When running a business, one of your main concerns should be how information is shared and whether or not it is protected. Data is sent constantly online, and having access to your clients’ information means that it can be sent without your permission or hacked. While having the internet as a resource has been beneficial in so many ways for businesses, it has also opened a lot of doors for leaking important data and ruining the trust between customer and company.
Here are 4 ways you can ensure that your clients’ information will stay safe.
1. Change your passwords
Just because you’ve taken the steps toward securing information doesn’t mean that you’re done. In fact, it should be a concern that you keep in mind before you have a security system in place and after, as well. Make sure that you change passwords to crucial files and contact info on a regular basis, and try to keep an eye on who might be logging in and out of your business’s computers. It’s a small thing that can go a long way toward keeping your customers’ information locked up.
2. Keep documents safe
Contracts, files, and anything that keeps credit cards, addresses, or private information should be stowed in a safe place. In the past, this might have meant a safety deposit box. Now, virtual data rooms can provide the same security while keeping all of your files online. For anything that you wouldn’t want to be shared publically, a virtual data room can be a great tool and can give limited access to those important documents. The best thing about it is that it’s not just your eyes watching those files—many data rooms also let you know if there is some suspicious activity going on regarding your saved information, as well.
3. Limit access
As with any important information, you wouldn’t be willing to hand it over to anyone. A business should think the same way, and should consider whether or not it is a good idea to provide access for everyone in your company. Chances are that one of two departments will need to be able to see clients’ info, but the rest should only be allowed to in certain cases. The more people who view the data, the more likely it is to be leaked or shared accidentally. By limiting access, you’re also decreasing the chances of information being stolen.
4. Encourage employees to be discrete
While you can keep an eye on documents yourself, the people who will really be using them for your clients are most likely going to be your employees. It’s a good idea to stress how essential it is to be cautious about how much information they share and who they choose to share it with. Make sure that the employees who really need the passwords to files are the ones who have them, and don’t forget to stress how the need to be careful with this information is necessary. It might even be worth it to have a clause describing client information and its usage in workers’ contracts.
The importance of security cannot be understated, especially when it has to deal with your clients and how you run your business. Take some time to make sure extra security measures are in place and assure customers that you have thought deeply about their security needs.
Guest article written by: Alex Schnee