For businesses looking to store important documents, this should be alarming. This fact makes the topic even more urgent: most businesses who experience data loss due to human error or natural disasters are out of business in just two years.
Let that sink in for a minute or two. One disaster is all it takes to ruin a business’s chance at success forever.
Even if your area isn’t prone to wildfires or earthquakes, flooding, fires, and other disasters could wreak havoc. Certain situations are simply unavoidable. Preparing for them doesn’t have to be. By assuming that your documents could be at risk at some time in the future, you can take action, today.
What Happens to Documents During a Disaster?
While many of your important business documents are likely stored online, certain documents, especially those requiring signatures, must be kept in paper formats. Paper isn’t known for its ability to survive natural disasters, in fact, it’s especially susceptible to the elements.
With this in mind… are your most important documents resistant to even the worst disasters?
Maybe. And if so, that’s excellent. But, there’s a good chance they are not.
When documents are stored in-house, this can be especially problematic. But, even documents stored in professional facilities could be damaged unexpectedly if the right measures aren’t in place to protect them.
What Measures Make the Biggest Difference?
Looking for a better way to store your important documents? Ask your potential storage provider or partner about the following features:
Specific Building Methods and Reinforcements.
Ask if the building has been reinforced to protect it from physical damage, especially if you’re located in an earthquake and/or hurricane-prone area. A building that cannot withstand the elements could become a major liability.
Fike Fire Systems.
Sprinkler systems and paper documents don’t mix well. If a fire were to break out in your storage facility, would your documents be destroyed by the fire itself, or the sprinklers meant to extinguish it? Fike fire systems offer an alternative, utilizing Ecaro-25 gas, putting out the flames without the use of water.
Backup Measures.
Does your partner retain disk images and license information for your workstations, servers and in-house software to restore data in the event of an emergency?
Customization Options
Your document storage needs are different from other companies, even within your industry. Ask about specific security-measure-related questions you may have, and make sure your document storage provider is able to meet your needs. Flexibility and customization matter when securing important data and documents.
You may not be able to prevent a disaster, even with the best precautions in place. You can, however, protect your documents when disaster strikes. Are your most important documents secure? Unsure? Read more about document storage security here, then, contact our team.
