Capabilities   Capable document management services provide fast and reliable turnaround times for large scanning volumes. You need to determine:  

• What is their average processing volume? And their maximum processing capacity?
• What kind of scanners do they use; how well are they maintained? Do they keep maintenance logs?
• What sizes of documents do they handle?

  Reputation  

• What is their primary business?
• Do they provide references from past clients?
• How long have they been in the business?
• What was their largest scanning project; what was the completion timeframe?
• Do they have experience working with other companies in your industry?

  Document security and confidentiality  

• What is the level of security they provide? Do they have cameras and security clearances at their facility?
• What measures are in place for the security of documents in their custody? Do they assure confidentiality of records?
• Do they conduct background checks before hiring employees?
• How effective are their network security protocols and document control processes?

  Quality control  

• What quality control, process and security standards do they vendor demonstrate?
• Are they self-certified or certified by a third-party?

  Data management  

• What file formats do they support for the scanned images?
• Do they offer options for OCR (Optical Character Recognition) or automated data capture?

  Pricing  

• Is the pricing transparent and upfront, with no hidden costs?
• Do they offer bundled pricing?
• How do they compare with other vendors?

  It’s not only about the price!   Sure, you must compare a few price quotes from the shortlisted vendors. Price is a crucial factor, but it is certainly not the only one. Companies often make the mistake of selecting a scanning company based on the price alone. Do not assume that all vendors are equal and operate in the same way.   Here are some other evaluation criteria to consider, which may also impact your selection:   Minimize the impact on your daily operations  

• Who is responsible for packing and shipping the documents to the scanning facility?
• If you need a file urgently while it is in the scanning facility, is it retrievable quickly? Are there any cost implications?

    Insist on stringent quality control measures  

• What are the quality standards and procedures they follow?
• Do they have a documented QC (quality control) policy to share with you?
• If their QC policy and procedures do not match your requirements, are they willing to conform to yours? Is this considered as additional services with extra cost implications?
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  Fix accountability for project timelines  

• Do they have a system to track the quantum of work completed? Are they accountable for completing the scanning within a pre-decided timeframe?
• Do they maintain operator logs for various stages of the scanning process, such as document preparation, scanning, indexing, quality control, corrections, quality checks, and image corrections?

    Check certification, clearances, and compliances  

• Do they have the necessary certifications, clearances, and compliances to handle your company's documents? Are these from the appropriate authorities, such as the Government or are they from other agencies?

    Ask for integration and paperless office support  

• Do they supply and support Document Management Systems to assist with your paperless goals?
• Do they integrate scanned images with your existing content management or other IT systems? Or is that your team's responsibility?

  Now, with all factors considered, you are well on the way to finding the ideal document scanning company near you. Choosing a local digitization partner who will execute your project exactly as you want it done will put you on track toward a paperless office system.