5 Advantages Off-Site Records Storage Has Over In-House Storage

Every organization needs a document management plan. Several factors come into play, and one of the most important is where to store business records and files. Here we’ve listed five advantages off-site storage has over in-house storage.

1. Cost Savings

When it comes to cost savings, off-site storage has a big advantage over in-house storage. Your documents can be stored off-site at a records center at a much lower cost than in your office. A records center is designed with specialized racking systems that optimize storage density, so your monthly storage costs are lower. By transferring your documents to a records center, office spaces once filled with file cabinets and records cartons can now be used as work areas, where revenue can be produced.

2. Privacy and Security

Another advantage off-site storage has over in-house storage is security. In-house storage falls far short of comprehensive privacy protection by failing to protect sensitive documents from dishonest and disgruntled employees. Besides protecting your records from threats outside the walls of your business, off-site storage in a records center eliminates insider theft risks. The facility is closed to the public, and access is limited to company employees, all of whom have been background-screened. State-of-the-art security systems protect your documents with the following technology:

• Motion sensors
• Surveillance monitoring
• Electronic access controls

Your documents are handled and managed with strict chain of custody procedures at all times.

3. Document Safety and Preservation

Off-site storage also has a clear advantage over in-house storage when it comes to document safety and protection. That’s why disaster recovery experts agree that vital business records should always be stored securely off-site to protect them from fires, floods, and natural disasters at your business. A commercial records center is equipped with 24/7 fire monitoring, water flow detectors, and flood sensors, making it the safest off-site storage option for your documents and files.

4. Records Management and Accessibility

Keeping documents organized and easily accessible is hard to achieve in-house, especially when documents are misfiled, improperly labeled, and rarely tracked or re-filed. As a result, your information literally gets lost in the shuffle. Unlike with in-house storage, off-site storage offers professional document management. Your files are labeled and indexed by records management specialists. The same specialists retrieve your files and deliver them at your request.

5. Regulatory Compliance

Off-site storage also trumps in-house storage in the area of regulatory compliance. If your documents aren’t stored according to retention laws, your company can face stiff fines and civil penalties. Off-site storage in a records center uses an integrated document management software and barcode system that ensures your documents are tracked throughout their retention lifecycle. You always know how long to keep your records and when to destroy them.

Knowing the benefits, it’s worth considering whether your business can benefit from off-site records storage.

River Mill Data Management provides records storage and management services to businesses in central and South Georgia, as well as select counties in eastern Alabama. For more information, please contact us by phone or complete the form on this page.