Choosing a Laserfiche® Reseller
Factors to consider when selecting your Solution Provider
Like most software companies, Laserfiche distributes their award-winning software through Laserfiche Solutions Providers, sometimes referenced as Value Added Resellers (VARs) or just resellers.
Although the software is the same, your experience with it ALL depends on how the reseller approaches their work, their motivation to setup and support your individual installation.
In this article we look at key factors to consider when choosing a reseller.
The purpose of software is to serve the operations of an organization.
The operative word being ‘serve’.
Since the motivation of a Laserfiche Solution Provider / Reseller is primarily financial, ask if their approach to your needs appears to ‘serve you’.
To do this, the reseller must first provision their staff, who, in turn, serve you. After all, your goal is to serve your organization and its customers. The reseller is uniquely positioned to empower you for this, to be at your best.
Think of a Solution Provider as a ‘personal trainer’. If they focus on delivering your goals, your needs, that is a good match. You are going to progress nicely.
You’ve very likely found someone who is personally invested in helping your digital transformation!
Beginning with ‘approach’ can go a long way to create the foundation for all that is to follow.
Unsurprisingly, most people focus on the Solution Provider’s experience with the Laserfiche platform.
Simple to use once configured, properly configuring your Laserfiche system is necessary for the years of adaptability that are yet to come.
The strength of the platform is dependent on incorporating the nuances of your various business processes, including Records Management, Retention and Disposition of outdated information. It’s important to be familiar with ALL of the features and functionality Laserfiche offers.
High on the list of must-haves is experience with the principles of Records Management.
A Laserfiche reseller who is knowledgeable in the principles and processes of Records Management is able to help you reach your highest goals. They know how to adjust the technology to support your compliance and audit needs. They are able to adapt Laserfiche ECM to perform Records Management tasks, like applying retention schedules and preparing disposition logs, etc.
Laserfiche is compliant with Records Management practices and is certified compliant with DOD 5015.2. It offers vast flexibility ranging from folder structure to digital forms to records retention.
Additionally, you’ll probably need Records Management consulting services up-front just to ‘clean-up’ the old history of files, file cabinets, storage units and shared drives.
Closely related to these points, a good reseller has a proven success record with ECM systems such as Laserfiche. Its best when this growth is organic. Organic growth is preferred over growth by acquisition. Acquisitions bring a host of issues that distract the Solution Provider’s focus away from serving you.
A consistent record of success helps show a reseller is ready, willing and able to adapt with and create systems for all different types of organizations.
Before going too far in the selection process, ask for testimonials from current and past customers. Speak with their references by live telephone call. If possible, meet with them in person.
An often-overlooked consideration is a reseller’s commitment to support you after initial setup and configuration.
Laserfiche is very self-sustaining after setup. However, changing customer needs and improvements in software functionality often call for adjustments over time.
Even more important is User Adoption. Rolling a business process into a new work area is new for you. Does the Solution Provider demonstrate consistent ability to support, teach, train, lead and monitor the development of your ECM across the enterprise?
Do they maintain a stable workforce who are familiar with your culture and process?
A big clue that a Laserfiche Solution Provider can grow is ‘average tenure of their entire staff’. Does the Solution Provider go through people? What do their peers say about doing business with them? Do they treat their staff well? Do you feel like a valued customer from the start of your relationship?
Finally, it’s a good idea to look beyond the initial scope of software. Evaluate what other services the Solution Provider is able to provide.
For any ECM system, it is quite common these services are needed:
1) Records Management consulting services.
2) Records scanning services.
3) Physical records storage services.
Does the Solution Provider provide these services, or do they outsource to another company?
Does this affect your security concerns?
Is single point accountability important to you?
Is the Solution Provider able to handle Project Management of all the services with the software implementation?
Choosing a reseller who is able to provide these services is valuable. It means they are professionally aware of all aspects that can affect you. If your relationship is a good one, they will tell you what you need to know ahead of time.
This can save countless resources from additional contracting, additional expense and cross-communication that would be otherwise needed.
We are a consistent Laserfiche Winner’s Circle Gold Certified reseller.
There are thousands of Laserfiche Solutions Providers in the world today who support the more than 5,000,000 Laserfiche users.
Of the 1,000’s only 50 Laserfiche Solutions Providers are Winner’s Circle qualified.
FreeDoc is one of them.
Of the 50 Laserfiche Solutions Providers who are Winner’s Circle qualified, less than 10 employ full-time Records Management experts.
FreeDoc is one of them.
Our company works with organizations in all industries and fields, public and private. With over 22 years in business, FreeDoc has a deep understanding of records management principles and how to implement these in your Laserfiche system.
This experience is demonstrated by our 92% five-year customer retention rate as well as numerous testimonials from customers praising us for our partnerships. We have served some customers for over two decades, numerous customers for over ten years. We treat each client as a valued relationship.
Our FreeDoc Records Consulting team, has over 130 years of combined experience. We help organizations meet their Records Management needs in an efficient and integrated manner. Records Management Consulting services can prepare for installation of Laserfiche ECM or be done separately. We are here to serve you.
Our Records Center Storage and guaranteed perfect scanning services work together. Helping organizations transition from paper-based documents in file cabinets in offices to digital foundations is our greatest passion.
We have a twenty-year history of successful clients.
Ask us how we can help you.
