Online, our data comprises our lives. With all the shopping and interacting we do on the web, interested observers can tell where we’ve been, who we went with, what we ate there, etc. Data collection is a part of the modern world and its why companies like Facebook and Google are so profitable. It can be helpful. Data collection streamlines the adverts we get on social media. It helps keep the apps on our phones and laptops streamlined to our needs and interests. The collection of all our data can also feel invasive. The Kenyan Government’s latest Data Collection Act came into force on the 25th of November 2019. It stipulates a number of changes to your rights. You could read the whole document here. But if you haven’t got the time, we have compiled a short list of its most important and salient points. This article will explain why

The traffic in Nairobi is some of the worst in the world. However, according to online resources, Nairobi is far from the levels of congestion experienced by many cities in the US and in India. These online resources usually track the number of hours lost by commuters when they travel to work. The issue with this variable is that it does not quantify the various other factors that may exist when determining the extremity of traffic congestion. The traffic in Nairobi rarely resembles a long line of inert vehicles, waiting for movement up ahead. No, Nairobi traffic is a sprawling mess of multiple diverging and converging lanes of traffic. Matatus push and shove, overtake and undertake and find themselves on the footpath along with cyclists and pedestrians. It's carnage. Especially on the Mombasa Road, where many businesses are located. Consequences for Business Bad traffic is bad for many reasons. It

If Blockchain is that thing you hear about at dinner parties and at work and you have no idea what it means but in order to not seem ignorant you smile and nod and make the right sounds until people stop talking about it, then you should keep reading. Blockchain is changing the world. The technology is used in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and in banking as a simple and secure way of keeping records. How does it work? In layman’s terms, a blockchain is composed of blocks and chains. The block contains a piece of information, e.g. Joseph sells 2 cars to Stephen for Ksh 100. The chain then connects this block to other boxes with different information. Each box has an individual hash code, and, if anyone attempts to change any information from inside a block, the hash code of that block will change, and a new block will

It has now been two months since the launch of the Mara Smartphone handsets. The first ever made-in-Africa Smartphones have hit the markets and now  there are two manufacturing plants. One in Kigali, Rwanda, and another in South Africa's Kwa-Zulu Natal. The company, Mara Group, produce two handsets: the X and the Z.  Two sleek, modern mobile phones that their designers hope will rival the industry-leading Samsung and Apple products. This, Africa's entry into consumer tech, is a landmark moment for the smartphone industry and for African business. This article highlights four things that the launch of these new phones can tell us about Africa right now. Firstly, the shape of African business is changing. We witness the radical developments every day. Roads where previously there had been dense forest. Tourists where there used to be farmers toiling. Railways, electricity, smartphones (even if they only came from Japan or America).

Many archived files hold the potential for serious financial consequences should they fall into the wrong hands. A company that fails to respect the integrity of other businesses by not securing files is destined to fail. With reference to business-critical documents, every business should take these factors into account when setting up security systems for archived documents: Data privacy laws in the country the business is located and in any countries the business operates in. A resolution debated and passed in 2014 by the African Union addresses the need for rules and regulations regarding personal data and data transfer. Businesses should familiarise themselves with data laws or else they risk making foolish errors. Data privacy laws for the industry each business operates in. For example, the advertising industry was hit particularly badly by the EU’s new data regulation act, dubbed GDPR. Previously, advertising agencies were able to access huge amounts

At the heart of The Filing Room’s core values is a deep interest in data. The service we provide is rooted in the belief that data should be stored safely, it should be easy to access, and it should help businesses and communities to grow.  In this article, we explore the main vehicle for data creation and movement today: the internet. In order to get all Kenyan communities thriving and developing, we need to look at the recent statistics for internet usage in Kenya so that we can do more to boost data exchange and interconnectivity. Internet Usage in 2000 The internet first became available in Kenya in 1993. However, full access wasn’t achieved until 1995. Multinational corporations, international organisations, and NGOs were the main users of the internet at the turn of the century.  It is estimated that there were approximately 200,000 users of the internet in Kenya, back

So you’ve decided to digitise your paper records? Maybe, that’s because your physical documents are taking up too much space and need to be destroyed. Maybe, it's because you’ve realised that some documents are too important to have only one copy of.  Either way, your document management partners should be set up and happy to help. Your business is growing. That means, at one stage or another, you are going to want to make digital copies of your old paper records. At The Filing Room we have the equipment and skills to do this for you. Scan on demand Sometimes, you’ll need just one file. Maybe you need a copy of that file quickly so that you can finalise the deal you’ve been trying to get over the line. Maybe you have decided that most of a box’s worth of records are useless apart from one solitary piece of paper. 

So, you’ve decided to store your records with a professional archiving company. You work for or own a fast-growing business and you simply haven’t got the resources to store sheathes and sheathes of paper documents. Many business owners find themselves asking: ‘What factors should I consider when I choose my document management partner?’. This article will help you break down this question so that you make the right decision. Facilities (Security, Protection and Hardware) When choosing your archiving company, the first thing you should consider is whether it has the resources available to satisfy your needs. This document management firm will be housing all of your important records. It is very important that they have the space, security and facilities to keep these records safe. Often, it might can be useful for you or one of your employees to go and visit their warehouses. It cannot hurt to see what

At The Filing Room, we archive and scan a multitude of documents every day. These documents are the ongoing evidence of thousands of contractual agreements being made between Kenyan businesses.  In many ways, an increase in archived documents can be an indication of how well the Kenyan economy is doing. In this article, we will explore the relationship between some of Kenyan businesses related factors.  GDP (Gross Domestic Product) GDP is the most popular and useful monetary measure, an indicator of a nation’s economy within a specific timeframe. Countries like America boast a whopping GDP of nearly $20 trillion dollars. Kenya, the leading economy in East Africa, has a GDP of $75 billion.  Whilst GDP is important, it is the annual percentage change in GDP that reveals the most about a nation’s economy. In the US, the GDP growth weighed in at 2.3% for 2017, whilst Kenya reached 5% for