The 5 Most Effective Ways to Protect Your Business Information

December 13, 2016

A highway sign that reads "Top 5 Straight Ahead"magine if your important business documents or data were stolen. Could you continue to serve your customers, communicate with your suppliers, and fulfill your compliance obligations? It would be difficult at best. That’s why the protection of your business information is such an important part of keeping your business running. Here are the most effective ways to do that.

1. Fortify Your Backup Strategy

You probably understand the importance of backups, but are you confident in the ability to restore your data afterwards? Disk failures, unexpected server malfunctions, and media damage due to natural disasters happen without warning. Offsite media vault storage protects your business data from unexpected loss and ensures its recovery. A media vault is equipped with advanced climate control and security systems. Your tapes and hard drives are stored in locked and barcoded protective cases and rotated to and from your server room by data protection professionals.

2. Update Your Computer Systems

Out of date devices and software are vulnerable to hacking. Unfortunately, many small businesses are hacked when they fail to update software and ignore recommended security patches. Set your computers to accept automatic updates to avoid having your information hacked. And remember to install antivirus and malware detection software on your network.

3. Implement an Offsite Storage Strategy

It’s not just your digital data that’s vulnerable to loss. Your paper documents and files can also be stolen. Insider theft is a risk that can’t be ignored, and locking them in your office file cabinet offers only a basic level of protection. You need a contingency plan that protects your documents from unexpected fires, floods and natural disasters. Storage in a records center safeguards your documents from catastrophic events and internal theft risks. These offsite facilities features state-of-the-art technology, including:

  • Ambient temperature monitoring and control
  • Fire detection and suppression technology
  • Independent electrical generators and backup systems
  • Digital surveillance
  • 24/7 intrusion detection monitoring

Each carton of documents is stored on a high-density racking system to prevent mold, mildew and water damage, ensure long-term preservation, and prevent unauthorized access.

4. Destroy Documents and Data

Negligent document and data disposal habits put your information at risk. Never hold onto expired information longer than legally necessary; doing so increases privacy breach and legal liability risks for your business. Instead, precisely follow your established retention and final disposition guidelines. Make use of the retention schedule capability built-in to the online records management software that comes free with offsite storage.

Additionally, don’t assume that your trash and recycling bins are immune to theft. Business dumpsters are favorite targets for thieves hoping to get their hands on confidential personal and financial information. Use a NAID AAA Certified shredding service to ensure confidential business documents are destroyed promptly and thoroughly.

5. Train Your Staff

Employee education and development is one of the most effective ways to protect your business information. After all, your staff utilizes and transmits business information on a daily basis. Therefore, their awareness of phishing scams, spam emails, and evolving cyber threats—and how to combat them—is critical. Provide privacy law awareness and compliance training for your entire organization. These small investments in staff training will pay dividends in keeping your information secure.

Your business information is the lifeblood of your organization. Follow these strategies to keep it secure.

Corporate Records Management offers records storage, backup tape storage and NAID AAA Certified shredding services for businesses in Dallas-Fort Worth and the surrounding areas. For more information, please contact us by phone or complete the form on this page.

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We switched to CRM with our document storage and document shredding needs and consider that one of the best decisions ever. CRM is very professional, local and easy to work with. Many thanks CRM!

-Leopold Steinberger

Great and personal service. Great facility...you always know where your boxes are and so do they! Not only do they have the best boxes ever for storing your docs (reasonably priced, sturdy and best of all---easy to put together), they also have onsite shredding. Full service for the entire life cycle of your documents. We have been a customer for approximately 8 years and NEVER had a single problem...which was not the case with our previous vendor! 

-Patricia Flournoy

Love Corporate Records Management. Very efficient and friendly staff. Have never had any issues, would definitely recommend.

-Maribel Hernandez

Very effective in storing our backup tapes in climate controlled storage. They are real quick to response in email queries and was always available to return tapes in case we have an emergency restore. Excellent customer service as well.

-Philip Mills

I have only been working with Corporate Records Management for a few months, but they have been an excellent partner to have in managing our extensive amount of hard copy construction plans and specifications. They are prompt and professional when picking items up to take to their storage facility, and it is extremely easy to request items back from storage if needed at a later time. I have made retrieval requests in the afternoon, and they have delivered to us the very next day. KWA Construction is most appreciate of Corporate Records Management! You help keep our office tidy and clutter-free!

-Tasha Keene

We've used CRM for almost 2 years to store our data tapes offsite. They have been reliable and easy to work with. When we have had special requests they have been quick to respond and get us what we need quickly. There were a few minor glitches when we were first getting everything setup at the beginning, but everything was quickly sorted out and we have zero complaints.

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Corporate Records Management is an awesome company. They have very friendly people who don't mind helping if you call with a question. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking to store files at an offsite facility

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Great customer service and rapid response time to orders! Very professional and they also have had great solutions for problems my company has had. Patient employees helped us when dealing with a big conversion. Will highly recommend for business needs.

- Kedrick Williams