British firms are wasting time and money from out-dated office practices and poor handling of electronic documents, according to new research released today.
In a study of 410 small companies, 37% reported that money is lost from employees failing to share updated versions of documents, while 53% of firms are held back by poor archiving of emails and documents.
The survey also revealed that 59% of business owners are unable to amend documents when they are off the premises.
Oliver Mauss, chief executive of web hosting provider, 1&1 Internet Ltd, who conducted the research, said: “For many firms, out-dated or inefficient methods of handling and storing electronic materials can negatively impact performance, costs and so their bottom line. Companies of all types can benefit from examining how their day-to-day use of office technology can be enhanced.”
According to the study, over half of business owners believe that their staff are wasting money with excessive print-outs, as one in four firms estimate they are currently wasting over £2000 a year.
Mauss added: “There are now intuitive web-based options for document creation, collaboration and storage that can increase mobility, raise efficiencies and benefit the environment as well as the balance sheet.”
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2010