Did you read the first post in this two-part series about introducing apps-based document workflow into your organization? Blog #1 tackled three questions related to building apps for document workflow.Here we’re sharing more information from the Q&A portion our webinar, “Documents, Compliance and Apps: Do You Know Enough to Avoid Risk?”. This post covers three questions about maximizing the value of app workflow:

• Question 4. How do you get people to use apps consistently?
• Question 5: What metrics can you capture from app workflows?
• Question 6. How can you track and validate the financial savings from using apps in a particular workflow?

View the full webinar on demand and see bios of the compliance experts who shared their knowledge: Josh Justice (JJ), Paul Miller (PM) and Janice Reece (JR).

Question 4. How do you get people to use apps workflow consistently?

JJ:             I’m often asked that, but it’s not a problem that I see. We’ve found that people want to find an easier way to do something. So if you build an app and show them how it takes out steps, reduces errors or speeds up processes, they’ll want to use that app. We find that if you make something that’s easier to use and people see value, then they’ll want to use it. You can also do things like ongoing training.

JR:            It’s standardization. If you look at it, an app is really a standardization of a process. If you’re moving your business through digital transformation, the combination of the app along with the digital aspect with compliance underneath is significant. You obviously still have to think about it from a policy and governance perspective, but once you establish that, you have an ongoing training approach to make sure your organization is aware of it.

PM:         I think from a Xerox perspective what we’ve seen from the past is people have been intimidated by this technology. But with the latest launch of our 29 ConnectKey products and with the interface really being “appified,” if you will, people walk up and intuitively know how to use the device, so I think apps make it a lot easier.

JJ:             It’s becoming more and more the day-to-day conversation. Whereas in the past, a multifunction machine meant it could copy, print, fax and scan. Now customers also have a variety of apps on their devices. When clients talk to us about new devices, they want to make sure they get their apps just like when someone upgrades their cell phone. They want to keep their apps, so it’s the same thing that’s becoming more the day-to-day process with apps and MFPs.

Question 5: What metrics can you capture from app workflows?

JJ:             However many you want. It’s unlimited.

JR:            Data is data.

JJ:             Exactly. You can capture how long it takes to perform the task. How much time is saved through doing that with an app? How many people are using it? How many documents are transferred? It’s unlimited. You can capture all of that information. We can pull it up and put it in a report for you.

JR:            It can also be an audit process from a regulatory perspective, which I think is why people feel like the whole process of compliance may be too unwieldy for them. App workflow data helps document the audit process, so companies can share data and validate that they are in compliance.

JJ:             What I love from my marketing perspective is, if it’s digital, it’s measurable, which is what we’re always looking for.

Question 6. How can you track financial savings from using apps in a particular workflow?

JR:            Several things allow tracking. Obviously, there are the improvements to workflow in your business processes that you can look at and do some valuations. But the biggest thing is the risk you face from a financial standpoint if you don’t pay attention to compliance. Given the fines out there, it can be anywhere from $100 to $50,000 per incident, and you can go up from there based on whatever the issue is relative to the data or the breach.

You really need to think about security and compliance on behalf of either your employees or if you’re doing business with another company. It could put that whole business relationship at risk, which would be significant from a financial perspective as well.

Learn how to use apps to build a compliant, digital business in this webinar: “Webinar: Documents, Compliance and Apps: Do You Know Enough to Avoid Risk?” now available on demand.