Increasingly, customers are asking us to enter information directly into their own system, typically a web-based program. In this way, the customer retains security over the documents and data, accelerates turnaround time, and eliminates the cost of having us develop a custom data entry program. See the discussion under Data Entry Staffing & Management Services.
Sometimes the source document is a scanned image provided on-screen along with the date input fields; in other cases, we are asked to gather information from specific locations on the Internet; and in a few cases, the customer sends us PDF files.
In this model, the cost will not be affected by document handling, scanning, or programming.
The most critical factors affecting cost are the actual labor costs of data entry, start-up costs, and ongoing project management, as discussed above.
Concerning the actual data entry, in addition to the factors mentioned above, the design of the customer’s program can significantly affect operator productivity and hence cost. To facilitate faster, more accurate processing, we recommend as many field controls as possible. For example:
Start-up costs will be similar, in that the project manager must learn the system and the business rules, develop training materials unless provided by the customer, train and monitor the staff assigned. In order to provide a reliable fee quote, it is essential that the project manager have sufficient hands-on experience.
In many cases, the customer performs a quality review and reports to us common errors; in other cases, the system allows us to perform the review and the customer is willing to pay for it.
As customers become increasingly concerned with security and confidentiality, this model is gaining significant traction. It is also less expensive, in terms of both outside vendor costs and internal staff requirements, and turnaround is instantaneous. We like it very much, because it allows us to do what we are best at – managing and performing data entry projects, large and small.
