Snip from Donald:

> From: "Mattson, Donald J" <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: May 27, 2009 11:43:01 AM EDT
>
> Offsite vendors are like any vendor, they are in it for the money.  
> As we move forward and as regulations and laws are passed making our  
> services more critical, the business enterprise is going to have to  
> make allowance for the records professional to be more involved with  
> the contract negotiations. However, once a vendor starts creating an  
> environment where they are in full control of content without the  
> liability that we the owner must take head on... alone. Remember  
> that wonderful article that reported the comments by the then CEO of  
> the biggest records vendor, "even if it is our fault, it is your  
> fault" not a direct quote but my interpretation of it.

Your comment about the vendor taking control is a key one.  Allowing  
the vendor to make up new rules without your input would expose you to  
liability as it reflects a lack of control and failure to protect the  
records from outside interference.  Once integrity is voided then what  
do you have as a defense?

There have been many great comments in this commentary and I would  
suggest that you copy the best ones and create a memo to management to  
show the enduring value of records management overseeing such an  
important contract. This is preferable to leaving it in the hands of a  
Purchasing Officer who exposes the organization to risk if they did  
not include an SLA that is ironclad as Donald suggested.

Larry was this issue covered in the ARMA suggest CRC Storage  
Contract?  Maybe this needs to be added?

I agree that if a box is damaged it must be dealt with but the RM  
needs to be responsible for that. If there is no RM then the offsite  
storage company may be forced to act protect the clients box integrity  
but certainly not without letting the client have input.

>> Snip from: Rock on!  Sharon
>>
>> Sharon Burnett, CRM
>> [log in to unmask]
>> Seattle Washington USA

>  What are these people doing that's causing a 3 or 4 year old box to  
> fail?
>
> Don't have an answer, but as we audit our collection we are finding  
> many boxes that are crushed. None of these were ever recalled by us.  
> Maybe I should send my former vendor a bill?

I believe Dwight had it just right as to why boxes are seeing more  
wear and tear.

Also, the shorter shelf life means that boxes are being pulled for  
shredding more aggressively and this is creating wear on surrounding  
boxes.

Offsite vendors are in it for the money as is every company.  I know  
hundreds of well run, high integrity CRC companies and they are out  
there.  You sit in church next to them.  Your son places on the same  
baseball team as their son.  Your daughter plays on the same football  
team as their son.  See how I avoided being sexist there!  ;~)

Too many people complain about problems but don't change vendors.  If  
more RM's delivered an ultimatum (with your SLA and Contract) or used  
the power of changing vendors to express dissatisfaction, wrongs would  
be righted because these companies are in it for the money.  But there  
are many who are in it because they feel they can do it better.   
Others because they believe they are more secure or have better  
facilities and even vaults.

If you attended PRISM's last educational conference and saw all the  
companies signed up to learn how to deliver more security and improve  
their service, you would know choices are out there. Integrity,  
Security and Chain of Custody were constantly talked about.  White  
papers were delivered, audit guidelines were provided and I was  
impressed.  The service is out there.  I would even state that many of  
the CRC owners know more about records management than many of the  
people walking the floor at ARMA.  Their business depends on it.  They  
deliver 100% of what their clients demand.  So it is back to the RM to  
be more demanding and having input into the contract.

Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
[log in to unmask]
(610)  756-4440    Fax (610)  756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM


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