If the scanner is the best thing to happen since sliced bread, then optical character recognition (OCR) is the best thing to happen since the scanner. But what exactly is OCR and how can business owners take advantage of a service like this from Acro Photo Print Inc.?
As we know and love it today, OCR software turns scanned hardcopies with machine-printed text into editable digital documents. If you’ve ever wished that a PDF of a scanned hardcopy document would allow you to highlight, copy, or search for information throughout text, OCR is what makes these types of functions possible for books, forms, and other important documents in machine-printed text.
If you want to get technical, the concept for this technology actually predates the 1928 invention of sliced bread. As early as the 1880s, people began dreaming about a machine that could translate written text into auditory cues to help the blind read. It wasn’t until 1914, however, that an inventor was actually able to create a device that converted printed text into Morse code.
In 2020, OCR as we know it still holds a lot of value for helping the blind community connect with the world – and us to it – but what does it mean for your business? How can you leverage this technology to take your company to the next level?
Key Considerations for Adopting OCR Tech into Your Company
If you’re already sold on the idea of digitizing your business’ documents but aren’t sure if you want to add OCR services to the mix, there are a few key considerations you should examine.
1. OCR Saves Time
For most users, the biggest perk of adopting OCR technology is that it can save massive amounts of time. If your company ever has to go through old files to find specific information, even the seconds it takes to find a name, phone number, or passage about an important topic all add up.
You and your staff can save loads of time – and perhaps a headache or two – when you can search for something and instantly see where all of the paces it appears throughout the digital document.
2. OCR Can Save Costs
If you’ve ever thought about hiring someone to manually find and extract data from old hardcopy files in your office, OCR scanning can be a more cost-effective solution. Not only can you save on new payroll expenses, but OCR can help you ensure that the data you need can be easily found whenever you need it.
If you are still interested in employing a data entry specialist to do what OCR can’t – like develop and manage a filing convention to organize your data – then OCR can boost this employee’s productivity by allowing them to quickly locate the documents they need.
3. OCR Created Editable Documents
No, not edible documents. OCR created edit-able documents, which means you can enter new text or delete existing text. This makes it possible for your business to transition from using paper-based documentation to digital documentation and can even allow you to do all of your intake, invoicing, and other B2B or B2C tasks without using paper and ink.
4. OCR Can Improve Customer Service
Customers want service and they want it fast. You know this as well as the next business owner – but what can separate you from him is OCR technology. When you’re able to create a scan a form or other important document and have a computer recognize machine-printed text, it can give you a quicker response time than the other guy. That response time can improve your company’s overall quality of customer service, which combined with all sorts of other factors may give you a leg up over the competition.
Are You Interested in OCR Technology for Your Business?
Acro Photo Print Inc. offers OCR services to businesses that want to increase the speed and efficiency of business operations. If you ever dreamed that your piles of documents with machine-printed text could magically be scanned into a functioning document on your computer, we can make it happen – it’s just not magic.
Let us leverage our access to the technology you need to bring your business to the next level. Inquire about our OCR services today when you contact Acro Photo Print Inc. online or call (929) 244-4322.