When setting out to select a third-party provider for your records management services, it’s important to ask the right questions and look for the right ‘tell-tale signs’. At no time here do we give any consideration of the price of their services. Pricing should be the last thing you look to get from a vendor – you first need to establish who they are and what value their services can bring to your business. Only then will the price mean something to you. This is not the definitive list of what to ask, but it is hoped that it will point you in the right direction as you begin to evaluate a number of potential vendors.

1) Company profile

The goal here is to get an idea of ​​the type of company you are looking for. Ask questions about your company’s Mission Statement and see how it aligns with yours; How long have you been providing records management services? How do you try to differentiate yourself from your competition? Can they provide you with audited accounts? Can they provide you with references? Do you belong to any trade association?

2) Overall security

A major issue in today’s world of records management is information security. The rapid rise in identity theft makes personal information a highly sought after commodity among opportunistic criminals. Regardless of this, information security is vital to protect the interests of a company, as well as its staff and customers alike. Knowing that when your files and media first venture offsite, you don’t want it to be a step into the unknown. You don’t want to feel like you’re dismissing your child from his first day of school. You should know that your third-party provider’s security is tried and tested and meets the minimum standards you employ within your own business.

Do you have 24 hour security? Are your premises protected by internal and external digital CCTV systems? How do you control access to the facilities? How safe is the cargo area? Is the safety of your staff screened? What authorization procedures operate; Do you perform regular security audits? What security monitoring systems exist.

3) Disaster Prevention and Planning

How far does the company go in relation to the protection of the documents and media under its responsibility. Don’t be surprised if they don’t operate a sprinkler system, these are likely only to be found in department store environments where it is a local authority stipulation. Often records management service providers will avoid installing such expensive fire prevention as it can be cost prohibitive, increasing the market storage rate and can also be very risky in relation to the potential danger of Accidental activation of the system. Only you can decide what is best for your business. I guess it all comes down to do you want files wet or burned! The key is really how they prevent hazards, not how they handle a disaster after the fact.

Do they have adequate smoke detection systems? Adequate fire detection systems; adequate fire suppression systems; operate a strict no-smoking policy; a regularly maintained and tested internal disaster plan; Are detection and suppression systems regularly inspected and tested?

4) Facilities

There may be a number of considerations regarding the facility where your records will be stored. Again, there is no right or wrong answer as such, you need to assess what best suits your business requirements.

Is it in a desirable location? Is the installation a standalone unit? Are you located within a multi-tenant building? Are there potentially dangerous facilities near your location? Is the facility located in a location not prone to flooding? Are they involved in any other activity within the same facility (public storage, general storage, etc.); Are there backup power systems in place? Do they have adequate insurance coverage in the event of a disaster?

5) Courier vehicles

This is an area that is often overlooked. It’s not uncommon to tear up a company’s facility and then disregard how the records are transported. In theory and in practice, you should demand the same safety and environmental standards where possible inside a delivery vehicle as you do in the warehouse’s own storage facility. Do they use their own vehicles and personal delivery; Are the vehicles tracked by satellite? How are the vehicles insured when they are parked at the pick-up and drop-off points? Do the vehicles have adequate security? are climate controlled vehicles (media only); Are the vehicles designed for the safe transport of media? Do vehicles undergo preventative maintenance? Are the vehicles equipped with a fire extinguisher; They are vehicles equipped with the appropriate communications.

6) Policies and Procedures

This is where you can determine how much thought, care, and attention a records management provider puts into your business, your staff, and your clients. Can you provide a clear and acceptable business contract? Are records signed upon delivery and kept on file for future reference? Do you operate a comprehensive employee selection process? Do you have a substance abuse policy? Are uniforms and identification passes provided to staff? Do employees sign confidentiality agreements? Is there continuing education for employees? Are trained staff available after hours to handle emergency requests?

7)Storage capacities

It seems obvious, but you should create a list of all the types of storage and services you need today and also consider what your requirements may be in the medium and long term. After all, if you can find a provider that can accommodate your business as it adapts within your market, you’ll really benefit from having consistency in your RM services during these changing times.

Paper records (Files k”>in boxes)

“Secure off-site document storage

” File management with barcode

“Audiovisual media

“Informational media

” Micrographs

X-ray film

“Live Archive (Open Shelf Archive)

“secure storage

Gas protected, temperature and humidity controlled fire vault

either for: external storage of tapes and media or storage of wills and deeds

You should also ask about current space to meet current needs and future space to meet future needs. Is the shelving structure used specific to the storage needs of records management?

8) Customer Services

No external file storage or records management provider is going to check all the boxes all the time. We all know and we all expect things to go wrong from time to time. What really sets records management companies apart is the way they handle this situation. By looking at all the key features that bring the service together under the Customer Services umbrella, we can see what a company can do to minimize such issues and also how they handle those quirks when they should arise.

Can you provide: 24-hour customer access; barcode tracking; Client based training; Online inventory management; Customer review rooms; Reports; Confidential destruction services; departmental billing; disaster recovery services; Retention management and planning.

Do you record customer communications for internal review and training? Do you provide a service level agreement in relation to not only the physical service but also in terms of response times to resolve customer issues/queries? Will you be appointed Account Manager?

Summary

All of the above is designed to make you think about your choice of a record management service provider. Only once you have fully understood what a company can offer in terms of their complete service and facilities etc. So, can you begin to determine if your pricing provides your business with good value for money? The cheapest provider may not score too high when you start digging into the aspects outlined above. Getting the best value for your investment will give you the long-term savings you crave – working with a professional and efficient provider who can grow and adapt with you is worth its weight in gold as they will be able to bring consistency and stability to your business. .