Smart Business Strategies: 4 Reasons to Store Your Files in Secure Offsite Storage
Digital transformation has changed how organizations capture, access, and share information, but it hasn’t eliminated physical records. Paper documents remain a necessary part of many business processes (and the average American office worker still uses approximately 10,000 sheets of paper each year!). Many of those documents ultimately become records that must be retained according to established retention schedules and actively managed with proper security and access controls.
From historical archives and paper-based records to magnetic tape and computer hard drives, the amount of information your business creates can be difficult to maintain. For businesses that are working with a smaller team in more constricted office spaces and on tighter budgets, storing important information can be especially challenging.
When office space starts disappearing, it may seem like a good idea to rent a self-storage unit for your boxes of records. But what seems like a simple fix can create bigger headaches over time. Most self-storage facilities aren’t designed to protect sensitive business records as they lack the security, environmental controls, inventory tracking, and compliance support needed to manage information properly. Additionally, employees are stuck spending more time finding and shuttling files in between locations. As records pile up, finding what you need, following retention schedules, and disposing of records on time all become more difficult, increasing both risk and cost.
Instead, partner with a records and information management (RIM) provider that will store your physical records in a secure offsite storage facility. You’ll have confidence that your information is protected while gaining better visibility into what you have, where it’s located, and when it’s eligible for destruction. That makes it easier to retrieve records when you need them, stay on top of retention requirements, free up valuable office space, and spend less time managing boxes and more time focused on higher-value work.
An offsite purpose-built storage facility offers security for all your data and records, with climate-controlled storage, security and surveillance systems that prevent data theft, employee background checks, and protection from natural disasters and fires. Many RIM providers also offer media vaults and underground vaults for an extra layer of protection.
A RIM partner ensures your files are not only organized efficiently, but that they will be retained and then destroyed in a timely manner.
Proper organization and categorization of files in a consistent structure is the best way to protect your files from getting out of hand. It means files are found more quickly, redundancies are reduced, and employees spend less time looking for things that have slipped under the radar.
The right RIM company will assist with retention schedule management to ensure your files are maintained for the amount of time mandated by law. Look for one that also offers secure destruction, so your documents can be destroyed securely at the end of their retention period without needing to be transported to another facility first. This keeps your business in compliance and minimizes the risk of data theft. No more letting files pile up and wondering how to determine which ones you can safely discard.
Don’t waste valuable time digging through boxes or filing cabinets to find the records you need. Many offsite records storage providers offer scan-on-demand services, allowing employees to request a document and receive a secure digital copy. If a physical file is required, your RIM provider can quickly locate it, securely retrieve it, and deliver it to your office with an auditable record of transport.
This speeds up daily work while supporting audits, legal requests, and other time-sensitive business processes. Records can be accessed quickly and securely, and role-based permissions help ensure that only authorized employees can view sensitive information.
Continually finding storage space for files, either within your own facility or at a self-storage facility, will increase costs exponentially over time. Also, consider the hours wasted having to find new space, transfer files to new storage, or visiting a facility to transport and retrieve files.
RIM providers optimize storage costs by ensuring efficient use of space, so you’re not renting a unit larger than you need, and eliminating upfront costs for shelving, security, and climate control resources. Paying only for the storage you need means RIM services can even fit within tight budgets—they’re not just for large corporations.
Want to learn if offsite storage is the right move for your business? Take a look at Access’s offsite storage solutions. With over 190 temperature-controlled, secure offsite document storage facilities across the US and Canada, we have a location convenient to your business.
Get in touch with us for a customized offsite storage quote.
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