Choosing the Right Document Shredding Vendor for Your Business
When looking for an outsourced solution for your business, the goal is to achieve the best service for the best value; however, when it comes to the disposal of your confidential files things can be a bit more complicated. Ultimately, you are responsible for any breaches and the resulting consequences that may occur when you hand over your information to a third party. Such consequences may include:
- regulatory non-compliance,
- civil lawsuits,
- possible criminal charges,
- damaged public relations, and
- a loss of clients.
Because of all this, choosing the right document shredding vendor is undoubtedly important, and with identity theft becoming a daily occurrence, the number of shredding providers within California alone has increased exponentially. This can make sifting through the choices an overwhelming undertaking. Nonetheless, with patience and a critical eye, you can find the right shredding vendor to support your disposal needs and requirements.
Information destruction standards and ethics
Anyone with a destruction facility or mobile shredding truck can start a document shredding business – but this doesn’t mean that they utilize the processes and practices that ensure information security. For example, in 2006 a California recycler was found to have sent Department of Social Service documents containing confidential personal information overseas. Luckily, you can avoid this by verifying the standards and ethics of potential shredding suppliers through the National Association of Information Destruction (NAID). This international trade association ensures that your vendor meets both compliance audit standards and a strict code of ethics with regards to shredding and destruction services they offer. Vendors who are AAA NAID-Certified will display a seal on their website.
Experience providing shredding solutions to your community
Gauging the experience of your vendor is also important. Some document shredding providers may have only been providing destruction services for only a short time, while others have years of providing such services to businesses of various types and sizes. The more experienced your preferred vendor, the better the chance that they will be able to provide you with a solution that will best fit your business needs while still meeting compliance requirements. The right shredding company will have experience among others serving the legal, healthcare, and financial industries and will be familiar with the following regulations:
- HIPAA,
- FACTA,
- SOX, and
- GLB.
Additionally, the number of years a prospective vendor has been operating within your community provides a benchmark of their longevity and overall business reputation.
Having shredding options
Each business – including yours – has unique destruction needs. Having a variety of shredding options allows you to select the best solution to meet both your short- and long-term information disposal goals. Rather than applying a “one size fits all solution,” your shredding vendor should thoroughly assess your needs and requirements through a consultative process. Only then, based on this assessment, should they be able to suggest a turnkey solution, which should include the following options:
Pacific Records Management provides document shredding solutions for businesses throughout Stockton, Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno, and Napa and Solano Counties. For more information, please contact us by phone or fill in the form on the page.