6 PITFALLS TO AN EFFECTIVE
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SOLUTION
You may be experiencing frustrations with the management of your firm’s records. Many users of off-site storage services experience similar issues, and by understanding their similarities, you are in a better position to do something about your own concerns. This report illustrates these common problems a points you towards solutions that you may not have previously considered.
Pitfall 1 - High Cost of Same Day Service
Companies often complain that the standard of same-day delivery of their records no longer exists. Apparently, their vendor does not recognize how vital the documents are. In fact, some vendors have chosen to double the rates that firms pay for this once-standard service. Why should professional service firms pay more for such a routine delivery?
Do you feel that your records ought to be able to be delivered to you on the same day that you ask for them at no extra charge? Why do you suppose that most vendors no longer routinely offer this service?
If you or the person who needs the files has a pressing need for the hard copy, how does it make you feel to wait overnight? Does your own performance pay a price as a result of the wait?
Ask your current vendor whether - if you call by, say, 10am - you could have your documents by the end of the day. If they are a local service provider and the documents are stored locally, you have the right to expect that kind of service.
The FileVault Solution: SpeedRetrieve TM Service Standard
At FileVault, all of your records are important to us - but the most important are the ones that you need now. That’s why we provide our customers with SpeedRetrieve™, our 5-hour delivery guarantee. SpeedRetrieve™ promises that you will receive your boxes within five (5) business hours of your request. Our customers benefit from this service— which comes to them at no extra charge— because it saves them time.
Pitfall 2 - Lost Records
The most conscientious firms are amazed that their off-site records manager could possibly lose their box. One company reports that their old vendor lost 15% of the boxes that they stored off-site. (Reproducing and replacing just ONE of them cost $3800!!) Most unfortunately, the customer doesn’t discover that records are missing until they request them.
Do you think that your current off-site storage vendor understands the importance of your documents that they store? Does it concern you that the items you believe are secure may not even be at your vendor’s location? How can you protect yourself from their loss?
You may find it useful to request that your vendor physically walks you through the path and process that your documents follow to their storage location. Alternatively, you could request on-site access to a random selection of your documents at periodic intervals throughout the year. That way, you’ll get a sense of the integrity of the process and an understanding of how tight the security really is. Finally, examine the fine print of your current contract to see exactly what responsibility the vendor takes for your records.
The FileVault Solution: NeverLost™ Loss Prevention System
FileVault stands behind the security and the integrity of its storage system more strongly than anyone else in the business. In fact, we guarantee payment of $500 in the event that we cannot locate a box you’ve stored with us within a reasonable search period.
Why FileVault does not lose boxes: We place barcodes on your items and the boxes are scanned three times at Critical Control Points between your office and their FileVault archive location, so that we always know the location of the box or file. FileVault shelf locations contain distinct barcodes (not a standard at other operations) for an added level of security. We provide complete, verified inventories of your items routinely upon request.
Pitfall 3 - Uncontrolled Costs
Most off-site storage users are subjected to price increases whenever the vendor decides to announce them! Did they tell you up front that you would see your invoices rise as many as six times within a 24-month period? Most customers simply do not lock in rates at the beginning of their relationship. Should the vendor have the right to raise rates without your approval?
Examine your December 2001 bill and compare it to December 2003— what has happened to your costs in two years’ time? Did you have a say in any increase? What might next year’s bill look like? Would you pay for the certainty of being able to predict exactly what that cost will be? If so, how much? Do your budget’s overseers notice it when line items like off-site storage increase? How do they resolve the effects of these increases with you or your team?
Approach your vendor about locking in your rates over an extended period of time. If they will not commit, ask them if they will offer you a projection of planned increases over the next 24 months - that way, you’ll at least be able to budget for the increase.
The FileVault Solution: SafeRate™ and SingleRate™
FileVault customers enjoy SafeRate™ protection, through which we establish fair rates up front based on a plan that’s designed with your specific needs and usage in mind. Once we agree to your needs and plan, your rates are locked in through the entire length of your contract. No surprise increases. Ever. We believe that this is the only fair way to do business.
We set up the SingleRate™ program to keep things simple, just like this service ought to be. The SingleRate™ billing structure is a common-sense approach which allows you an easily-predictable, easy-to-budget cost for your storage and records management services. With FileVault, you don’t have to deal with the unpredictable effects of 'a la carte' billing unless you choose to do so.
