Flexibility seems to be one of the most highly desired characteristics of a career today. People are focusing less on how much money they make and their specific job descriptions and instead, are looking for sources of income that they can work around their family and social schedules. For this reason, many people choose to be self employed. Self employment provides many benefits, including flexibility. However, a self employed business owner needs to ensure that they follow many of the same business rules as a regular business does, including confidentiality. Consider the following measures when designing and implementing your own business.
Confidentiality, regardless of environment Your small home business needs to provide customers with the same level of confidentiality as larger businesses do. You will never gain a customer?s trust if you do not ensure that their information will be kept protected. Sometimes, it can be harder for smaller businesses to obtain the same level of security because they do not have access to document scanning solutions. Some may even still store their information on hard copies that are not secure enough.
If you are a smaller business, consider hiring a document scanning solution company to handle your professional scanning, storage, and paper shredding services. You can guarantee security of your customer?s information easier if you have access to a larger company that has a better ability to securely store that information. It is, however, important, to notify your customers that you will be outsourcing your document scanning solutions and free document shredding services.
Move to a technological database Studies show that the internet has a better ability to store secure information. While it is estimated that 95% of business information is still stored on paper in some way, eventually most information storage will move to document storage companies. It is easier to track the level of confidentiality when using a technological storage base.
When you choose to move to an internet database, be sure that you choose one that is able to provide secure storage. It can also be helpful to outsource your document scanning solutions, because all of your paper documents will need to be moved to the computer, and then the paper documents will need to be disposed of correctly. The United States consumes more than 80 million tons of paper annually. Proper shredding services will be needed to be able to recycle the many documents that you will no longer need.
Only keep documents for the required time Depending on your field of business, you are required to hold onto customer and client?s records for an established amount of time. You should carefully dispose of these records when the time frame expires. However, you also want to be sure to hold on them until this expiration date for any cases of audits or subpoenas. An internet based system can be a great way to arrange your records by date. They can also be helpful in quickly pulling a customer?s records for a specific date or condition.
Get your customers release for any information shared A customer?s information is their property. It should never be shared with anyone else, unless they request that it is. Never give up your customer?s information, despite how important or unimportant you feel that it is unless you have their approval. In some cases, you can ask your customer?s if there is anyone they would like to release their information to, prior to the situation occuring.
Every day hundreds of thousands of customer?s information is stolen. The FBI estimates that information theft costs American businesses close to $24 Billion a year. Even small businesses, who have less customers and may work out of their home need to do their part to prevent losing a customer?s confidential information. Consider outsourcing paper shredding and document scanning services for optimal security. Always request a customer?s approval before sharing their information with anyone. Providing customers with the same level of confidentiality they receive from larger businesses will help you to gain their trust and increase your business sales.
