Article: Don't Get Stuck With The Wrong ECM System: Four Essential Criteria For Success

By James Thumma, Optical Image Technology

By now, you are well aware of the benefits of transitioning from paper processes to electronic. Whether you need to do more with less (and who doesn't in this economy?), comply with regulations, manage your records, or streamline operations, an enterprise content management (ECM) system can provide you with the tools that you need to achieve your business goals.

Your relationship with your ECM vendor is a marriage of sorts. And as you are shopping for the right system, you're in the honeymoon phase. You see all of the good qualities of the software, and the weaknesses are undiscovered. But ECM implementations, like marriages, fail as often as they succeed. How, then, do you know which system is right for your business? An awareness of the following four factors can prevent you from getting stuck with the wrong ECM solution.

• Return on investment (ROI) vs. total cost of ownership TODAY
• Integration
• Software as a Service (SaaS) vs. on-site installation
• Ease of use

Implementing ECM shouldn't be painful. Once you are able to articulate your enterprise needs, talk with prospective vendors about how their systems can increase efficiency, customer service, and profits. A high-performance system pairs the ease-of-use that your staff craves with the integration, BPM, and workflow tools that you need to compete. And a vendor with decades of experience in the industry can work with you to design a solution that is specific to your unique needs.