Dealing with disciplinary records
Both small and larger companies can find it hard to decide where to store their important documents. You have a choice of on site records managementor off site records management– or sometimes a combination of both – and it’s important to consider both of their advantages to decide which will work best for your business.
Factors that will influence your choice include: how often you will need to access your documents, whether or not you have the space and time to organise them, and whether or not you have the correct measures in place in order to abide by relevant regulations.
Once you have an idea of your needs, you’ll have a better idea of whether on site or off site storage will work best.
It’s worth reviewing your options in greater detail when deciding between on site and off records management. Here are the main points to consider.
Retrieval of records
The obvious benefit of keeping documents on site is easy access – if your documents are with you and you need one quickly, they’re right there for you to rummage through. But documents can take up a lot of physical space, which a lot of smaller companies just don’t have. You’ll also need someone to maintain organisation of the documents, to make sure they’re stored properly and are destroyed at the right time.
By comparison, keeping documents off site can save physical space, time spent on admin, and labour costs. Time usually spent tidying up the documents in storage and filing them correctly can be spent on other parts of the business, whilst you’re safe in the knowledge that the documents are kept secure.
Nowadays, if you work with the right document storage company, convenience and document retrieval times needn’t be a concern, either. Companies like Access Records Management allow you to access your documents whenever you need them and will deliver them to your door at a moment’s notice.
Access Record Management’s state-of-the-art RS-SQL records management software and location barcoding system allows us to locate your documents quickly and easily. When it’s urgent, we can get your documents to you in as little as three hours. We have different levels of service depending on your needs – you just need to choose the document storage and management service level you require, and we’ll deliver.
Physical space
Finding enough space for your documents can be difficult. This is often the main problem that companies need to overcome if they want to keep their documents on site.
Quite simply, if you choose off site document storage, you don’t have to worry about having enough space. If you recruit a specialist like Access Records Management, with facilities in London, you can have your documents nearby without it having to take up more space in your office.
Document safety
Should the worst happen to your office – think fire, flooding or robbery – your on site documents could be permanently affected. Even smaller incidents like a broken heater or a leak can damage your documents.
For this reason, highly sensitive or critical documents are best kept off site. Many storage facilities have specially designed facilities and procedures in place to protect against disaster, whether natural or man-made. At Access Records Management, we have the latest fire-detection systems and robust flood protection to protect your documents from natural disasters.
Data security
Not all companies have the resources for efficient on site records management security, whether that be staff to monitor access or separate rooms with lockable doors.
Any off site records managementcompany should have the right systems and processes in place to make sure your documents don’t fall into the wrong hands. This should include 24/7 digital CCTV and the latest intruder systems, plus a fully fenced perimeter where possible.
Moving records to a secure facility off site is the smart choice for companies looking to protect their documents. Access Records Management can make sure your documents are accessible whilst saving you the time and money that is required to keep your documents organised. We can help you stay compliant, too.
Contact us today to learn more about our secure document storage facility and to receive a free quote.
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