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Colliers Save Time with Ferret Document Management System

May 17, 2013

Author: Andrew Storm

Colliers Save Time with Ferret Document Management System

Colliers International (Colliers) is the largest commercial property firm in Australasia. Colliers provide leasing, sales, management and advisory services for a seamless solution to clients’ property needs. The Hamilton Franchise uses Ferret Document Management System for their property management team of 16.

Document Management Before Ferret

Before Implementing Ferret Document Management System we saved all documents relating to properties on site in property folders. An example of the magnitude of paper and storage requirements is that one client had over 800 properties i.e. they had over 800 property files each with paper documents in them.

Given the large level of paperwork generated, we spent a large amount of time paper filing and our requirement for physical space continued to increase. In addition there was no easy way to access the emails of various staff, apart from asking or searching yourself.

Implementation

The Implementation of Ferret went surprisingly well. The software itself works very well and all we had to do was to amend a few company processes to suit. Everyone loved the ability to scan paper documents in bulk and link them to a particular property, and the paperless environment was quickly adopted. In addition we have made progress in Ferreting all documentation that is required to be kept for 7 years by the Inland Revenue Department.

Document Management with Ferret

With Ferret you have all documentation and communication (email, paper, electronic) all in one place and this information is easily accessible by searching under a client and/or property name.

“Once our staff changed their mind-set and realised that paper was no longer required, the Ferret system become liberating. We just wish we had installed it five years ago!”

Benefits for Us

• All documents are now retrievable at the click of a button and you don’t even have to leave your seat.
• Administrative staff labour savings
• Having a centralized filing system means we can instantly get the full picture of all matters relating to any property.
• Requirements for filing space are decreasing.
• The information is easy to attach to emails.
• The information is retained on our server not on someone else’s server, so we retain control of the information at all times.

Christine Brunton, General Manager,

Colliers International (Hamilton Office)

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