In my years as a freelancer, I've seen countless businesses flounder and fail. Sometimes it's because the owner is inexperienced; sometimes it's because the market wasn't ready for the product; sometimes it seems simply to be a matter of luck. If you want to manipulate your own luck, though, there are some tricks you can use--little things that will make it easier for you to get your new small business off the ground and keep it there. In this new blog, I'll be sharing those tips and tricks with you and answering your questions on how to help yourself as much as possible.
At first, storing documents away from your office might seem crazy. After all, why not keep them close for convenient access?
Actually, storing documents off-site comes with several advantages. Here are just four signs you should consider off-site business documents storage.
1. Your Office Is Low on Space
The most obvious benefit that comes with off-site document storage also tends to be the most persuasive; you save a considerable amount of space. Unless your office includes huge, unused areas, it's very hard to fit in all the documents you need while still keeping things accessible. You should be using all your space to grow your business, not store its documents, especially since heaps of boxes don't make your office look very professional. Storing them off-site keeps things out of the way. You might even save money since off-site storage is often less expensive than the office space required to hold all documents onsite.
2. You Find It Hard to Organize
Could be your office has plenty of room for documents, but you might find it very hard to keep them organised. It's pretty tough to reach a happy medium; larger companies can put more hours into organisation but produce lots of documentation, while smaller companies produce less but don't have a team large enough to devote to organisation. An off-site company can help. They don't just store your documents – you also gain access to their organisational systems. Even if it's self-storage, you'll still often find it easier when tested systems are available.
3. Your Building Lacks 24-Hour Security
When you store your documents in your office building, you need to ensure they enjoy good security. Your business is going to be in dire straits if important documents get stolen or damaged. That's why off-site document storage facilities tend to invest a lot in security. Sites are generally protected by high-end security technology and watched over 24/7 via CCTV.
4. Your Records Often Go Obsolete
For some businesses, almost every document they produce or handle is needed for years to come. However, that's not always the case. Some businesses produce a great number of records that become obsolete or otherwise unnecessary after just a few years. When this happens, it makes sense to have those documents destroyed. Unfortunately, this is easy to put off when you're managing your own records. When you store your documents off-site, you have a greater motivation to get rid of older documents.
Share10 October 2018
