Offsite records storage can save an organization in a number of ways. It can save you from the many forms that disaster might take—physical, financial and emotional—and, it can save you in terms of improving productivity and literally cutting costs.
Even so, there are still companies and firms keeping their information physically in house, incurring, in many cases, the considerable capital expenditures of purchasing or leasing, equipping and staffing a storage space or facility. “It’s a fact that never ceases to amaze me,” says Executive Vice President, Jerry Glatt, keenly aware of both the challenges and opportunities this reality presents for his company, GRM Document Management.
From its beginnings, more than twenty years ago, GRM has dramatically evolved. Today, it provides comprehensive, end-to-end records and information management solutions that go far beyond offsite document storage to include digital/electronic document content management, data protection, certified destruction and consultative Retention, Compliance and Governance expertise.
But for many of GRM’s clients, their first exposure and interaction with the company comes with a decision to store their records offsite. There are a number of reasons, as Jerry Glatt explains, for embracing such a change.
“With offsite storage, a company or firm immediately saves by not having to outlay capital for leasing or purchasing space, shelving, staffing and other items such as inventory control software, security measures or a fire suppression system. A records and information management company like GRM provides all of that and more, using its considerable knowledge and experience to save you money, reduce your risk and deliver value.”
Even as this white paper came together, GRM was prepping its east coast facilities in Miami, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York/New Jersey to withstand a major, rapidly approaching hurricane, underscoring the superior kind of disaster prevention/recovery service the company provides.
Taking a momentary break from overseeing and coordinating the effort, Tony Acerra, GRM’s Vice President of Operations, East Coast offered insight into how the company was preparing itself. “A number of contingencies are in place. We have employees staying at hotels near our locations. They’re on call for rapid response in the event of an emergency. We’ve checked and double-checked the operational capabilities of all systems. Backup systems like power generators have been tested and are in place, ready to go should normal operations go down. All of our facility roofs and drains have been inspected, and we’ve made sure all pumps in critical areas are operational to avert flooding. It’s all part of our Business Continuity Disaster Recovery Plan.”
Adds Jerry Glatt, “We have no idea what this hurricane might do, but we’re ready, regardless. For communications, we have landlines, wireless and a Voice Over Internet Protocol, so there’s triple redundancy there to make sure we can always maintain connections and outside contact. We’re also in touch with our restoration company, having them on alert just in case documents are damaged. As an offsite provider, all of our systems are turnkey. It gives you some idea of the extraordinary measures we take to ensure the safety of our clients’ information.”
In addition to reducing the risk of losing or compromising important documents, offsite storage typically improves information organization, which can dramatically impact productivity. GRM, organizes, indexes and tracks, through barcoding, the records it stores, ensuring that everything is easily identified and accessed and nothing is lost or misplaced.
“At GRM,” says Tony Acerra, “we’re all about safety, security and customer service. Records are monitored 24 hours by trained, skilled personnel. And every client gets their own personal Account Manager. Around the clock, fast, verified pickups and deliveries of documents are available at your convenience. And services like Scan-On-Request and Digital Dispatch make sure documents get to you on time and in the format of your choice, whenever and wherever needed. Our customers also get to use eAccess, a remote, online inventory control system, free of charge. With eAccess, you can check on any stored items, arrange for pickups or deliveries, and generate reports and much, much more. It can be used from any location with a computer web browser.”
How much can a company or firm save with offsite records storage? It depends. But additionally, offsite records storage can help an organization transition its physical documents toward a digital solution, opening the door to even more efficient cost-effective applications such as workflow automation. At GRM, this is called the Blended Solution.
Given these attributes and benefits, offsite records storage really can save you, whether it’s from the disastrous effects of a threatening hurricane or worrying if your records are safe and secure. It also saves by eliminating major upfront capital costs, improving information-related productivity and allowing available resources to be allocated more effectively. Finally and perhaps most importantly, it saves you by freeing up your company or firm to focus on what it does best: growing your business.
