Enterprise Content Management… the “enterprise” in the name makes many people think that it is a concept only for large organizations. And historically, that may have been true. ECM systems were first used by bigger companies that had a tremendous amount of content to manage. However, as we’ve learned at Buddha Logic in our decades of helping clients implement content management systems, it’s all relative. A smaller company may have fewer resources that it needs to track, but tracking them is just as critical to their success. In some cases, more so.

Fortunately, ECM software providers that cater to small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) have begun to spring up in recent years. And solution providers like Buddha Logic have begun adding these offerings to our “toolkit” so that we can help smaller enterprises optimize their processes just like the larger companies.

Why Should We Implement an ECM System?

The benefits of ECM are generally the same for large companies and SMBs:

• Easy access to content. Content that has been digitized, categorized, tagged, and stored can be access from anywhere. This makes it much more valuable than data that exists in a paper document that, unless you make multiple copies, can only be in one place at a time.
• Automated version control. Things move fast in small companies, and sometimes that results in confusion about which version of a document is the most current. In addition to being frustrating, those situations can be costly if mistakes are made and deals are lost or customers are alienated. An ECM system ensures that everyone in your company is always working with the proper version.
• Better compliance. Even SMBs have government or industry mandates they must comply with regarding the management of client data and other information. From access control to retention rules, an ECM system can help you meet your obligations.
• Freeing IT for other tasks. When you implement an ECM system, many of the tasks your IT person or team had to handle before are taken care of automatically. That frees them to work on other projects.

Each of these advantages helps deliver more efficient and and effective operations, which ultimately delivers a better bottom line.

A New Definition for ECM

In some circles, the term “content services technology” is starting to replace “enterprise content management system.” One of the drivers for that change is probably the idea that those services aren’t just for large companies anymore. At Buddha Logic, we’re totally onboard with that evolution. We know from our experience working with both bigger organizations and SMBs that the effective management of content is critical to every business’ success.

About the Author

Kristoffer Jackson is an enterprise content management (ECM) consultant with over 14 years’ experience in the ECM and records and information management (RIM) fields. Kristoffer specializes in designing, implementing and leading transformative ECM and RIM solutions for critical business functions in both the private and public sectors to generate cost savings, empower business users and unleash productivity. Connect with Kristoffer on LinkedIn.