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Will moving our archives to BRM involve disruption to our business?
BRM is in the business of relocating archives from one or more locations and consolidating the archive with the least possible disruption to normal working.
Some of the relocations we have undertaken have involved millions of items, some just a few hundred. Before any relocation is undertaken, all parties are consulted and time-scales agreed,
the current database information is assessed and the archive is surveyed.
Only when every aspect of the existing archive is known will the
plan to relocate it be undertaken.
The actual relocation is achieved using all available labour saving devices at a time most convenient for the client. In the normal course of events, the time that a record or file is unavailable is a maximum of 48 hours. New clients will be able to obtain references from existing clients to confirm this.
How does BRM create a new archive database that we can trust?
As the records are received at BRM they are logged, bar coded and verified - often using imported and revised existing database information. Even if the data is limited to a box or file number, it is uploaded on to the See-It system within 48 hours for a client to view. The archive is quickly constructed to contain both verified and agreed records and records that are not verified or are unidentified. At this point the client may discover files that should have been destroyed, or duplicates, or otherwise incorrectly filed records. The result is normally a wholesale cleanup of the record archive and database. The proportion of records not verified normally proves to be less than 5%.
Is the See-it software expensive and will it work on my system?
The software is not expensive because you do not have to buy it.
Use of the system is just one of the benefits of employing BRM
as your archive management company. The system is web-based runs
of Microsoft based software and does not need downloading on to your computer.
We already archive with another company and want to move – how can this be done?
If you are unhappy with your current service provider and wish to move or are just relocating due to an administrative need, the process is usually straightforward. Advise your current archive company as soon as possible that you wish to move and check the contract small print to see if there are any penalties or contractual issues. There should be none because the records are your property. However, there are some costs involved for your current supplier as the files and boxes have to be picked from the existing system and prepared for transit.
When you know the cost payable to the existing contractor for
removal, please talk to you BRM contact. We may be able to help.
Once the archive is ready for transit, the process is simple. BRM
will collect the whole archive from the previous company and transport it to a secure BRM archive store. The files and boxes are received and quarantined, although they normally will still be available to you. The data supplied by you and/or your previous storage company is uploaded and the files and boxes are checked against the data sources for accuracy and integrity. Only when this process is complete is the archive located in the storage facility.
What if there are no computerised records only a Cardex index?
The physical files and boxes will have some identification on them that ties up with the Cardex index and this data is recorded to form the basis of a database. Our operatives simply key this data into our specially written programme (which has three safeguards to prevent inaccurate data entry).
Files need to be archived but they are not in boxes?
BRM has relocated tens of thousand individual files from client premises, boxed them and loaded them onto lorries even on busy London streets. Numbered labels are issued prior to the collection of the files and these form the basis of the archive BRM will create. Files are loaded in shelf order or as required and the data that will identify the contents of each box is duplicated so that the client can easily retrieve the contents at a later date.
We have some files that are live and some that may never be looked at again?
Most archives contain a proportion of files or boxes that may need to be retrieved because they become relevant in the future. There are several different types of location in BRM storage facilities – areas for live files, sleeping files and dead files and similar areas for boxes. All can be accessed to guarantee next day delivery of a file. If a matter arises and a number of files are affected, it is normal for the client’s file administrator to advise BRM so that the files can be moved i.e. from dead to sleeping areas.
The See-it system software will determine via the history interrogation feature whether a type of file or a cost code has been frequently retrieved even though it was thought of as dead. This data can help both BRM and the client to manage the files efficiently and forecast demand. There is usually an ongoing dialogue with the BRM retrieval team as we promote accessibility and the team is empowered to deal directly with issues for the client rather than have an account management structure that separates the client from the archive store.
Our archive is in mobile racking and we have no use for it if the archive is moved?
If the mobile racking is in the way, BRM will remove not only the files but also the racking. The racking can be rebuilt at BRM premises to create a mirror image of the original file store and operated in the same way. This works well for a very active live filing system. BRM has moved static shelving and mobile racks from basement stores and collected them from rooftops of five storey buildings. If it’s a challenge, all the better!
What happens if there is an emergency and I need some information from a file within hours?
Thanks to data transmission and computer scanners, it is possible for the information you require to be retrieved, scanned and transmitted to you as an email attachment within a couple of hours. If computers are not available, the information can be faxed. If there is a lot of data and it has to be delivered, a courier will jump in a car or on a bike and deliver it to you as soon as possible. The staff at BRM fully appreciate that they are part of the client’s team and must respond to urgent requests accordingly.
What is the difference between an A4 box and an A3 storage box?
A4 boxes are 15”x10”x10” whereas A3 boxes are usually 12.75” x15” x10” – not a lot bigger but less efficient to store and heavier to handle.
Boxes should not exceed 12 kilos so they can be handled by staff
at both the customer and at the store.
Can my files or documents be looked at by third parties?
Security is vital when caring for a client’s records. For a third party to view information that is specific to an individual – for criminal or espionage purposes - the person would have to identify the correct building, correct aisle, correct bay, location and box. As all of these elements are only identified by bar code and security access to the data is similar to encrypted data used in e-commerce programmes, the chances of achieving the objective without activating the alarm systems or being stopped by staff are immeasurably small.
In addition, all BRM databases have firewalls and security and in any event, the data held is only alpha numeric (unless otherwise requested) and understood only by the client. If a client feels that some information is extremely sensitive, it can be secured in a bomb-proof vault which is on a specialised site with 24-hour surveillance.
What happens if something is lost in transit, damaged or defaced?
As with any physical property, there is a small risk of loss. No matter how careful all parties are in protecting the data, files, or boxes, it is possible to suffer some form of loss. BRM has committed to adequate insurance to cover employee liability, product liability and negligence, and buildings, property and vehicles. Keeping records off-site is part of your disaster
recovery plan – keeping digital copies is another important part. If you wish to discuss scanning your paper records to disc, please contact us.
BRM and Big Web Warehouse Ltd are not liable for any consequential loss of any description or type and our
terms of business make this clear. In most cases
customer's insurers extend the customer's own office contents policy
(documents and files) to include off-site storage of archived files.
If you are unsure, it is very important to contact your insurer to discuss this matter fully.
Big Web Warehouse Ltd does not underestimate the responsibility of
caring for your goods and documents and our Terms and Conditions of
Storage do not seek to minimise the duty, however the company will
in all cases limit liability to the amount stated in the contract.
What computer hardware do I need to run the See-it system?
A simple stand alone PC with a modem and a telephone line or
internet connection is adequate. If this is not available, one can be supplied. The
secure site can be accessed by a log in interface that can be set up as a desktop icon and the whole system can be operational, including training the user, in just 90 minutes. The software runs under a Microsoft application that is available on most small business computers.
How long will my archive boxes or files be unavailable during a move?
Depending on the size of the archive (and we have moved archives with over 90,000 boxes), the individual box or file should not be out of reach for more than 48 hours. This is because each file or box is logged out of its existing store, logged onto the transportation lorry or van and logged in as soon as it reaches BRM’s premises. If a file or box is needed, it is either at the existing store (not logged out), on the vehicle or at a BRM storage facility. Provided that we receive an instruction before 15.00hrs, a file or box that has been in transit the day before can be back with you the following day.
Contact us today on 0800 0747234 (or international +44 1733 405100), or by email (info@bigww.co.uk), for an instant quote or to arrange a free relocation and risk assessment survey
-or click on the menu bar to read more about us and the services we provide.
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