Most people will of heard of document storage companies (also referred to as Archive Storage companies). Document Storage companies provide an off-site, secure service where you can keep your historic records and paperwork in a location away from your office.
What are the benefits of this?
Firstly, the off-site storage facility probably actually works out cheaper than storing hundreds of boxes in your own office, especially if you rent your office space. Why not rent a smaller office and make use of a secure off site storage facility? That way you can also put your mind at rest that your documents are protected by purpose built security systems.
Talking about security, thats our next point on the list. In certain industries its absolutely paramount that records are kept for a set period of time. The financial industry is one of the most strict when it comes to the length of time that you need to keep your records for auditing purposes. When you store your documents in your office you are responsible for ensuring that your documents are kept safe - not only from theft but also from damage from flood or fire.
In a document storage facility you can count on the service provider to put processes and systems in place to make sure that your records are kept safe and sound. Systems that can be put in place to help with this are CCTV and Security patrols, not only outside the complex but also around the permitter of the site. The site would also be surrounded by protective fencing and only authorised personnel would be allowed with the compound of the storage facility. The CCTV system would be archived and stored off site. This footage ideally would only be viewable by designated personnel at the document storage company. This way there is peace of mind that there is a process in place to help keep your document secure.
Talking about fire and flood risks, again, in a reputable document storage company you can expect to see systems in place to monitor the temperature of the rooms where the documents are stored. This is not only to protect from fire but also to keep your documents from suffering ‘aging’. You may have noticed paper when it gets old - it starts to fade and curl. This is due to the environment that it is stored in. With the right temperature and humidity your records can come out of a document storage facility in the same condition that they went in.
It’s easy to see why people chose to keep their historic records in their own office, but with a little education its easy to express the benefits of moving them off-site to a document storage facility.
Monday, 23 May 2011
How do Document Storage companies keep your records secure?
Monday, 9 May 2011
5 Industries that can benefit from using off-site document storage
In many industries it is actually a legal requirement that records are kept for a certain period of time. This is effectively for auditing purposes. Records could be financial or customer data such as doctors records or order histories.
Many companies tend to keep their archives on site which is ok if a) They have plenty of space and b) They have procedures and systems in place to prevent a unfortunate incident such as water of fire damage.
Off site document storage is a great way of keeping your historic records secure, yet accessible at the same time and the best thing is its cheaper than you might think! Many off site storage facilities are housed in ex-military bunkers that have been kitted out to ensure protection from fire and flood, and have the temperate set at the right level to keep documents in perfect condition. Add to that the on site security and CCTV and you know your documents are in safe hands.
Need to get at the documents fast? That’s not a problem either. Many Document Storage Companies use computer based systems to record the location of a document storage boxes in the warehouse, so its really easy to get to your documents when you need them.
Here are 5 industries that can benefit from using off-site document storage.
1) Accountants
Accountants (and businesses keeping accounts) have to keep records spanning back 10 years. If they are popular establishments with many clients its easy to see how they might run out of space very quickly so an off site storage solution is ideal.
2) Banks
As with accountants, the Banks have a responsibility to keep records of transactions spanning back a number of years. Although most banks keep their records on computers these days, there may still be a requirement to keep contracts and applications on file for future reference.
3) Doctors
Doctors have to keep records of patients illnesses and prescriptions, and whilst many practices now store this information on computer there is a need for a good backup system which is where document storage can help to offer a service.
4) Lawyers and Solicitors
Can you imagine what problems it might cause for lawyers and solicitors if they can’t quickly get access to a historic file. It’s too much of a risk to take to just keep the paperwork stored away in the office, so a reliable, secure, off site storage solution is an absolute must.
5) The Music Industry
What many people might not realise is just how much paperwork goes on when it comes to signing contracts etc. And without a signed copy of the documentation a contract is worth very little. Record labels don’t become giants in the industry by keeping contracts lying around ready to get lost, stolen or damaged!
The important thing to remember when considering offsite Document Storage is that it isn’t as expensive as you might think. There are many companies out there that offer different services, so shop around before you commit to making that all important decision.
Many companies tend to keep their archives on site which is ok if a) They have plenty of space and b) They have procedures and systems in place to prevent a unfortunate incident such as water of fire damage.
Off site document storage is a great way of keeping your historic records secure, yet accessible at the same time and the best thing is its cheaper than you might think! Many off site storage facilities are housed in ex-military bunkers that have been kitted out to ensure protection from fire and flood, and have the temperate set at the right level to keep documents in perfect condition. Add to that the on site security and CCTV and you know your documents are in safe hands.
Need to get at the documents fast? That’s not a problem either. Many Document Storage Companies use computer based systems to record the location of a document storage boxes in the warehouse, so its really easy to get to your documents when you need them.
Here are 5 industries that can benefit from using off-site document storage.
