How to Put together a Business Case for Records Management?

While many businesses across the world are strengthening their records and information management programs, many fail and many are afraid to start it because they were not able to put together a strong business case. Without a business case and clear articulation of how records management will add strategic value and what it takes to implement an ongoing records management, no business will be able to make it successful. Only when presenting a comprehensive business case, the leadership will buy-in and arrange necessary budget allocations. 1. Secure the Leadership Buy-in From the top-down and bottom-up be prepared to get the management buy-in before spending enough time and resources. Here is some guidance for teams looking to get buy-in: Form a committee who can work with you in preparing the entire business case. Consult their point of view, get their perspectives, get everyone’s unanimous agreement to talk the same language. Start with identifying the top pain points and issues that arise without having a records management in place. Brainstorm on how you will execute the solution in a systematic and repeatable manner. Identify roles that will own the accountability and approval chains so that decisions can be made faster. List down the tangible and intangible benefits you will gain by solving those challenges. Analyze if any intervention is required from professional 3rd party records storage and records management service providers Identify the costs involved in implementing the solution along with timeframe, possible challenges and a roadmap. 2. Beyond the obvious Obviously the leadership buy-in will be based on demonstrating the real benefits of any project. Records Management is no exception to that. Especially records management is a strategic business function that delivers benefits both in tangible and intangible manner. Here are some pointers for you to consider while building your business case. Business pain points Compliance/regulation needs Operational efficiency (e.g., growth, time and motion studies, information sharing) Disaster recovery and business continuity Data/information integrity and quality—master data management Reduction of storage space Information security and privacy risk mitigation and impact reduction When you present examples and potential benefits on the above aspects there is a higher change that your business case will be accepted. 3. What’s your Post-Implementation Strategy? Also prepare more pointers in your business case about how will you maintain the new program in a consistent basis. What are the Information Governance checkpoints, controls and grievance redressed mechanisms, audits and reporting methodology etc. Clarity in this will give your business leaders full confidence about giving an approval for your records management business case. Also make it a point to take support from professional records and information management companies like KAYMAN Records Management. The years of expertise they have in consulting, implementing records management, records storage for multiple industries would come handy to present your business case in a compelling manner.