Did you say self storage?

I continue to come across small to mid-size organizations that tell me they have everything under control as far as their records storage goes.  As the conversations continue, time and time again, I am being told that self storage units are used to secure their most confidential business records.  The message from the federal and local governments is clear...businesses need to do their due diligence in securing their records.  Self storage simply doesn't cut it.

Let's review some of the differences between self storage and a professional records management company.

The photos speak for themselves, but I want to point out some not-so-obvious differences.

• Chain of custody - files are kept for a reason; they may need to be retrieved for litigation, an audit or referenced for history, facts, etc.  It's extremely difficult to track file movement in a storage unit because there is almost never a system in place to facilitate this.
• Staying current with record destruction - generally boxes get pushed to the back of a storage unit because nobody wants to deal with hauling them around.  On top of this, it's difficult to accurately track files so that the purge process is efficient.  Records management provides the labor to get destruction projects done for less than what businesses pay their staff to get it done, as well as accurate tracking for a smoother process.
• Confidentiality - certain employees shouldn't see certain records.  In self storage, it's difficult to regulate this.  Records centers have set authorization limitations that limit access to certain employees at the discretion of fully authorized individuals within the customers organization.
• Lower costs - in self storage, you pay for a certain amount of space, whether you use it all or not.  In a records center, you pay for the space that your stored records use. 
• Security - self storage has one entrance with a gate and a padlock.  Records centers have various employee recognition points including coded keypads at each entrance, double entry at each entry point, closed to the public, security cameras and advanced fire suppression systems.
• Exposure to the elements - self storage units aren't protected from wind and rain, nor are they protected from bugs and rodents.  Records centers provide protection from the elements through construction and fumigation processes specific to records care.
• Ease of retrieval - self storage facilities don't deliver files to your office.  Records management companies provide an array of options when you need information, from physical delivery to phone referencing to scanning.

The list could go on and on, but I think that the difference is obvious.  In a nutshell, records management facilities exist to provide a safe, secure and low cost solution for confidential records - self storage facilities do not.

Records Management - Getting Started

In an earlier post, we gave an overview of what records management is all about...the following is a reminder:

1. Accurately and completely document company policies and operations
2. Control the quantity and quality of records produced
   
3. Establish and maintain control with respect to records creation in order to prevent the creation of unnecessary records
   
4. Simplify the activities, systems, and processes of records creation and of records maintenance/use
   
5. Preserve and dispose of records in accordance with industry regulations
   
6. Direct continuing attention to records from their initial creation to their final disposition
7. Creates a chain of custody for handling confidential documents, assuring records are in the right hands at all times
8. Builds accountability throughout any organization by specifying record-handlers and the flow of records by those handlers
9. Systematic approach helps keep current with governing regulatory laws
10. Systematic approach allows for timely and accurate destruction of documents, which reduces time and storage costs

So, now that we know what records management is, it's time to start implementing your own records management policy/system (if not already done).  Here are some basic steps to getting started:

• Identify record types

• Financial
• Medical charts (for medical practices)
• type of medicine
• surgical
• pediatrics
•  Operational records
• employee contracts
• Identify retention for each record type
• Identify which records will need access and how often
• This will help determine whether to send to off site storage 

“Organizations without retention programs can often remove from higher-cost offices areas as much as 55% of records being kept there--as either obsolete (to be destroyed immediately) or inactive (must be retained but may be transferred to a low-cost records center ” (Robert Allerding, CRM, FAI, records management consultant).  

•  Identify personnel or "record-handlers" that should have access to each record type
• Create official company policy with specifications, rules and system in writing
• Creates accountability, maintains confidentiality and minimizes litigation 
• Partner with a records management company to better understand needs
• Sometimes it takes an expert to give insight and assist in an ideal solution
• Sometimes it makes sense to move inactive records off site, sometimes it doesn't
• Consider record volume and space it will take up

Connecting with your documents

The reason we must keep our files around isn't because companies like to pay for storage.  Files are kept around because regulatory laws exist.  These laws exist to ensure that information can be provided when it's needed.  For example, documents are requested when litigation comes into play or a company audit, or even for historical data such as a medical patients history for quicker care or to avoid duplicate procedures.  This, in the end, can lower costs and make life much easier.  How easy is it to find files that you need for issues that arise in your company?  Do you find yourself having to duplicate work and re-create files?

Most companies have experienced some sort of headache when dealing with their files, so we make it easy for you.  With advancements in technology, there are countless software solutions that can help manage files and minimize the headaches.  But this software is pricey to purchase, to implement and then to train personnel on its proper use.  Document management companies take this step out of the process.  It is generally offered for client use at no charge (at least Docu-Trust doesn't charge) and makes managing files very simple.

