5 reasons to outsource the storage of my documents
Most companies that consider using outsourced document custody services do so for at least one of these two reasons:
1. They have space problems to continue archiving physical copies of the documentation they generate: the space they are occupying with that documentation is expensive or they need it for other more productive tasks.
2. No one is responsible for the management of archived documentation, which involves many different tasks: documentation archiving, search, extraction for consultation, control of who has what and for how long, documentation security, return and insertion of documentation to your filing cabinet or box, documentation purge, retention time control, confidential destruction, etc.
Here are five reasons why outsourcing document custody is the most effective, organized and affordable solution to solve the two previous problems.
1. Storage cost savings
In some cases, there are documents that need to be stored indefinitely, but that doesn’t mean a fortune should be spent storing those documents. An outsourced document custody service costs much less than storing it in your own offices, taking into account the price per square meter. The valuable workspace that is freed up can be used to generate income.
Document custody services usually charge per stored unit, which can either be the box or container where documents or filing cabinets are stored, or it can also be directly the filing cabinet. In some cases, when what must be stored are medical records or records, the billing unit may be the meters of stored documentation.
In any case, when the documentation is in the offices themselves, you pay for the total space dedicated to the file, while when the documentation is in an outsourced document custody service, you only pay for the billing units used.
The savings can be enormous, taking into account that the outsourced documentation will surely be in an area where the cost per square meter is much lower than in the place where the company’s offices are located.
2. Improves the security of access to documentation
The management of confidential documentation requires a security system with protection and identification of accesses, security cameras, etc. that a normal business does not usually implement in its file.
Making use of an outsourced document custody service passes the responsibility of security to the provider of this service who, if properly selected, will have the knowledge, experience and resources necessary to keep all the confidential documentation of the company safe.
The company will not only have access to the documentation protected, but it will also manage the traceability of the documentation that comes out in consultation to know who requested it and since when it has been. In addition, you will be able to propose the confidential destruction of obsolete confidential documentation.
3. Improves the physical security of the documentation
The facilities of a document custody company have the maximum security measures to guarantee the physical security of the documentation. Unlike in-house storage, document custody in a purpose-built facility offers unsurpassed protection against theft, fire, flood, and natural disasters.
Each document is stored in a high-density shelving system and protected with state-of-the-art fire detection and extinguishing technology. The security system consists of multiple layers, includes outsourced and internal surveillance, access control, which limits and records all entry, movement control within the facility, security measures against flooding, etc.
Rather than allocating a single storage area for all of a company’s documentation, the document inventory is separated and stored anonymously, identified only by a barcode, at various locations throughout the facility. In the extremely unlikely event that an unauthorized person has access to the facility, it would be impossible to identify boxes belonging to the same company.
4. Improve file access
Searching for a missing file can be exasperating, especially when colleagues and clients urgently need access to that information. Let’s imagine that the medical history of a patient who must be operated is not found, for example. Document storage in a document custody company ensures that files are available when needed, as each file is encoded and tracked within an inventory management database.
The existence of a secure online documentation consultation portal allows you to view the external inventory and request the files at any time. Many providers even offer the possibility of delivering the documentation by hand at the client’s offices, or scanned and sent digitally.
5. Outsourced document custody gives you peace of mind
It’s hard to put a price on peace of mind. The outsourced documentary custody of documents allows you to be calm, since it guarantees a safe, accessible and correctly managed storage of information.
When it comes to deciding which documents to keep and which can be destroyed, and when, proper retention management is necessary. Otherwise, the company is vulnerable to litigation. Each record must be assigned a specific retention time frame and be securely destroyed when the time limit is reached. With an outsourced document custody service, these guesswork are eliminated. A team of professionals classifies and indexes the documentation and helps to comply with the laws.
No matter how you look at it, these five benefits of outsourced custody are undeniable and indispensable, and they are enough to get an idea of the advantages it brings to companies that use these services.
