"What should I consider when looking for an off-site document storage provider"

Stephen Donohue

Box-it North West

Logistics Consultant, IT Services Provider

There are several considerations to make, with security being one of the top priorities for offsite document storage; from the moment archive boxes are collected, the way in which they are transported and the facility/environment in which they are being housed.

Security and Environment

Storage centres should be fully monitored around the clock by CCTV, protected by both intruder and fire alarms linked to the emergency services. Security and integrity of personnel are imperative too. Your document storage provider should never use agency staff and all employees should be DBS/CRB checked, uniformed and carry identification. Similarly, delivery and collection services should not be contracted out, and reputable service providers have their own liveried, fully tracked vehicles and drivers. Archive boxes and files should be security strapped, barcoded and fully tracked. The location of your chosen document storage centre should also be considered because there are generally higher security risks associated with built-up areas, so rural ‘low crime’ locations are preferred by many. It is recommended that you opt for humidity-controlled storage facilities equipped with racking that so that archived records are stored off the ground to guard against deterioration. Check that pest control measures are also in place.

Accessibility – Retrieval and Collection

Of course, once you have placed your documents into archive storage, you need to know that you can retrieve them efficiently. A barcoding system allows full traceability. Check with your document storage provider to find out more about their delivery services. There can be occasions when you need a file or box returned in an emergency so choose a provider that can offer a range of delivery services including ‘same day’. Scan on demand is a useful service for real emergencies.

In our experience, customers still like to talk to real people! That is why your document storage provider should also assign you a local account manager. Communication is everything!

Lifecycle Management and Hybrid Solutions

It is a bonus if your storage provider also offers systems to support document lifecycle management, ultimately through to document destruction. It is worth finding out more about other supporting services, such as cataloguing and indexing, confidential destruction, archive box supplies. It can be helpful to opt for a supplier that offers digital/hybrid solutions too, because there may be occasions when you need to convert paper to electronic format in a secure environment. There are a number of electronic platforms that can be beneficial to compliant document lifecycle management with prompts for review dates, destruction dates and so on. It’s important to think of your future records management practices and assess whether your document storage provider can support these.

Of course, always enter contracts carefully and scrutinize the terms and conditions. Exit fees may apply if you choose to move from one provider to another, and this is standard practice for the document storage industry.

www.boxit-northwest.co.uk