Quality records management has certainly become a necessity for every business owner. Finding the best offsite document storage partner is crucial in enhancing your business operations and achieving maximum efficiency in one place. Several elements can affect the quality and delivery of your records management. You must ensure the document storage partner is qualified and can meet your storage needs. Keep reading as we present valuable tips when picking the right service provider to manage your company-related information and files.
What is Offsite Document Storage?
The main motive of offsite document storage is to relocate all your vital files and documents from your workplace storage units and rooms into a secure facility. Doing so lets you wisely index all your business-related information, managed and stored by trained professionals. Offsite document storage is cost-effective and a valuable long-term solution that protects your information from being stolen, affected by natural disasters, and security breaches.
Tips on Finding the Best Offsite Document Storage Partner
The following is a list of tips for finding the most suitable offsite document storage partner to enhance your business operations.
Service Location
The service location of the storage facility that you have chosen must prioritize various factors like accessibility, safety, and security.
Ensure the facility is:It is located above the floodplains, and away from coastal areas, so natural calamities will not harm or destroy your documents. Avoid hiring storage partners in areas highly prone to access or service disruptions. Ensure no external hazards, such as chemical processing plants, flight paths, refineries, or buildings holding hazardous materials, are located near the document storage partner.
Physical Infrastructure
The storage facility’s physical infrastructure must be determined as it defines how it can safeguard your valuable records. Find a facility that:
- Meets with the local building codes
- Features fire-resistive construction incorporating minimal combustible materials
- Possess concrete flooring that is highly capable of supporting any size of fully loaded racking installations
- Utilizes racking systems that are made of commercial galvanized steel
- Have racking systems placed one meter from the outside wall and the lowest shelf positioned one foot from the floor level.
Facility Management
Effective facility management is crucial, as it determines how the storage partner can maintain your document integrity. The providers must conduct regular inspections and maintenance to ensure the entire facility remains functional and offers the utmost safety to your stored documents. These include:
- Fighting equipment, air conditioning systems, cabling and electrical systems, doors and windows, roof guttering, and pipes and drains associated with the storage facility are regularly inspected and maintained.
- Continuous monitoring of temperature and humidity levels within the facility’s in-house space.
- Adhering to the cleaning schedules and the waste management protocols.
- Implement pest control management procedures like termite and rodent treatment to prevent potential infestations.
- Holding a robust business continuity policy and emergency response procedures in one place.
Security
Security must be prioritized while storing sensitive documents with an offsite document storage provider. Search for facilities equipped with comprehensive security measures that ensure the utmost safety of all your records. These include:
- 24/7 security and patrols
- External perimeter security
- Background staff
- Access points have alarm systems preventing illegal entry
- CCTV cameras that can hold onto backup storage for 90 days or more
- GPS-enabled vehicle tracking
- Secure logistics and clear custody protocols followed during document transit time
- Security seals are used for boxes that hold confidential information.
Accessibility
Quick and efficient access to your stored documents is essential to running your business smoothly. Always search for providers who tend to offer:
- Online inventory management system that has file indexing, barcode scanning, and unique identifiers, further providing additional safety to your documents stored with them
- Scan-on-demand type services
- Scheduled and instant document delivery options
- Onsite document scanning and image hosting services.
Scalability
As your business grows, so does your need for document storage and management. The overall volume of documents you need to store can increase over time, so it’s highly recommended that you choose service from an offsite document storage partner known for handling any size of expansion without compromising the quality of their service.
Inquire about the provider’s capacity to handle increased volumes, resources, and strategies for accommodating your business growth. Also, consider whether the storage partner can scale back services.
Business restructures, economic downturns, or changes in strategy can lead to less management of your records storage needs. A renowned storage provider offers flexible and scalable solutions that remain effective for your business operations’ growth in the future.
Pricing
If you have a tight budget, look for a document storage partner committed to providing solutions at a flexible price rate, given their robust security and safety storage options. Ensure no hidden fees are involved, and you pay only for the price quoted for your document storage needs with them.
Based on your document storage and maintenance needs, you must be able to pay by the item rather than cubic feet. Always choose a storage partner who allows you to pay only for the services you have opted for.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a major factor in offsite document storage. Ensure the storage partner you are about to hire services from follows strict procedures and policies to protect the privacy of your stored information. Get to know the storage partner’s internal employee hiring policy to understand better the security measures and protocols followed to avoid potential information theft in the first place.
Reputable document storage partners ensure their employees follow strict protocols, ensuring the utmost confidentiality and preventing damage to your valuable information.
Conclusion
Following the factors mentioned above, you can find an offsite document storage partner to meet all your document storage needs in one place. Choosing a company that offers flexible storage solutions tailored to your specific needs is important. This ensures seamless access to your business information anytime. With a customizable approach, your storage adapts as your business grows, enhancing efficiency and keeping your data secure and available.