It is easy to connect with your documents, track data such as sensitive client information and destruction dates, and view/print reports.  Best of all, your information is secure through a fully integrated Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) infrastructure that is accessed via our website.  Only those authorized to view data are given access and it can even be restricted depending on what they should and shouldn't see.  It is easy to pull up reports to assist in keeping a lean and current inventory, which will keep costs and liability down.  No more pads of paper nor Word documents that keep lists of files and sensitive information.  Click on boxes/files that are needed and they get delivered.  When done, request to have them picked back up through the same web interface. 

Connect with your documents and cut costs by partnering with us - a document management company that makes your job easier, more enjoyable and helps keep your organization's information flowing smoothly for years to come. 
      

Dos and Don'ts of File Storage

Every business has to deal with files, whether they like it or not.  It's part of running a company so here are some dos and don'ts of records management to help you out.  

1. Don’t be a pack rat; do identify vital records.  Some companies cling desperately to every scrap of information—at the cost of making the more valuable data that much harder to find. Instead, securely destroy unnecessary, dead or least-used files according to your retention schedule. Move nonessential information from the “active” list. Flag mission-critical information and give it top indexing, storage and access priority.

2. Don’t pay for valuable office space to maintain records; do outsource records storage.  Unless you have an exceptional lease on storage space and don’t mind hiring an in-house records staff, consider teaming up with a trusted off site storage partner. In this case, you box the files, affix them with bar codes and call the vendor for pick-up. They’re out of your way until the next audit or legal discovery calls for them.

3. Don’t put unneeded records in cold storage; do destroy them.  Go ahead, hit the delete button—but only after creating a sensible retention schedule that conforms to any and all applicable auditing or regulatory rules.

4. Don’t scan everything; do develop a hybrid records management strategy—aka scan with a plan. Though scanning it all is tempting, it’s about as senseless as saving every sheet of paper, and it still costs time and money. Begin by digitizing only your most-used files—typically those germane to compliance or operational processes. Know that paper will remain a storage medium for some time to come, despite business’s best efforts to convert expediently.

5. Don’t complicate access; do use a simplifying desktop upload tool. Scanning is only one piece, albeit a very significant one, of a records management strategy. Easy access to records is critical. A smart, simple interface lets authorized users store converted digital documents in a single location, which fosters a sense of control and responsibility. And allow simultaneous access by multiple users—avoid queues as much as possible.

6. Don’t put an administrative assistant in charge of stored records; do hire a records manager. As alluring as it might be from a budget standpoint, you need more expertise to manage the records room archives. Searches go faster with someone in charge and accountable. A records manager coordinates and oversees the Chain-of-Custody of audit information and legal discovery as well as other requests, and assesses your strategy to recommend future upgrades.

7. Don’t allow everyone equal privileges; do set a policy for storage and access. Not every employee has the same need for—or right to—every bit of information in your archives. Develop a policy that’s both user-friendly and takes into consideration the way your company operates and uses information.

8. Don’t forget to include storage in your disaster recovery plan; do provide for records protection. How many companies went out of business or struggled to get going again after Hurricane Katrina? How quickly you can access and activate stored records will make a tremendous difference in whether your business gets up and running after a disaster, be it natural or man made, major or minor.

9. Don’t ignore advances in imaging, storage and information management; do solicit the aid of a trusted partner. Changes in technology and information management processes will continue to shape the way companies do business. To simply toss records into storage is to ignore efficiencies and cost savings in the future. Select a partner who will keep on top of technology, compliance and all other best practices so you don’t have to.

Self Storage vs. Records Center

So many organizations use self storage facilities for their file storage.  In fact, most small businesses use them and think that it's the only option.  FYI - it's not the only option!  It's actually the worst possible option for securely storing your business documents.  It is virtually impossible to stay clean after entering a self storage unit.  Dust accumulates and spiders thrive.  A storage unit doesn’t allow for improvising because you have to plan ahead to wear jeans and a t-shirt in order to retrieve a document.  A records center can help you stay clean.  Our records center is clean and equipped with professionals that retrieve files for you.  When you need a box or file, pick it up or have it delivered to your office.  

Storing in a storage unit limits you when accessing your documents.  Boxes are usually stacked on the floor, which means you must remove the upper boxes to get to the bottom ones.  If there is shelving, your boxes might be two deep increasing the amount of effort required to pull a file or too high to reach.  This takes time and effort, both unnecessary elements when searching for your documents.  Many times different individuals will visit the unit.  Because of this, the likelihood that documents are misfiled increases and with time, nothing is accessible.

