Knowing it arrived – gets the biggest vote

To some, 2010 is witnessing the first “Internet General Election”.

It’s reckoned that Facebook, Twitter, web sites, podcasts and emails are playing a major role in the campaigns of political parties.

That said, traditional channels like direct mail are still rated as highly important.

There’s something reassuring about a piece of paper, an envelope, a stamp … and knowing that it WILL arrive (even if it’s binned two seconds later).

Electronic invoicing goes further. Suppliers don’t just send invoices – and hope for the best.

With a quality e-invoicing system, they can log in, confirm the arrival of their invoice … and watch its progress through the approval process. There’s no need to check and chase.

Something similar would appeal to the politicians. Imagine if they could track your movements … from opening their flyer … all the way to casting your vote at the ballot box.

On second thoughts, what a chilling prospect!

Sealed with a loving click. Love letters & invoices scanned and emailed!

As you may have read, Finland's post office has taken a controversial decision.

It’s going to scan people’s mail – and deliver it to them by email. That’s everything from pay slips and overdue bills, to birthday cards and love letters. And it's not an April Fool's prank.

The idea has only got as far as a pilot scheme for now. That said, feathers have been ruffled and Big Brother-style concerns have been voiced. But it’s won support too.

If adopted widely … think of the poor posties that no longer have to fight their way through frozen wastes, reaching far-flung cabins. And what about all the forests they pass … the trees that no longer need turning into paper?

Clearly, the idea has merit. And it’s not a million miles away from the business of scanning paper invoices submitted by suppliers – and then receiving them electronically.

In fact, the principles are very similar for both schemes to work:

• Security: It’s got to be 100% trusted and confidential.
  
  
• Accuracy: Must be spot-on. Disastrous if a crucial date is blurred or a number mis-read.
  
  
• Speed: It must be delivered faster if anything. No good if a wedding invitation arrives too late – or a cash-strapped supplier doesn’t get paid.
  
  
• Cost: If it doesn’t save money, why bother? Automation means savings.

But there’s a big difference when it comes to how the information is read.

For tax statements and love letters, viewing the contents on screen may lose some of the hands-on impact (for better or worse). No quivering fingers tearing at the seal, or that whiff of familiar perfume. A flat jpeg image will probably suffice in most cases.

However, for scanned invoices in the UK procurement business, much smarter tools can be used.

Newer technologies such as Enhanced OCR will store an image of the invoice – and also harvest its contents automatically into a business-ready format for hands-free financial processing, saving hours of time.

While Finland’s post office may be taking a giant step forward … it’s yet to become really useful in a similar way.

Maybe one day, postal services everywhere will become truly responsive ... texting your builder to question his bill against the original quote, or activating the vacuum cleaner to spruce up the spare room when Great Aunt Maude writes to say she’s visiting?