Continuous Improvement

The invisible cost of outdated business information: time to wake up

The invisible cost of outdated business information: discover how up-to-date knowledge environments can improve your organization's efficiency, productivity and competitiveness.


Change is a constant challenge for businesses. Processes, regulations, and technologies are always evolving. But what about the information that drives those processes? Often, it lags behind, leading to problems and unnecessary costs. 

The hidden problems of stuck information:

The trouble with outdated information is that it's not always obvious. We've all experienced the frustration of using a manual that's no longer accurate, or following work instructions that don't reflect current practices. These seemingly small discrepancies can have significant consequences:

  • Wasted time: Employees spend a lot of time searching for the right information, picking out inconsistencies, or fixing errors due to outdated data.

  • Lower productivity: When processes are rigid due to incorrect or missing information, productivity drops. Frustration increases, and the quality of work can suffer.

  • Higher risk: In industries with strict regulations, working with outdated information can lead to compliance issues, fines, and damage to your reputation.

  • Missed opportunities: If your business information is not up-to-date, you may miss opportunities to improve processes, reduce costs, and better serve customers.

  • Worse decisions: Decisions based on inaccurate or incomplete data are rarely the best ones. Management can be steered in the wrong direction, with severe
    consequences.

  • Reduce adaptability If the organization as a whole takes a long time to find the right data or working methods, adaptability is inadequate.

The value gap: from documents to current knowledge:

Many organizations still view their business information as a collection of separate documents. A necessary evil, but not something from which value is actively extracted. That's a missed opportunity - there's a gap to fill.

The real value is in creating an up-to-date knowledge environment. A place where information is not just stored, but continuously updated, supplemented and shared. An environment that grows with organizational change, giving employees access to the right information, at the right time, anytime, anywhere . The key word is: agility.

The way to do things better:

Imagine if there was a way to....

  • ...manage all your business information in one place, regardless of type or source?

  • ...give employees easy access to the latest versions of process descriptions, work instructions and other important documents?

  • ...create a continuous stream of feedback so that information can be continually improved?

  • ...actively involve employees in keeping company information up-to-date so that they feel more involved?

  • ...make changes centrally, rather than in separate documents, spreadsheets, and emails?

A central platform that serves as the source of truth for managing all business information to address obsolescence and fragmentation.

Don't let your business knowledge gather dust: time for an update

The costs of outdated business information are often invisible, but they are there. By recognizing the problems and striving to create an up-to-date knowledge environment, organizations can greatly improve their efficiency, productivity and competitiveness. Transforming static documents into a living, up-to-date source of information is no longer something "for the side," but an absolute must in today's business world. How are you addressing this within your organization? And what steps can you take today to avoid the unnecessary costs of outdated information?

Learn more in our Knowledge Bytes Session

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