Avoid These 5 Records Management Mistakes
On September 1, the legendary Margaritaville singer, Jimmy Buffett, passed away. Despite having only one of his songs in the top 10, he was an incredibly successful music billionaire. I think one of the things that made him popular with his “Parrot Head” fans was that his songs and concerts depicted a relaxed lifestyle that didn’t make the mistake of taking life too seriously.
Success Requires Avoiding Basic Mistakes
While striving to keep your company’s day-to-day business effective, your records management may be taking a back seat. But making some basic records management mistakes puts your business at risk of noncompliance with privacy laws and could undermine your success.
Here we share five records management mistakes to avoid:
1. Keeping Your Records Management In House
If started your company started from the ground up like most entrepreneurs do, records management may have been DIY like many other parts of your business. But records management can be complex and risky if not done correctly, so it’s best left to the professionals. In-house records storage can also be expensive given the cost of leasing or buying office space. A professional records management company can hold and manage your files much more affordably, efficiently, and securely.
2. Mismanaging a Consistent Retention Schedule
Are you knowledgeable about the retention periods of all your files? Do you have a process for discarding every file immediately on the last day of its retention period? Are you actively removing outdated files? Your retention schedule must follow state and federal regulatory requirements. Each day beyond the retention date that you fail to remove files puts your data at risk of being breached and pushes your company into non-compliance.
3. Improper File Management
Do you have a well-organized system for your files? Can you retrieve any file quickly? A well-indexed file system puts your files at your fingertips whether they are stored on-site or off-site, and with services like Scan On Demand, a records management company can retrieve any file and send it to you digitally right away.
4. Not Storing Backup and Archival Files in Different Locations
When you store all of your files in one location, whether paper or digital, you risk your files being stolen or damaged. Fire, flood, natural disasters, or theft can leave you without a backup file if you keep all of your information in one place. A professional records management company can provides a purpose-built, secure, and monitored facility to store your files. Active, inactive, and archival documents are protected from mold, pests, fire, and unauthorized access.
5. Storing Records in a Self-Storage Facility
A mini storage unit is simply not a safe and secure place to store business records. There are so many problems with doing this, including the threat of theft (is a keypad gate and a free padlock enough?) as well as physical damage from bugs and rodents, humidity, fire, and flooding. After all, self-storage facilities are not built for the purpose of protecting paper records, and anyone can rent a unit, putting your records at the mercy of any hazardous materials and substances they store there.
Instead, look for a records management company with Privacy+ Certification that also offers NAID AAA Certified shredding for records that have reached the end of their retention period.
Successful Records Management Services
Pacific Records provides safe and secure off-site records management services to businesses in California’s Central Valley. Our facilities are designed to protect your information, whether on paper or digital media, and we can help your business stay compliant with data protection laws. For more information, give us a call at 800-685-9034 or complete the form on this page. Our friendly records management experts will answer all of your questions and tailor the perfect solution for your business.