Gilmore Blog https://www.gilmoreservices.com/blog/topic/records-management

Records and Information Management, or RIM as we call it, is an essential part of keeping your valuable business records and data secure. It’s not uncommon for companies to make mistakes when managing their records due to carelessness or inexperience.

Everybody who lives along the Gulf Coast knows that it pays to be prepared for a weather-related disaster. In recent years, hurricanes have ravaged both southern Florida and the panhandle, destroying buildings and causing extensive flooding.

Managing business records can be a full-time job, especially if your company is required to comply with HIPAA, FACTA, or Sarbanes-Oxley regulations. For that reason, paying for secure business records management may actually save your company time and money.

For some, document management might seem like a luxury and not a need. You might wonder the reason for seeking records management services when organizing, storing and disposing of documents could take place in-house. To answer this question, business owners don’t have to look much farther than a colleague's cluttered storage closet, or, even worse, their own disarray of boxes and loose papers.  

Believe it or not, the third quarter is around the corner. As a business owner or manager, now’s the time to finalize your business plan for the quarter so you can work toward meeting your financial goals in the second half of the year. That could mean ramping up your marketing efforts, making any necessary cuts, or increasing process efficiency.

When it comes to office organization and processes, sometimes it’s smarter to trust the experts. Sure, you could handle your own document storage and compliance responsibilities, but it’s often inefficient and, ultimately, costly.

If you’ve decided to implement a more strategic records management plan this year, you’ve taken a big step toward increasing efficiency and security for your organization.

However, when many companies decide to enhance their records management, they may do so piecemeal, with different personnel managing different parts of the plan. This strategy often leads to inconsistencies and can negate many of the benefits a records management plan can provide.

As you and your organization enter 2017, is your record management plan starting to feel like Groundhog Day - just the same old routine over and over again with no thought?

The New Year is a great time for your business to look ahead and put in place needed changes in key areas, including records management. While the implementation of new processes can be confusing and unorganized, it doesn’t need to be, and improved processes can ultimately benefit your business in the long run.

Putting an effective records management solution in place takes time, organization, and commitment. A solid record keeping procedure can help keep your company compliant, enable more streamlined access to information, and protect sensitive information over time. The anatomy of a successful records management plan includes things like: