Whilst many businesses these days want to move all their data into the cloud and head towards creating a paperless environment, there are still many documents that need to be held on to and kept safe. This can not only take up huge amounts of space, but they can also be vulnerable to theft, loss or damage. So, what should you do with them?
There is now an increasing trend towards off-site document storage facilities which provide dedicated spaces for all of that important paperwork, ensuring it is safe, secure and out from under your feet. Here, Rads Document Storage take a look at how it works.
What is off-site document storage?
An off-site document storage facility provides businesses with a space to store important documents and data away from your office. Whether this is keeping the original paperwork or digital backup copy, it is important that this is kept as safe as possible. For many businesses, it can become impractical for them to hold on to huge amounts of paperwork, especially when floor space is at such an expensive premium.
Another factor that many businesses have to consider is the danger of theft. Whether from internal or external sources, the threat data falling into the wrong hands is significant, and so by not keeping the documentation on site, this threat is greatly reduced.
A flood or fire can be disastrous for businesses on many different levels, but whilst stock and equipment can be replaced, documents and data cannot. If this is kept off-site, it is less likely to befall the same fate, and can therefore make it much easier for a business to get back on its feet again.
Even if there is no disaster, managing a lot of documentation can be difficult, and even the very best systems can end up in a mess. This can mean that a lot of wasted time is spent trying to retrieve important documents that have got lost in a complicated system that is being continuously meddled with. By storing your documents off-site, you can ensure that every box is accurately labelled and categorised so that you can find any particular document that you might need quickly and easily.
Document storage features
A document storage centre is not just a big warehouse full of paperwork – it offers significant levels of security to ensure that everything is better protected than if it had been left in the office. They should be able to provide 24-hour CCTV coverage, intruder alarms and night security guards.
Some will ensure that they have strong rooms on site, as well as key coded entry systems and doubled gated sites. This all ensures that the only people who have access to your documentation are the ones that you have approved, reducing the risk of theft and allowing you to track when documents were accessed.
Many sites can now offer fireproof vaults to help keep your documents safe from disaster, and temperature and humidity monitors keep the documents at the perfect temperature to prevent dampness, mould and damage. The storage boxes that are provided should also be a step up from the usual cardboard offerings and should be designed to be fire retardant to provide an extra layer of protection.
We never know how badly a loss will hit us when it comes to paperwork until the worst actually happens, and it can be devastating. Keeping all of your important documentation off-site can not only free up space and make you more efficient, it can also give you the peace of mind that you need in knowing that all of your documents are being kept as safe as possible.
