Here are some inquiries you should be asking yourself before preserving your records in a self-storage unit, whether you already do so or are planning to do so:
Is it less expensive?
If you aren’t dangerously stacking boxes all the way to the ceiling, you are probably renting and paying for more space than you need despite the unit rental price appearing to be a bargain. And did you remember to include in the cost of sending workers to the unit on company time to go through and locate the necessary files? Don’t forget to factor in the price of low staff morale and pricey insurance claims that result from workers suffering injuries or being involved in collisions while traveling to or from the unit. Over time, you end up spending more money and receiving less value than you would with a professional records storage service.
Is it protected?
Has the storage facility hired staff, a security system, and cameras? Storage units frequently have 24/7 unsupervised access to the units around yours, even with a perimeter security system. This exposes your documents to errors, theft, vandalism, and dodgy landlords. You should have enough reason to reconsider keeping your company’s records at a mini storage after watching one episode of Storage Wars.
Is it a formal business setting?
Do we need to bring up Storage Wars again? What would you think if you saw a worker from a local company you did business with going through company records in a locker? The correct response would not be “confident.” Your company’s reputation is significant and ought to be handled accordingly.
Is the document management system efficient?
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and other regulations are all complied with by a professional records management business like Infoshred. We are also insured and have your information barcoded and organized for easy retrieval or scanning on demand. You can see the two extremes of “document management” by contrasting that with a stack of boxes of files in a storage space.
Is the environment controlled?
Although it costs significantly more, some self-storage facilities are climate-controlled, but most are not. There is more to “climate-controlled” than merely temperature. Your documents are vulnerable to the effects of humidity, dust, air quality, mold, creepy crawlies etc. Don’t risk the air quality of a self-storage facility over a climate-controlled records management system, as this will reduce the lifespan of your papers.
Does it have disaster protection?
If you still need further proof that using self-storage for company files is a bad idea, think about the possibility that fire, insect infestation, mold, or floods could wipe all your data. All structures are vulnerable to these problems, but self-storage facilities pose a significantly higher danger because who knows what is in your neighbor’s unit. At a reputable records center, we safeguard your documents and data.
It is neither cost-effective nor professional to store your company’s documents in a self-storage unit. Consult Infoshred to maintain your business secure and professional and leave the storage units to families storing excess “stuff” and Grandma’s furniture.
Request an estimate on our website or by calling 860-627-5800 to learn more. Our experts will ask you a few questions to better understand your requirements, after which they will tell you exactly what to expect from start to finish, including the cost.
