Outsourcing business processes has been in the spotlight for many years. Corporations and organizations look to outsource to save cost, increase competiveness, focus on their core competencies, and ensure they provide the best services for a non-core business area. If there were a candidate for outsourcing, document accessibility alternate formats would rank as one of top areas to consider. With regulations being enacted and rules requiring document accessibility to be provided to reduce discrimination, the need to provide these solutions are very justifiable. However, the cost to maintain these services can be costly, especially when compared to the volumes and the number of requests.
Let’s run through the reasons why outsourcing accessible documents make sense:
- Only a small percentage of all documents created for print are made into alternate formats – less than 4% typically are converted to braille, large print, and eText, or audio on media.
- Dedicated labor resources that understand the standards to transcribe, quality check and produce braille, large print, eText, audio or other formats become costly.
- Highly specialized equipment for producing alternate formats is costly.
- There are ongoing and changing standards for alternate formats, both in format standards and guidelines.
- Manual transcription without automation is simply costly.
- Outsourcing ensures regulatory compliance can be met quickly.
There is no single solution to automate, transcribe, and produce electronic or physical formats.
For those seeking to outsource their high volume transaction documents, here are some critical things you need to consider:
- Seek a partner that has security and privacy controls in the form of certifications.
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- SOC2 Certification – SAS 70
- PCI Certification
- HIPAA Compliance
- Seek a partner that has a solution to make paper accessible or has solution to produce high volume, high speed automated transcription solutions.The results of outsourcing alternate formats:
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- Quick ability to meet compliance
- Reduced costs
- No additional capital or labor expenditures
- Immediate access to a team of qualified and experienced accessibility professionals
- Seek a partner that has automation tools to create both electronic and physical alternate formats.
- Seek a partner involved in the development of alternate formats and standards that will provide you with the thought leadership and solutions that you will need to future proof or continuously improve solutions to drive cost savings.