1) Accountants
Accountants (and businesses keeping accounts) have to keep records spanning back 10 years. If they are popular establishments with many clients its easy to see how they might run out of space very quickly so an off site storage solution is ideal.
2) Banks
As with accountants, the Banks have a responsibility to keep records of transactions spanning back a number of years. Although most banks keep their records on computers these days, there may still be a requirement to keep contracts and applications on file for future reference.
3) Doctors
Doctors have to keep records of patients illnesses and prescriptions, and whilst many practices now store this information on computer there is a need for a good backup system which is where document storage can help to offer a service.
4) Lawyers and Solicitors
Can you imagine what problems it might cause for lawyers and solicitors if they can’t quickly get access to a historic file. It’s too much of a risk to take to just keep the paperwork stored away in the office, so a reliable, secure, off site storage solution is an absolute must.
5) The Music Industry
What many people might not realise is just how much paperwork goes on when it comes to signing contracts etc. And without a signed copy of the documentation a contract is worth very little. Record labels don’t become giants in the industry by keeping contracts lying around ready to get lost, stolen or damaged!
The important thing to remember when considering offsite Document Storage is that it isn’t as expensive as you might think. There are many companies out there that offer different services, so shop around before you commit to making that all important decision.
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Offsite Document Storage - Cheaper that storing records on site?
There has been much debate over the years as to the economic viability of off-site document storage, with the argument being that its too expensive to keep records off site. Add to this the traveling to and from the storage depot when you need to delve into the archives and you might think the costs mount up even further.
Document Storage is essential in certain sectors such as Finance and Legal. By law companies have to keep records for a set period of time, and for a busy company its quite easy to quickly accumulate historic records that take up a considerable amount of room.
In the city office space rental is charged at a premium rate so the more you need to store, the more space you are going to need to rent. Needless to say, while maybe convenient that the records are available at arms length, this isn’t a cheap option. Also, what happens if an unfortunate incident occurred and there was water or fire damage to the building? How protected would your archives actually be? Would it cost the business to lose this information - or maybe even put it in a position where it could not continue to trade? The repercussions could be disastrous.
Off Site Document Storage offers a secure, flexible, guaranteed solution to keeping your archives safe in one place. Purpose built Document Storage facilities are monitored by security teams and technology 24/7 and systems are in place to ensure that the environment is kept acceptable at all times (lets face it, it doesn't take much for paper records to turn crispy or soggy if the conditions aren’t right)
As many Document Storage facilities are actually ex-military bunkers you could even go as far to say that the premises are bomb proof - I bet you can’t say that about your office storage cupboard!
With advances in technology it is now really easy and efficient to access your documents. Usually when they are ‘checked-in’ to the warehouse all the information about their exact location is recorded on computer, so when it comes to retrieving the information its as easy as finding the right isle and shelf for your documents. In fact, many document storage companies have now started to embrace technology even further and are offering document scanning which makes your documents accessible over a secure internet connection. You can’t offer a more convenient service than that!
So if you currently pay over the odds for office space and things are starting to get a little cramped due to archived documents then maybe its time to consider moving some of the archive boxes over to a secure off-site storage facility. You never know, it could actually save you money!
Document Storage is essential in certain sectors such as Finance and Legal. By law companies have to keep records for a set period of time, and for a busy company its quite easy to quickly accumulate historic records that take up a considerable amount of room.
In the city office space rental is charged at a premium rate so the more you need to store, the more space you are going to need to rent. Needless to say, while maybe convenient that the records are available at arms length, this isn’t a cheap option. Also, what happens if an unfortunate incident occurred and there was water or fire damage to the building? How protected would your archives actually be? Would it cost the business to lose this information - or maybe even put it in a position where it could not continue to trade? The repercussions could be disastrous.
Off Site Document Storage offers a secure, flexible, guaranteed solution to keeping your archives safe in one place. Purpose built Document Storage facilities are monitored by security teams and technology 24/7 and systems are in place to ensure that the environment is kept acceptable at all times (lets face it, it doesn't take much for paper records to turn crispy or soggy if the conditions aren’t right)
As many Document Storage facilities are actually ex-military bunkers you could even go as far to say that the premises are bomb proof - I bet you can’t say that about your office storage cupboard!
With advances in technology it is now really easy and efficient to access your documents. Usually when they are ‘checked-in’ to the warehouse all the information about their exact location is recorded on computer, so when it comes to retrieving the information its as easy as finding the right isle and shelf for your documents. In fact, many document storage companies have now started to embrace technology even further and are offering document scanning which makes your documents accessible over a secure internet connection. You can’t offer a more convenient service than that!
So if you currently pay over the odds for office space and things are starting to get a little cramped due to archived documents then maybe its time to consider moving some of the archive boxes over to a secure off-site storage facility. You never know, it could actually save you money!
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