expense report that, most inmportantly, complies with all IRS requirements. Works for both PC and MAC.
3) User Manuals - did you know that most of these manuals are available online? You can go to http://safemanuals.com to search for the manual you need - now you no longer need to keep all those bulky manuals in many languages in a binder! How awesome is that?
4) OK... we are not required to give another tip, but this SF Bay Area Professional Organizer can not resist! With my organizing clients, I use a RAFT system...
- R= REFER to someone else... if mail comes in for another member of your family, have a folder/spot for them and place it in their location!
- A = ACTION - pay bills, make calls, etc.
- F = FILE - everyone needs an easy filing system with broad categories
- T = TOSS - trash, recycle, shred.... as much as you can
5) BACK UP - a most important tip as you utilize technology to reduce your paper use! Back up daily!!
This post is written as a submission to the ActiveRain & Kodak Paper-less Challenge contest. I have the chance to win the high speed KODAK SCANMATE i1120 Scanner, great for helping real estate professionals reduce their stacks of paper by scanning contracts, photos and business cards in seconds.
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