At a records center your files are always easily accessible.  Each box has a unique bar code and is tracked at all times.  As files leave a records center, it is tracked so that it never loses its location.  Our web interface allows you to search for inventory by box or by file.  On the website, your boxes and files are always found and it provides a consistency in how your company handles its documents.

Documents are kept around for a reason.  If companies didn't have regulations specifying that they had to keep their files around for a certain number of years, I don't think that they would spent to store them.  So, they must be preserved in an environment that is safe and secure.  Water damage, security and compliance are only a few of the reasons that self storage facilities aren’t suitable for your boxes.  Our records center is kept under a watchful eye with 24/7 surveillance.  All boxes are stored off the ground and in a building that follows the regulations set forth by PRISM (Professional Records & Information Services Management).  

And the best difference between a records center and self storage facilities is that records center are less costly!

Employee Turnover

Docu-Trust has delivered records and data storage solutions to all types of customers; from small legal, physician and accounting firms to City and State entities.  In any of these mentioned organizations, there is employee turnover.  For some, it's more often than others, but rarely do employees work at the same company forever.  


For most businesses, records management is not at the top of the priority list.  So, what happens when one employee leaves and another one comes in to replace his/her responsibilities?  The new employee is excited to have a job and looks forward to learning and succeeding at the newly acquired position.  Management spends hours training the new employee so that the company doesn't skip a beat in its daily operations and money-making activities.  They learn how the company runs, who they report to, what they report, the does and dont's of their position, how to greet clients, where to clock in and out each day, etc.  What is not on this list is how to manage the files they deal with, how to protect confidential information or any type of system that keeps files organized and accessible when needed.

Employee turnover is costly due to lost knowledge, human resources efforts, possible lost customers or contacts, lost productivity, etc.  To find the right person to hire costs as well.  Advertising the position and then screening for the right person are just some examples.  I want to add to all of this, the costs incurred having to search for needed files, the labor to do so, and then the indirect cost of not having a system for the future.  When we don't want to deal with something, we tend to put it at the bottom of the pile for a later date.  When that later date comes around, the issue at the bottom of the pile is no fun to deal with, and it can be very costly.  

This is one of the benefits of outsourcing, the fact that there are companies that are experts at dealing with what you put at the bottom of the pile.  Start now and implement a document system with the help of document management experts.  It will save you time, money and lots of headaches.  When employees come and go, your systems will already be established for a smooth running operation that will allow you to do what you do best.  

Docu-Trust was founded to provide a solution for the challenges many businesses face regarding record retention and management.  We are an extension of your filing/storage rooms and provide a cost-effective partnership for operational growth and success.

    

Consult With an Expert Before Digging In

When you make business decisions, it's always a good idea to consult with an expert.  An expert could be anyone from a seasoned attorney, a medical expert or even a wise parent.  A 10 minute conversation can change your entire outlook on a subject matter, so much that you possibly change your decision.  Even if this isn't the case, there is always something to learn from an expert.  Just so you know, there are experts in managing and storing files as well!

Case and point - I began to work with a small legal practice a few months back that was interested in using Docu-Trust services (file storage, shredding, etc.).  It turns out that I received a call from the legal assistant who I had been communicating with all along, to tell me that she appreciated our most recent marketing campaign offer, but that they had taken a different route to manage their files.  As I asked questions and she gave answers, I was blown back at what I heard.  Let me share three quick things before continuing that will help you understand my perspective. 

• 90% of files that are put into storage are never retrieved again
• This particular legal firm has a file retention of 7 years, meaning they can legally shred their files after 7 years
• The firms current storage location is a self storage facility

Now, to continue with the answers I heard from the legal assistant.  She told me that they had decided to start scanning their files.  I thought to myself, "That's great.  This means less hassle with paper, easier and quicker access when they need files."  I proceeded to inquire about how they were going about it.  She said that they were going to the storage units every couple of weeks to pick up 3 boxes, loading them up in their personal vehicles and taking them back to the office to scan.  After finishing with the 3 boxes, they would load them back up in the car, return them to storage and pick up another 3 boxes.  This process would continue until all boxes had been scanned.  She then told me that the boxes would stay in the storage units until the 7 year retention period was up.  Then, the boxes would be destroyed.

In other words, files were being scanned, returned to storage and not destroyed/shredded.  They never referred to these files, so why take the time, effort and money to digitize them?  The files were not being shredded after being scanned, so why scan them if you already have a copy that you plan to keep...especially if you never refer to them?

I gave her some suggestions that would be less costly, more effective and more logical.  Whether this firm used Docu-Trust or not, doesn't matter.  What matters is that smart decisions are made with expertise and experience.  So, when you make business decisions, look for that expertise and experience, even when dealing with your documents.