Outsourcing your document storage to a professional off-site archiving company like Topwood may seem like an unnecessary luxury but there is serious commercial sense in doing so. It can help you get compliant with GDPR and the new Data Protection Act 2018. Read on to find out more.
As part of the new General Data Protection Regulation organisations are responsible for tracking where their data is stored, who comes into contact with it and how it is destroyed. Retention scheduling is a key part of preparing for GDPR. A retention schedule is a policy that maps out how long you should keep your data for. For example HR records should be kept for 7 years after termination of employment. Also payroll details should be kept for 12 years. A schedule should be implemented as part of your preparation for GDPR and the new Data Protection Act 2018, in order to comply by not holding data for longer than necessary.
As part of a dedicated document storage service, your documents can be indexed by box or by file to create a full inventory of archiving. This is done by putting a barcode on the box or file and scanning that box or file to a location in a dedicated document storage unit. By using this system response times to Subject Access Requests (SARs) would be significantly reduced which is a new requirement of The Data Protection Act 2018.
Another benefit of dedicated document storage is the significant reduction in costs. Unlike self-storage units, dedicated document storage works by only charging you for the space your documents occupy. At Topwood the standard rate for storage is just £0.35 per box per month that is just £4.20 a year to store one archive box which is fully indexed, secure and available for a scan on demand service, delivery or request for shredding. Take a look below to see an example of the savings you could make…
That is a yearly saving of £94.80. This does not include the extra revenue generated by an extra desk in that same 6 foot space, with one more sales employee bringing in more business. Storing documents with a professional secure off-site archive company may seem complicated, especially if you have a large archive at your offices, however, with Topwood Ltd, we make it simple and easy to achieve.
Benefits of outsourcing document storage to a professional archive company:
1) Free-up valuable floor space at your offices for revenue-earning activity
2) Release your staff to focus on your customers and add more value to your business
3) Purpose built storage units ensure documents are kept completely safe
4) File tracking software we use allows for instant location and retrieval of files and ensures they are secure, away from prying eyes
5) Outsourcing the manual handling of files removes the hidden costs of slips and trips with your own staff
6) A professional archive company, like Topwood, will be able to help make the move towards electronic document storage
It is common to see files and documents kept in filing cabinets and store rooms around the workplace. However, when one or two filing cabinets occupy entire rooms and other back office space, you should ask, “Is this the best use of our workplace?”
Office floor space demands premium rates. Every square foot used for filing cabinets is a lost opportunity to use that space for revenue-generating activity.
Storing documents off-site releases premium space to improve productivity and efficiency.
Once you consider the financial cost of storing files in the office, it is easy to see why off-site archive storage makes serious commercial sense.
