9 reasons to stop writing user manuals with Microsoft Word

Many manufacturers are still using word processors (ex. Microsoft Word) because this is the way they’ve always made manuals or because they think word processors are simple.

Companies now have the ability however to explore other ways of creating user guides or work instructions for their products. We have 9 reasons your company should forget standalone word processors and migrate to a current digital solution for all their document management needs.

Companies now have the ability to explore other ways of creating manuals or work instructions for their products

Centralize Document Management

A digital platform allows your company to centralize all the guides and documents into one place. There’s not any searching for the most updated version of the manuals you need. You can get to all these documents easily, saving you time and frustration. Also, working with a digital platform allows many people to collaborate on a product. It saves time on all the writing projects your company completes. Saving time, is saving money!

Standardize creation

Choose your template and go! Don’t have your team waste time trying to set a document layout up on a word processor. Using a template, your team can be focused on writing great content. In fact, editors have said they increase their content production by 3 or 4 times on a digital platform like Dokit.

Simpler Way to Manage Updates

When a product has been updated like software versions or there have been many customer report an issue, simply update your manual. You can add a step into your step-by-step instructions, maybe add an image to help guide the process. When it’s done you can automatically email your customers. All on the same platform system. This leads to less customer support calls and overall a higher satisfaction rate!

Help your Forms to evolve!

Is it time for a face lift on your documents? A digital platform allows you to update your forms, change your designs, and logos without changing your content. With a word processor this isn’t always possible, but platforms have style sheets and templates no more worries about losing or destroying content when making graphic changes.

Multilingual Manuals?

Manage it the best way! If your company has guides and manuals available in several language then you know how expensive translating and construction costs can be! Using an outside translation agency can really set a budget back! Choose a solution that has a translation engine and memory that allows you to sync translation of your content. Your company is charge, saving time and money on productions of manuals in different language (up to 80% savings). Keeping the manuals in-house is just another great reason to go with a virtual platform.

Make writing a more enjoyable process

For non-exports writing can be a boring task. Finding the motivation for your team to write important documents can be difficult. Platforms, open the writing process up! Let your staff to seamlessly work together. They can take turns, edit together, and discuss ideas at the same time! No more draft copies, circulating to people’s desks to sit (days) before a review to move on to the next desk!

Save time and money

A user-centric platform allows writers to begin writing easily, no extra training that is required for a word processor. In fact, everything you migrate to a platform becomes easier, faster for your workers. Less time writing, editing, reviewing, even publishing.

Customer care is important

Documents are just documents anymore, keep up with your competition and surpass them with a line of customer support products. User manuals are no longer paper documents but need to be accessed on mobile devices, and in the right language, linked to an easy index. When your products are known to have great manuals for easy operation you stand out in the crowd!

How effective is your guide?

If you satisfied with your manual that’s wonderful, but are your product consumers? Adjust your content in real time as you receive feedback from your consumers. Gone are the days of waiting for reprints! Let your customers know their feedback matters! Edit, revise, then let your customers know (through Email, phone, social media) that you have updated your guides.

We have so many more reasons to switch to a digital platform, please contact us. We can go through the process, and options to help your company become a leader in customer service.