Pitfall 4 - Hostage Fees
Some records storage vendors force their customers to pay a huge fee in order to remove their boxes from storage altogether. These vendors put terms in the contract that cause a customer to pay up to two years’ worth of storage costs in order to terminate. Many firms in the area are shocked when they want to end a relationship with their storage vendor but are held against their will - they find that it’s simply too expensive to leave. They know they are being held hostage, but they feel helpless to address the problem.
Do you know whether you are subject to a hostage fee? How much would it cost you to pull out all of your records? How does it make you feel that you would have to pay the equivalent of many months’ storage to leave a vendor that serves you poorly?
We recommend that you find out immediately whether your contract specifies a ‘permout’ or ‘permanent removal’ fee. Multiply this fee times all of your offsite containers to determine what it would cost you to move out everything. Then contact your vendor to see whether there is some period (sometimes it’s about 6 months before the expiration of the current contract period) when you can remove your boxes at some lesser rate. In some cases, these hostage fees may be negotiable.
The FileVault Solution: They’re Your Records™ Policy
Above all, FileVault feels that your documents belong to you. A records storage company should not be the one protected from poor service - the customer should. If other firms focused more on customer service and less on getting the last penny from you, they would have no reason to charge hostage fees, as their customers would have no reason to take their business elsewhere. For that reason, we’ve instituted the They’re Your Records™ Policy. It states that if you are not satisfied with our service, you can request your boxes to be returned at any time. After all, they’re you’re records.
Pitfall 5 - Overcomplicated Billing
Have you taken a look at your storage bills lately? Many companies are finding: Incorrect charges, Unclear terms and jargon, Pages and pages of incomprehensible details subject to verification. Each problem takes valuable time to deal with; and the vendor is rarely able to correct the problem on the spot. At some large udders of off-site storage, file managers spend as many as 15 hours per month reconciling their bills. Does it bother you that you have to triple-check your invoices to ensure that rush deliveries which you’ve been billed for were actually delivered within the rush timeframes? What does it say about your vendor if you cannot understand every term on the invoice? Is this sort of detective work the best use of your time?
You can request a glossary of all the terms on your invoice. You can also keep a log (on a spreadsheet or with time-tracking software) of the times that you request items and when they are delivered to make sure that they came on time and that your bills are accurate.
The FileVault Solution: SingleRate™ , clear bills, and One Call That’s All™ Policy
If you choose our SingleRate™ plan (described above), you’ll get a one-line invoice each month (and you’ll know what it says before it arrives).
Even if you choose standard billing, you’ll find that FileVault’s invoices are totally clear, which plain-English explanations of services you order— we feel that off-site storage service is straightforward, and that your invoices should be, too.
When you have a concern with any aspect of your service or billing, dealing with FileVault is easy: Our One Call That’s All™ practice means that FileVault will address your concern immediately and get you resolution within 8 business hours. We want you satisfied completely, competently, and quickly.
Pitfall 6 - 'One Size Fits All'
Needs for off-site storage are as varied as industry-specific business practices. Why should you have to deal with a ‘cookie-cutter’ solution to your specific problem? Many potential users of the service would rather do it themselves than deal with a vendor who has a standard, unchanging menu of offerings.
Are your needs just like everyone else’s? What happens if you require: boxes picked up on certain days at certain times; particular people involved in ordering service on your end; files or container coded in an unusual way; anything that improves your records management process
If the vendor can’t handle it, does that create a problem for you or your productivity? What alternatives might you have?
Have your vendor visit with you quarterly to review your relevant business processes. They should be able to respond to changes in your requirements without major re-tooling of the contract provisions.
The FileVault Solution: Custom Solutions Policy
We work with you to understand your needs and then create a plan that is right for your business. It sounds pretty simple, and it is. All it takes is the desire to serve you and the commitment to ask the right questions at the outset. Our Clear Picture™ assessment tool helps us to ensure that you get what you want and that you receive exactly what you pay for.
No project or requirement is too demanding or complex: Our management team is expeienced to handle all record storage projects that you may require.
WHY PUT UP WITH UNSATISFACTORY SERVICE AND UNCONTROLLED COSTS?
These are just a few of the concerns that we hear about daily from people who are exploring alternatives; there are many others. If any of these ‘pitfalls’ have raised concerns that you have, you might ask yourself: Are you prepared to seek a more effective solution?
We would welcome the chance to help you relieve these problems - regardless of whether you decide to work with us. Contact the FileVault professionals today and schedule your own ‘Pitfall Avoidance Session’. We’ll give you as much time as you need and help you design a variety of approaches to your own records storage situation.
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