The 9 Deadliest Document Scanning Mistakes
At many dealerships, electronic document storage is now more prevalent than not, and for good reason! The advantages are numerous, ranging from making audits simpler to getting rid of crowded filing cabinets.
As with every significant shift, there are obstacles. The main difficulty is the absence of a formal dealership scanning procedure.
Too frequently, this task is viewed as merely clerical and given to a $10 per hour temporary worker or added on top of the current responsibilities of an overworked staff. This is incorrect.
The scanner Operator actually manages compliance because they are in charge of making sure every document in a file is readable, organized properly, and tagged. If auditors show up, careless scanning that leaves pages blank or renders text unreadable might cost you thousands of dollars in fines.
Sales managers who want to examine a past agreement to give a returning customer the finest customer experience may be hampered by sloppy work. The same is true for service managers, who need to know a customer’s previous service history to help them when they spot them in the service bay again for an upsell opportunity.
Correct scanning is very important. Hiring a professional with a keen eye for detail and giving them hands-on instruction in the entire document flow and scanning process is well worth the time and money. If hiring and training are neglected, a scanning operator is more likely to commit the following mistakes:
failing to verify that every image is clear – Before being uploaded to permanent electronic storage, every scanned document must be readable and clear. Follow tried-and-true procedures, such as color-scanning driver’s licenses and checking that the documents’ corners aren’t folded. To ensure document integrity, the scanner Operator must examine the screen after each scan.
Failure to update the wrong titles results in a large number of unsearchable documents from mistitled scans. Sometimes a page smear is all it takes for the computer to misinterpret and misspell the title. To ensure the title is correct, the scanning operator must constantly compare the papers to what is displayed on the screen.
Document miscollation – Putting together documents in the wrong order can result in a document title that is erroneous and renders the documents searchable. You don’t want to have to wade through pages to find the first page of a RO or a Deal Recap sheet, therefore arranging the pages is also important for best use.
scanning several documents at once – Multiple papers could be stored under one title if separator sheets are not used or if people are not careful to ensure that documents are divided. When attempting to locate those misfiled documents, this poses a significant problem.
Forgetting to number the pages: Before scanning a document, all the pages should be counted and numbered. Then, the numbers should be compared to what is displayed on the screen. You run the risk of not scanning every page if you skip this step.
Documents that have been scanned and then immediately destroyed incur the danger of having an improper scan that cannot be corrected without the originals. In order to assure accuracy before shredding, it is best practice to check the system the following day for papers scanned the day before.
Failure to remove staples – A file that has staples increases the chance that a page may be missed since one may become “hidden” behind another. More significantly, staples could damage the scanner’s glass. Scanners can cost up to $5,000, and by leaving lines on every page, a scratched glass can ruin that investment.
Poor scanner maintenance – A scanner needs to be properly maintained in order to perform at its best and produce the greatest images, just like any other piece of equipment. Daily glass cleaning is required, as is monthly cleaning of the paper chute, rollers, and sensors by the scanning operator. Every year or every 200,000 pages, whichever comes first, page rollers should be replaced.
The scanning operator should be able to recognize Service, Parts, Deal, and Accounting documents when scanning without document expertise. After all, how can they decide how to organize it wisely if they can’t identify the document? If customers need more information or have questions, they will be able to find the right person at the dealership with proper identification.
When it comes to speeding through audits, improving staff productivity, and getting rid of enormous piles of paper, electronic document storage is a game-changer. Don’t, however, entrust scanning to a temporary or entry-level worker. A successful storage program depends on accurate document scanning, thus, it pays to employ a pro and spend money on training.
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