South America. New Opportunities.
Following the announcement of GRM’s expansion in Colombia (GRM now has operations in Bogata, Cali Medellin), people ask me about our growing presence in South America and if I have safety concerns.
I’m a big fan of Narcos, the Pablo Escobar story on Netflix. I’ve personally visited Pablo Escobar’s old house in Medellin. And, of course, I follow the news, which sometimes paints a less than ideal picture of the country. Even when people’s questions about safety are considered in this context, my answer is an emphatic “no”.
Colombia is enjoying substantial economic growth and although the country faces challenges with its currency, the country is very business-friendly, is a welcoming culture and it holds great potential for the record and document management industry.
The legislative bodies of South American countries, including Colombia, have recognized the value of advanced record keeping systems and have passed a variety of regulations related to retention policies for both physical and digital records. Moreover, there is an active transition from paper to digital media — lots of scanning and indexing. As companies prepare for a greater commitment to EDM (Electronic Document Management), they are actively seeking off-site records storage companies that provide safe, secure harbors for their documents and digital records at rates that won’t break their budgets. These companies are seeking state-of-the-art solutions; everything from robust and user-friendly web portals that can be used to access and manage their information assets to advanced workflow automation – all employed in accordance with the most advanced records management practices.
The GRM digital platform is employed by clients globally and presently runs many languages, including Spanish. We have a great team in Colombia and I’m really very bullish on the country. And, by the way, if you want to experience some truly unique metropolitan areas, you should visit Bogata, Medellin, Cali and of course Cartagena – which is an extraordinary blend of Spanish and Caribbean cultures. And, make time for side trips like Cano Cristales, widely considered the most beautiful river in the world, which I just visited a few weeks ago.