Is your paperwork overtaking your office?

Are your co-workers leaving "Think You Have a Document Management Problem?" pamphlets on your office furniture and other opportune places?

Do you feel you need to decide on a new way to manage and store your clients’ records? I know you don’t want them getting lost!

Record loss or damage to documents usually results from lack of proper management as well as a lack of storage space. Most businesses wait until documents begin getting lost or damaged before deciding to do something about the huge white elephant standing in the center of their office. And there are more records, files, and documents flowing in every day. It may be overwhelming to feel you have to deal with the old documents, the lost documents and now all the new records and files flowing in!

Should you throw out your old records? That would certainly make some space. But many businesses are subject to laws specifying certain record retention periods. And besides, retaining records for a decent length of time is prudent business practice, not to mention due diligence for your clients.

Surely, there must be an answer!

A self-storage unit, YES! Uh, wait, NO! Why not? Many documents contain information that is highly sensitive. Data such as names, social security numbers, account numbers, addresses, phone numbers--your business has been responsible for keeping this data and an insecure self-storage unit would be an egregious violation of your clients’ trust.

You clients want the peace of mind of knowing that their private info is in safe hands. And when it comes time that the info is no longer needed, then it needs to be shredded properly.

So, then, what IS the answer?

Offsite Records Management and Document Storage facilities! They exist for businesses that hold sensitive information and personal data for their clients. Information Management facilities have the space to keep files safe, secure, free of moisture and forever undamaged. And when the records have lived a full life of 3 or 7 years, depending on regulatory requirements, then the records storage center is equipped with proper document destruction equipment.

If you’re swimming under your files, I strongly encourage you to seek out records management centers near you. Compare prices and services as well as security measures employed by each facility. Are their drivers drug tested?

Find yourself a good records manager before losing records causes you to lose clients.

I will list a few known good records managers below.