Let's get back together again in 2018 to take stock of how successful the effort was. There have been all sorts of predictions about "paperless offices" for years since the advent of the personal computer, and it still hasn't happened. It is a very slow process.
Not that eliminating checks would not be an economic boom. Years ago I worked as a contractor on a software project for the US Treasury to create an infrastructure for Federal agencies to accept forms and payments electronically over the Internet, and one of the interesting facts I picked up during that project was that on the average it cost an agency $2 to handle a paper check used for payment. That's one frickin' lot of overhead. You can see "oh, the government is inefficient" but even at a fraction of that cost for a private company, that's still a frickin' lot of overhead.
Personally, I almost never touch a check anymore. (Well, my wife pays the bills, but even so.) I remember when doing my monthly bills meant writing 15 checks, not to mention what I'd use for in-store purchases, getting cash, etc. Almost everything now is credit card, debit card or EFT. I don't miss it.
Not that eliminating checks would not be an economic boom. Years ago I worked as a contractor on a software project for the US Treasury to create an infrastructure for Federal agencies to accept forms and payments electronically over the Internet, and one of the interesting facts I picked up during that project was that on the average it cost an agency $2 to handle a paper check used for payment. That's one frickin' lot of overhead. You can see "oh, the government is inefficient" but even at a fraction of that cost for a private company, that's still a frickin' lot of overhead.
Personally, I almost never touch a check anymore. (Well, my wife pays the bills, but even so.) I remember when doing my monthly bills meant writing 15 checks, not to mention what I'd use for in-store purchases, getting cash, etc. Almost everything now is credit card, debit card or EFT. I don't miss it.
3 months ago
I'm always curious.
Which would you rather have:
1) An online signed contract .... or a hard copy signed and dated contract?
2) An online payment ... or a hard copy signed check for payment?
3) A transfer of funds for payment .... or a hard copy signed check for payment?
These are the questions I raise when people start talking about a paperless society.
Just wondering.
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Which would you rather have:
1) An online signed contract .... or a hard copy signed and dated contract?
2) An online payment ... or a hard copy signed check for payment?
3) A transfer of funds for payment .... or a hard copy signed check for payment?
These are the questions I raise when people start talking about a paperless society.
Just wondering.
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3 months ago
