3 Reasons to Avoid Self-Storage Units for Business Records
Storing sensitive business documents in a public storage unit is a risky idea. Uncontrollable factors including theft, fire, flood, and insects can jeopardize the security of your records and leave client and financial information vulnerable to a data breach or unintended destruction. If something happens to your valuable records, the public storage company won’t be held liable, but you will. If you’re currently storing business documents in a self-storage unit or considering an offsite storage provider, below are some factors to think about before making a decision.
Has your public storage unit been in the news for crime-related activity recently? Find out here:
- Customers raise questions about security after 15 storage unit break-ins
- Woman rents self-storage unit in Ballantyne to steal from others nearby, police say
- Customers call for more security at Extra Space Storage after 60 break-ins in five years
- VIDEO: Man breaks into storage units, steals $500,000 in items
- Man arrested after allegedly breaking, entering storage units
- 2 arrested, evidence seized, in connection to storage unit break-ins
Public storage units and document security
Most public storage units offer weak physical security for your records. Public storage units typically are not equipped to provide physical security other than standard locks and gates. One self-storage unit in Charlotte, NC recently made news after reporting 60 break-ins in the past five years. If you’re currently storing important business records in a self-storage unit, what are you willing to risk?
Not knowing who is occupying the unit next to you is also a serious concern. The neighboring unit could contain hazardous or combustible materials – leaving your important records vulnerable in the event of an accident. Besides theft, self-storage companies do not have to maintain strict fire or flood standards like offsite document storage providers. Your documents are at risk for fire, flood, insect infestation, mold and more. Most public storage units lack the physical security necessary to guarantee the contents will be safe in the event of a natural disaster. The roll up doors are prime environments for mold growth, which poses a big risk to paper documents.
Record Storage Systems offers:
- 24/7 gated, locked facility with key fob access
- Video surveillance
- HIPAA-compliant protocols
- Low-crime, non-flood zone
- Concrete walls reinforced with steel
- Fire suppression system
- Monthly pest control and inspection
Check out a complete list of our document security protocols here.
Public storage unit convenience and pricing
Is there anything more inconvenient that taking time out of your day to drive to a storage unit and search through dozens of boxes looking for a single record? There’s also the added liability of an employee hurting themselves trying to lift heavy boxes or navigate towering stacks of records. With a document storage provider, records can be conveniently delivered to your office upon request or electronically delivered through secure scan-on-demand. No more dealing with unorganized, dirty self-storage units. Aside from weak physical security, public storage units are often more expensive than a record center. Why? Because you almost always end up paying for space that you don’t use. With a document storage company like Record Storage Systems, you only pay for the boxes that you store. That’s because record centers are designed to maximize storage space within the facility to pass savings onto the customer.
Public storage unit record retention and management
A professional record storage provider not only offers a cost advantage to your organization, but also offers a level of knowledge and
expertise on record retention and management. Our record retention experts can consult with you to create a customized record retention schedule that complies with industry regulations. Because we’re a comprehensive document management provider, we can also scan your documents if requested and offer secure document shredding. The longer you leave inactive records in a self-storage unit, the more vulnerable they become to damage and theft – not to mention the money you’re wasting holding on to outdated information.
Whether you’re considering a self-storage unit for your records or are currently utilizing self-storage and are concerned with security and cost, Record Storage Systems offers cost-effective and secure offsite document storage in Charlotte, NC. As a professional records management provider, we offer storage, scanning, shredding, and record retention management. Your records will be organized and protected from creation to destruction and everything in between. For more information, call us at 704-588-2820.
