DEVELOPING OF COMMERCIAL RECORDS CENTRE

DEVELOPING OF COMMERCIAL RECORDS CENTRE

Nurul Hafizah bt Jamalludin

Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi Mara,

Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract: This article is to study about the commercial records centre which are discuss about the function of records centre.  Other than that is discuss on the benefit of keeping the records in commercial records centre and several opinion in selecting a Commercial Records Centre.  One of that is their facility such as in terms of location and construction. 

Keywords : commercial records center, records management

INTRODUCTION

            Records are defined as documents created or received in the operation of a practical activity or as evidence of an activity or transaction.  Records can come in a variety of formats such as letters, memoranda, reports, database files, email messages, video tapes, films, photographs, maps, drawings and any other thing in which information is recorded or stored.  Records management is the systematic control of all records, whether in the media or format printed materials from their creation until final disposal. According to the Akta Arkib Negara 2003 and in accordance with the Policy on the Management of Electronic Records,

"records" means materials in written or other form setting out facts or events or otherwise recording information and includes papers, documents, registers, printed materials, books, maps, plans, drawings, photographs, microfilms, cinematograph     films, sounds recordings, electronically produced records regardless of physical form     or characteristics and any copy thereof.

            Record Centre is a building or part of a building which is designed or modified for low-cost storage, maintenance and semi-current records pending their ultimate disposal. Semi-current record which is to be transferred must be appraised first. Record centre are divided into three type which is National Record Centre, Departmental Record Centre and Commercial Record Centre. Record centre consist of five major functions, received and administer all records in whatever format that are retired from current record system, provide a reference service based upon the records, dispose of all records held in accordance with disposal schedules and plans, as an information centre for the creating agencies and to provide security measures for the records in the centre.

            Commercials records centre industry have grown and prospered over the past few years. Commercials records centre has gained more clients by providing the advanced services with latest technological equipment and standardize practices to meet their customers’ expectations of service quality. Customer service quality is critical at Commercials records center for their sustenance and growth (Azhan and Saiful, 2015). The outsourcing in records keeping movement is a rapidly growing industry worldwide. It is a competitive industry, and there is an increase of customer power and managers need to focus on customer service (Afthinos, Theodorakis and Nassis, 2005).Commercial record centres provide services of keeping paper records of the organization. In some cases, they also offer savings to the records kept in electronic format. Commercial records central providing high density storage of paper records and some offer climate controlled storage for sensitive and critical non-paper (important) paper media. There is a trade organization for the commercial records such as Regalia Records Management and FARAZ Records Centre.

DICUSSION

           

            Contrary to predictions that the paperless office is on the horizon and will put a record out of business centres, commercial records centre industry is alive and well and continues to grow. It's growing, not only in the ability to provide better and faster service to customers hardcopy, but growing in its capacity to customers who require services related services. In developing of commercial records centre, it must be secure, clean, efficient and economical.  One of that is secure. To ensure safety, the record must have an external secure as the care of valuable substances. Except that the environment must also be secure as a place where documents and valuable information must be maintained in a state that can be used for a long period. The also records centre must clean and orderly. Security involves both safety and environmental resistance and is necessary both externally and preventive measures must be in force at all times. All parts of the building, including storage areas, should be protected.

            In addition, records centre must in efficiency and economy.  Records centre must be proficient in each record held in the centre in order to be accessed quickly and easily. Records should also be disposed of in the disposal schedule that has been set. The recommended procedure is given in this module are designed to ensure that this provision is observed. They must be followed carefully.  The record is itself a building cheaper than active official site. This is because it is designed or adapted for special purposes.  Besides that, Records can be stored more densely in the centre of the official record. This density can be measured in terms of the ratio between records kept cubic meters per square meter of floor space.(Dube, 2014)

            Other than that is Cleanliness and Order.  Records centre must be clean. Its means that the records in it must be protected from damage from dirt, insects or rodents or attack by mole. To maintain cleanliness, anyone are not allowed to eat or bring food to the point of this record because the rest of the forage can encourage the presence of insects or rodents. Smoking is also banned in the records at all times, and there should be a prominent notice to this effect. Records centre must be washed, cleaned and checked regularly. Central record should also be organized. This means that the records stored in it must be in the correct order on the shelves, so that any record can be found at any time with a minimum of delay. Records should be stored in proper containers or packages, clearly labelled with the reference code. Periodic checks should be made to ensure that the records back to the appropriate location.        

