The paperless office
by Glenn RittThe paperless office may be a quest only slightly less ambitious than the Holy Grail. But for John Garner, the concept intrigues him enough to have built a big chunk of his business model around it.
Garner is founder of West Barnstable-based iMedia Technology, which specializes in managed IT services, network monitoring, remote data backup, Web development and document management serving clients across the South Shore and beyond.
That’s document management without paper.
“Everything has its time and place,” he emphasizes. “Ten years ago, you probably did not understand why you needed e-mail. Once you started using it, you understood.”
The same applies to trading in paper files for computer files.
“The biggest feature and benefit is the ability to find anything,” Garner explained. “Even if something is misfiled, a keyword search will find it. Search for the word ‘financing,’ and up will pop every document that has those words in it. Try doing that with a file cabinet.”
Garner believes the paperless grail may be more attainable than ever before for a small company. “We did a lot of research and found that a modest small company can afford it. It is not exorbitant.”
What price? Think $5,000.
If you Google “paperless office,” what pops up are scores of articles extremely skeptical about the goal. No matter how hard we try, we’re still apt to print that file as a security blanket – even if it ends up piled on top of the desk because it takes too much time to place it in the right folder in the already-stuffed cabinet.
“Yes, it’s a typical hurdle,” acknowledges Garner with a fair degree of frustration. “You’ll see a small business lease a multifunction copier for several hundred dollars a month. But, in reality, it doesn’t make them more productive; they still can’t find information. For the same money – and probably far less – you can have software and hardware on a desktop or laptop.”
But, of course, Garner is a leading-edge advocate. He recognizes that changing businesses’ psychology will be akin to consumers gaining confidence in giving their credit card information to online stores.
One key to a paperless office is tied to another Garner specialty: remote data backup. Businesses must be confident that everything they file electronically not only is backed up in their office, but elsewhere in a remote secure environment.
Garner has seen much greater adoption of document management in the last three years, partly because the price point for this solution has dropped. The greatest acceptance, he observed, is coming from attorneys, health-care providers, accountants, insurance companies and home-based businesses that can set up a paperless office for as little as $1,500 with entry-level software, a desktop scanner and some training time.
iMedia acts as a consultant, explained Garner. It begins with helping a business evaluate its work flow and identifying snags and problems. It ends with an ROI (return on investment) calculation so clients can see clearly when the initial cost for software, hardware and training will result in productivity savings.
“We will sit down with an owner or manager and ask a series of questions,” he explained.
If it is a comprehensive evaluation of the company’s technology needs, questions could include:
• How many people are employed?
• How many computers are involved?
• What type of software do you use to run your business?
• Can you tolerate computer downtime?
• Are there security concerns?
• What would improve customer service?
• Where should staff productivity be addressed?
• Do you have a mobile workforce?
• Do you plan to expand to more than one location in coming years?
• Are you backing up your information now, and how?
• Do you have a risk of employees accessing information inappropriately?
The same applies to document management so companies understand how paper cycles through all aspects of their operations. “We review with the staff everything from how the accounts payable department will process invoices to how the purchasing department will requisition orders,” Garner said.
iMedia has settled for the time being on two different software packages, one that applies to small companies, and another for larger ones. “We are constantly investigating document management solutions to find the best value for our clients.
“Our business model is that we are all service,” he continued. “We don’t make money selling software or hardware. Our emphasis is on finding the right solutions. The two software packages have been chosen by us to best assure our solutions are the right ones.”
If it isn’t, Garner recognizes the client won’t come back. “If we don’t do a good job, they will show us the door.”
Two years ago, iMedia’s business was 98 percent IT services and 2 percent document management. Today, that pie has shifted dramatically. Seventy percent is IT services, 20 percent is document management and the remaining 10 percent is remote data backup – which is related directly to the document management.
When he founded the company in 1998, Garner had about 10 clients; today, that number is about 150. He follows the 80/20 rule. The top fifth of his client base provides him with 80 percent of his revenue. “Originally, we had a tremendous list of clients who generated about $1,000 each, but that created too much stress for a small company.”
He has a staff of six and is looking for more, a challenge for most technology companies on the Cape, where it is hard to find talented employees. For him personally, the Cape represents a personal lifestyle decision – like so many other baby boomers who are trading in corporate and urban environments for here.
Garner comes from the semiconductor industry and most recently worked in Woburn. “One day, I got the brainstorm that I should move to the Cape and sail more.” He had met the owner of an IT consulting business who was ready to give up his company and move into software development.
So, Garner took over his modest client base. “I didn’t know any better,” he recalled with some bemusement. “So much has changed since then. Five years ago, if someone’s e-mail did not work, they might be happy if it was fixed in three days; now, it had better be up and running in 30 minutes.
“That’s why I still can’t go sailing,” he laughed.
Published in Plymouth County Business October/November 2007 and Cape Business January/February 2008
Glenn Ritt Glenn Ritt is editor and co-publisher of Cape Business Publishing LLC. He is the former publisher of Cape Cod Community Newspapers and editor of The Bergen Record in New Jersey. 
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