Storage and More: 3 Additional Advantages of Going Offsite with Your Records
A growing document inventory is like a persistent batch of weeds in yard, infringing on work areas and creating clutter within an office in the blink of eye. Commercial space is a valuable commodity for any business and finding enough of it at the right price is challenging enough. A company shouldn’t also have to sacrifice efficiency and security when dealing with its business records.
Offsite records storage addresses in-house office space constraints by providing a cost-effective solution for storing paper documents and files. Since a commercial records center is specifically designed to house and maintain business records in space-maximized facilities incorporating high-density shelving units, a business can save a considerable sum by going offsite. In the process, any office space that is recaptured can then be utilized to maximize revenue-producing efforts. Yet, storage cost savings represent only a portion of the benefits of going offsite; increased data breach and disaster protection, enhanced retention management and quicker access to important information contribute to its overall value.
Data breach and disaster protection
These days, with breaches of electronic information taking center stage, continued protection for hardcopy records has faded into the background. Resources are allocated for systems that fortify network security and safeguard against various cyber threats. However, a stolen document or file lost to fire, flooding or natural disaster can have equally devastating consequences for a company, such as:
- legal liability
- brand damage
- loss of customers
Offsite records storage provides the highest level of protection for documents containing private personal or corporate information. A commercial records center minimizes any risks to hardcopy information by providing a storage facility designed with security at the forefront:
- security protection technology
- intrusion detection systems
- digital surveillance monitoring
- motion sensors
- redundant backup systems
Retention management
When storing an inventory of business records it’s critical that retention schedules for individual files are properly followed and maintained; failure to do so can lead to all kinds of regulatory and legal non-compliance issues. Offsite records storage enables your business’ records inventory to be closely managed and monitored throughout their retention lifecycle. Barcode technology integrated with an inventory management database enables specific retention information to be assigned to a particular file or group of files and then tracked until their assigned destruction date. Client web access offers 24-hour access to all information stored offsite and provides the following capabilities:
- define and update retention data
- research retention database
- generate customized reports on retention inventory
Faster access to the information you need
The same database and client web access interface also offers the advantage of enabling you faster access to your business information. Requests, deliveries and pickups of documents can be made at any time, from anywhere, eliminating the time-consuming and often unfruitful process of searching through office file cabinets for a specific file. Your offsite records storage provider can also offer Scan on Demand, which allows for documents to be converted to electronic files at the time of request and then securely delivered to you electronically, thereby greatly enhancing your business workflow capabilities.
An office full of business records is costly on many levels. First, there’s the need to allocate what in most instances represents expensive office space to store documents. Then there’s the risk of storing confidential information on-premises and the time and energy it takes to locate and retrieve those files. Finally, the time and energy it takes to locate and retrieve files within your office can have a negative impact on your bottom line. Offsite records storage negates these factors and enhances your company’s information management capabilities.
Pacific Records Management provides professional records management and storage solutions for businesses throughout Fresno, Stockton, Sacramento, Modesto, and Napa and Solano Counties. For more information, please contact us by phone or complete the form on this page.