            However, there are also have several challenges in managing the Commercial Record Centre such as levels of risk.  In developing a disaster recovery plan records, the records must evaluate the intensity of which varies for each risk that their records may be subject. Risks can range from minor flooding affecting perhaps only one or two officials at the facility for large fires can cause significant damage to the entire facility and its contents. In general, water, fire and smoke damage will receive special attention because they are the agents may be damaging the records kept in the agency. If chemicals are either stored in the building or contained in the operating system, this may result in potential damage should also be addressed during the planning. For example, a chemical used in fire extinguishers comply with the record. Although the use of extinguishers may be effective in smothering the fire, they cannot be used in areas where records are exposed. Records centre staff who participated in this scheme should learned and practices earlier the Emergency Plan and Risk Assessment.

            Other than that is rapidly growth of technology. The system also faces major technological hurdles. Today some of the most important decision-support documents are in the form of a multimedia computer slide presentations and spread sheets, which the presumption contained within the electronic version that are not easily amenable for printing out. The problems related to saving such important types of records are typically not addressed, and so the records are lost.  Other relatively new technologies that are already producing enormous amounts of uncaptured records are e-mail, video conferences, Web sites, and call centres and other audio systems, while Web logs, instant messaging and geographic information system technologies are emerging potentially as large producers of records. Documents produced using such tools must be maintained in an integrated fashion retaining their mutual context. There are also new formats of record material including computer generated, motion picture and television films and a wide variety of other formats requiring all skills, procedures and storage environment in a part of the world where there are extreme variations in temperature and humidity.

            In terms of benefits, institution or organizations are encouraged to keep their records in commercial records centre.  It is because commercial records centre is Secure Destruction. Records Centres have procedures that ensure records are systematically destroyed and only with appropriate authorization reduce the chance of reckless destruction, selective or motivated by personal records. They provide a secure and confidential records and media computer shredding, pulverizing and recycling services for records in accordance with your organization's records retention and destruction policy. The records of your organization will not be destroyed prematurely or retained longer than necessary and proper disposal procedures to ensure compliance with privacy laws, state and federal.

            Other than that is security.  Record Centres to understand how important and difficult of all information. Therefore they have been providing security and controlled nature of the records. They have established procedures to maintain control of your intellectual and physical records at all times. They ensure records remain secure your organization through difficult handling, safe storage and monitoring and access control.

            Many companies have selected to use commercial record centres for a long term solution to the problem of where to store and manage their records and information. However, there are several opinion in selecting a Commercial Records Centre.  One of that is their facility such as in terms of location and construction.  For the construction, client must surely that there are protection of records from fire, water and damage to the environment should be paramount when considering the construction specifications. Underground facilities offer protection from natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, the collapse of the roof of snow, and others. Underground facilities can also offer temperature and humidity controlled environment without reliance on man-made system.

            In terms of location, Records centre should be in a safe area and within a reasonable distance from the location of the service. Employees of the company or your client may need to visit the record centre for audit or investigation and need to feel comfortable when visiting the facility. If rapid response is the key criterion, adjacent to consider. If the disaster recovery considerations are part of the evaluation process, further facilities that may be more appropriate. Determining the specific needs of your company and consider carefully when evaluating the choice of location.

CONCLUSION

            In the course of doing business, records created, received and maintained by various government activities, and in various forms. Although the computer has ever thought of ushering in the age of "paperless office," we are experiencing rapid growth and replication of records. Therefore, it is important for government agencies to develop a records management program that is based on sound policies and procedures appropriate and effective agency staff informed: about the nature of what is a record; where records are open to the public and difficult; how to classify, organize, and maintain records and how to properly dispose of records.

            In my opinion, the record needs to take a more active role in the management of municipal records. Moreover, the records must be placed in a building constructed, with a stable environment conducive to keeping records. Finally, it is important that the design and implementation of records and information management system including a multi-disciplinary project teams, with a place reserved for records management staff. By taking these recommendations into account, agency should be prepared to face the challenges of managing records in the 21st century.

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