Record Keeping – Key to Business Success

With the New Year almost here, it’s a good time to remind ourselves that information is only as secure as the records management solution that we have in place. Losing information could mean the loss of your business, no matter how big or how small a company is, so developing a plan to protect your data is crucial.  Let proper record keeping be your key to success. Consider the following:

• Are you able to access information no matter the day or time? If the building you’re storing records in is locked during certain hours, make sure you have a key so you can still access the information. For extra reassurance, seek out a solution that will convert hard copy files into an electronic format that can be accessed through a secure online “virtual” file room.
• Do you have back-ups of vital information? Typically, the more effort that a business owner puts into preparing and storing back-ups of both hard copy and electronic files, the easier it will be to recover from a disaster. Be sure you’re storing back-up files in multiple secure locations, so if a disaster affects your office, another copy of your information could still be accessed.
• Do enough people know about the plan and where it’s stored? If only one person knows about the plan and where it’s stored, your company could still be at great risk. Make sure information about your plan is communicated frequently with key personnel.

When handled properly, information and records management programs can improve the organization’s operational efficiency, help contain costs and better enable the organization to meet its compliance and disaster recovery needs.

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