How to save Money, Space & Time on storage.

1. V Storage Systems LLP
Storage Consultancy
A guide to our services
70 Churchill Square, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4YU. Tel: 01732 752150

2.
There are 5 phases required to ensure
a storage solution is successful;
When considering whether to move or stay put an organisation will first look at
staff numbers to see if the building is a fit.
Facilities required for meetings, training and entertaining can be agreed in
fairly certain knowledge from experience.
But how much storage do you really need?
How much of what you have now is not used
effectively?
A move or refurbishment is the ideal time to review your filing practices,
establish what you really need and implement the changes.
You will need a filing survey to find this out! Simply counting cupboards is easy,
but to extract the information from users requires skill to be able to ascertain
what is needed as opposed to wanted. Only experience will tell you if there are
better ways to store what is required.
If a company can reduce its physical storage by 20% the saving in financial
terms, which delivers year on year, far outweighs the cost of carrying out such
an exercise. This process will also benefit efficiency and morale of staff. Better
than that it means you are in control, certain that the process is being
managed.
We understand storage and the steps we follow take you through identifying
what you have, what you need to do and what you need to buy to get the best
possible value for money.

3.
THE BRIEF
Establishing the customers requirements and
identifying the goals in regard to storage.
This may change along the way.
As new problems or areas for
improvement are identified, but
at a time in the process where it
does not jeopardise the
outcome of the project.
Here we agree our terms of reference and ensure timeframes
and milestones for each of the phases to come are set, ensuring we
won’t miss an opportunity to get the best possible outcome from a
storage perspective.

4.
THE SURVEY
Meeting representatives from each
working group, physically looking at
their current storage, recording it
and discussing how it works for them.
A key skill developed over more than 20 years is the interviewing and
extracting detail on what is current practice and establishing;
• The real volume of live filing by type
• Frequency of retrieval and by who
• The level of security that is required
• Opportunities for better document management practice
During this phase we gather information and don’t make promises to fix
anything as we are simply fact finding. Of course all concerns are noted and
addressed at later phases, finally being answered objectively at the
implementation phase.
.

5.
THE REPORT
Presenting the information
gathered in a useful format
A format that records the amount of personal, team and archival storage
together with specific observations on potential problem areas that will require
custom solutions and recommends areas for reduction.
It follows the format of a spreadsheet
broken down by Department and
working group with detail on specific
challenges within areas that need to
be addressed or where better
solutions could be developed.
It identifies potential new media to be used to improve efficiency. Partners that
could supply bespoke or standard solutions and methods that will ultimately
save money, space and time

6.
THE CONVERSION
Here the data gathered is turned
into a solution in conjunction
with other members of the
project team
This is the key phase where experience counts most of all. It’s pretty straight
forward counting cupboards and finding pinch points and bad practice, but to
turn a required volume into a solution you must fully understand what is
available and possible within the market, as well as appreciate the wider
context of the environment in which the storage has to be accommodated.
We specifically work with;
Your Architect
Make sure all areas for storage in the workstation, walls, high density
systems are used. Ensure cabinet heights respect the design scheme
without compromising their capacity.
Your FM team
Incorporating areas for recycling and confidential shredding within the
design brief. Ensure security and keying options can be implemented.
Ongoing supply and reconfiguration will not be a burden.
Your IT team
To integrate shared equipment such as printers within proven solutions

7.
THE IMPLEMENTATION
Unless communicated to the users,
the plan will not achieve its potential.
When a specification has been agreed and signed off, it’s time to go back to the
departmental representatives on an individual basis to explain the solution that
has been agreed, sell the concept and make them aware of what they will be
required to do before, during and after the move.
This is often achieved in conjunction with suppliers who will provide samples
that can be used in ‘storage surgeries’ that iron out any issues and ensure
everyone is prepared fully for any changes.
Implementation of any new working practices is timed not to clash with
milestone dates such as end of financial period or product launch.
Archive days are arranged so as much paper as possible is removed from the
office and stored offsite or destroyed.

8. V Storage Systems LLP
By calling on our experience
you will save Money, Space
and Time.
Money, by purchasing fewer cabinets that take up less
Space and improve the efficiency of your staff.
Space, fewer cabinets will take up less space and that
Equates to a life time saving in floor area that
is better used to house staff that yield revenue
Time, in retrieving information that is better accessed
And easily identified, again improving efficiency.
70 Churchill Square, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4YU. Tel: 01732 752150