The Pros And Cons Of Digitizing Your Entire Business

Julie Starr • November 19, 2020



Over the last three decades, businesses have been getting increasingly more digital. There are now office-based companies that handle their entire business through a computer from bookkeeping to taking phone calls. Some manufacturing companies meanwhile are reliant on robots for their production process. Moreover, most companies use Business phone systems to streamline communications on any device and CMS systems while allowing them to transcript voicemails into emails, losing the need to write anything down on paper. There can be great benefits to going wholly digital and there can be drawbacks. This post weighs up some of the pros and cons.

The Pros

Improved speed

Digital technology makes things a lot faster by automating processes. Tasks like accounting have been dramatically sped up with the help of software. Less time doing tasks can also result in lower running costs because less manpower is required.

Improved accuracy

Digital technology can also result in increased accuracy. Many types of digital machinery can carry out tasks more accurately than traditional machinery – this includes everything from digital cutting machines to digital scales as found at https://www.arlynscales.com . Digital cash registers and accounting software can meanwhile help to prevent counting errors.

24/7 monitoring

 

Digital technology can allow processes to be constantly monitored. This is particularly thanks to the cloud and the internet of things, which have allowed business owners to monitor factory machinery and security cameras any location with an app on their phone. Businesses can also use a Siemens 6AV2124-0MC01-0AX0 touch screen display unit to enhance operational control and facilitate real-time data analysis. These touch screen units provide a user-friendly interface that lets operators quickly access system statuses, alarms, and actionable insights without the need for extensive training. By integrating such advanced hardware with IoT devices and cloud computing, businesses can streamline their operations, reduce downtime, and predict maintenance needs before failures occur.

 

No paper

Digitizing everything renders paper obsolete . There are many drawbacks to using paper – it requires more physical storage space, it has the potential to be damaged, and it’s not particularly environmentally friendly. Digital records are much easier to organize and can be shared more easily and efficiently than paper documents. 

The Cons

Initial cost

Going digital costs a lot of money. While you may save money in the long run by automating processes, you need to be able to afford the upfront costs of adopting the technology without taking out large debts. This puts off a lot of people from switching to digital processes.  

Security concerns

Digital technology is often connected to the internet, which opens the door to cybercrime. While there may be security benefits to switching to digital methods (digital records cannot be as easily burgled), you also need to be wary of the new security risks that come with an entirely digital business. Some companies still send sensitive documents by fax for this very reason. 

Increased energy usage

While less paper consumption means less deforestation, increased use of computers means higher energy usage. Not only does this have a negative impact on the planet, but it also means higher bills. Fortunately, computers are becoming more energy-efficient and so this is becoming less of a problem.  

Dependence on working technology

When everything is done digitally, you become dependent on technology. If this technology fails, your business could come to a standstill until you can fix the problem. Digitally-reliant businesses are often forced into downtime if there’s a power cut or internet problem. There may be ways to keep technology alive such as maintaining it well and having backup power generators on-site, but there may still be a risk of technology failing.

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