Whether it sits in digital documents, paper records, or hard drives, your business information is always potentially vulnerable to hacks, breaches and theft. While you can enhance the security of your digital information by investing in sophisticated IT security applications and technology, your physical files and folders do not enjoy the same privileges. This New Year, why not implement formal processes and policies around document management and destruction? Give your businesses the opportunity to:

• Improve information protection protocols
• Maximize space utilization 
• Increase record management cost efficiencies
• Avoid non-compliance issues, which could potentially lead to expensive lawsuits or brand erosion.

Read on to know more about implementing such a strategy.

Your 2020 Resolutions for Records Management and Destruction

• Create a Formal Policy and Document Each Sub-Process: This is an indication to your employees, customers and other stakeholders that you take information security seriously. Moreover, it will encourage your staff to be security conscious and promote a culture of responsible information management. For successful implementation, ensure that your policies and processes are:
  • Simple to understand
  • Easy to practice 
  • Require minimal training prior to implementation 
• Track Applicable Laws and Guidelines: Meticulously track the privacy protection legislations applicable to your business. This will also help you adhere to minimum retention period and safe record destruction guidelines, and remain compliant at all times.
• Put Adequate Checks in Place: Streamline your record storage processes by introducing document classification protocols. Ensure that every document that has served its purpose in the context of business, or in compliance with applicable laws makes its way to the shredding pile. Implement suitable control measures to prevent negligence or human errors during storage, as well as shredding. 
• Include Product Destruction Protocols: If you are in a business that manufactures products, or uses non-paper based branded merchandise, consider adding product destruction protocols to your strategy. Keep your branded, copyrighted or trademarked items from being misused, misrepresented, or traded on the grey market. This could include labels, bottles, uniforms packaging materials, stationery, digital drives, and other such products.

Some documents may require permanent preservation, while others may have a limited lifecycle. Classifying, filing, storing, retrieving, and destroying such records, while complying with every applicable industry norm can be tedious and complicated. Instead, conserve your productive man-hours, and consider outsourcing your records management processes. This will not only reduce the time and stress it takes for storage or retrieval, but will also help you free up valuable real estate. Imagine how you could utilize such a space for other business purposes, or release it to achieve significant cost savings.

At Crown Information Management, we offer an extensive range of record management services, including safe records storage, document destruction, and product destruction services. Hiring a SOC1 Level 2 Report, NAID AAA and PCI Certified company such as ours has several benefits, such as:  

• State-of-the-art storage facilities that save you time, space and money
• Competitive and affordable plans 
• Efficient storage, accurate tracking, and timely retrieval of records, as and when required
• Customized approach to adapt your company’s unique coding or indexing methods
• Eternal preservation, or secure destruction of information, as applicable.

This New Year, reinforce your records management capabilities with the help of Crown Information Management. Call us at 800-979-9545 to learn more about our services, or complete our online formand get a free estimate for your requirements.