Until now, a paperless office has been one of those concepts that has been attractive in theory but rarely achieved in practice.

Despite the efficiency gains increased use of paperless technologies could provide along with improving client service, firms have still found many reasons not to change. Staff are too busy and stressed; they believe people find paper documents easier to work with; or they’ll do it soon.

By taking an early lead, accountants can show not only that they are a forward-thinking profession, but also help clients to see the benefits of such an approach.

One of the key motivations for going paperless is that good use of technology can provide a competitive advantage.

For example, most people would not now consider joining a bank or investing with a brokerage firm that didn’t have the facility for online transactions.

What’s more, the quality of the website, its clarity, functionality and ease of use, might also be a key factor in their decision whether to give them their business. It will not be long before the requirement to collaborate interactively online with advisers and service providers will spread to other sectors.

The standard response from the doubters is: ‘Well our industry is different’. It is. But that is not to say there are no early adopters of paperless technologies looking to sharpen their competitive edge against you and drive their businesses forward.

Having a well-organised electronic storage system allows firms to respond within minutes rather than days when a client requests copies of documents going back years. It also minimises, rather than increases, the risk of losing key data.

Electronic databases can be quickly cross-referenced. With the proper tools, firms can share files remotely with colleagues in other offices or even set up client portals to allow them to share documents with their customers.

While technology can help to solve problems, it is important to recognise that it can play a part in creating them. A poorly-implemented document management transition will make life harder, not easier, so guidance is necessary to make the switch to paperless working go smoothly.

Help will be needed with the transition, so the first step is to find a partner rather than a vendor. Without all three elements of good software, consulting and support, firms will struggle.

Software is the key to paperless success. Good consulting and support cannot make up for software that’s not up to the job. For example, most businesses have three areas of storage ­ the paper file room, network drive and email. The software must be able to integrate the three seamlessly; if it can only manage two well, there will be problems with systems.

Installing new technology will not be enough on its own. Businesses also need to look at process improvements to successfully move to a digital environment. Often firms continue to handle their workflow in the same way they have done for years. But an experienced consultant can assist a firm to prepare itself internally for the change. They can also help determine how much kit will be required for the project, making it easier to budget and plan the timeframe.

It is crucial that the solution is easy to use. End user training should never be more than a few hours as most firms simply do not have the resources to spend large amounts of time training employees to use electronic systems.

Again, the aim is to make work easier, not more complicated. Investing time at the planning stage will pay dividends when the project is finally rolled out, as end users will find it easier to adjust.

We may not yet operate in a fully paper-free environment, but forward-thinking companies are increasingly moving that way, seizing the competitive advantage from rivals by making good use of the most modern ways of working.

These firms do not simply jump on the latest techno-bandwagon, but recognise the need to evaluate internal working processes and specific needs if they are to successfully leverage technological advances to improve their business practices. Those that are not doing so risk being left behind.

John Bower is director of CCH Software

www.cch.co.uk