From complying with regulations, to reducing clutter and freeing up storage space, there may be several reasons for destroying your organization’s physical documents and digital drives at regular intervals. Since office shredding machines are not the best solution for safe and permanent disposal of records, partnering with a professional shredding company is an important step in protecting your business from a number of potential risks. 

Choose Your Professional Shredding Partner Wisely 

However, not all shredding companies are alike. Some may offer only off-site destruction services, which means, you or your staff cannot personally oversee the process. For greater peace of mind, you may want to hire someone that offers on-site mobile shredding, or find a trusted and reliable company that goes all out on security measures for off-site shredding. 

The specialists at Crown Information Management explain what to look for while selecting a professional shredding services company. 

Factors for Identifying a Competent Records Destruction Company 

• Do they offer mobile shredding? Most progressive shredding companies offer routine on-site document destruction services. They send a team of data destruction professionals along with mobile vans or trucks with built-in shredding equipment. Since the entire process takes place on your premises, you can closely supervise the job by accessing the CCTV footage remotely, or viewing the screens fitted outside the vehicles. On completion of shredding, the team packs and bales the shredded material to send it further for recycling. They also issue a Certificate of Destruction that authenticates the process and serves as a valid proof for your future audits and legal queries.

• What services do they offer? You may be storing a lot of sensitive or confidential business information on digital devices. When that information is redundant, you will need professional help for the permanent and irreversible destruction of your electronic records. Look for a company that offers a comprehensive range of services, including safe disposal of hard drives and other electronic media. That way you can partner with a single service provider for all your physical and digital data destruction needs instead of dealing with multiple vendors. 

• Do they have appropriate industry knowledge? An increasing focus on privacy protection and prevention of identity theft has led to the emergence or strengthening of several industry specific regulations, as well as state and federal laws. Non-compliance with these laws can attract hefty fines. You need to stay abreast of the records preservation and destruction requirements applicable to your business. One of the best ways to simplify this process is by hiring data destruction professionals who have strong industry knowledge and can help you remain compliant at all times.

• What kind of security measures do they follow? Whether it is on-site shredding or an off-site facility, choose a records destruction company that employs robust security measures from start to finish. Do they provide secure consoles or bins to collect the records that are to be shredded? How do they maintain a proper chain of custody from the time of collection to destruction? Are the transportation vehicles tracked in real-time? How safe and well-maintained are their off-site shredding facilities? Do they perform thorough background checks of the staff that handles the destruction process? 

At Crown Information Management, we provide an extensive range of services for secure and permanent destruction of paper records, hard drives, digital media and obsolete office equipment. As an SOC1 Level 2 Report, NAID AAA and PCI Certified, we are committed to practicing the highest standards in secure data destruction for safeguarding the information entrusted to us by our clients.

• We provide tamper-proof collection bins, ensure safe transportation of the materials to our secure shredding facility, and monitor our premises with sophisticated surveillance systems. 
• We hire our skilled data destruction professionals after conducting thorough reference checks, and ensure that our staff stays up-to-date on all industry specific records management requirements. 
• We can customize a range of convenient mobile shredding plans or discreet off-site shredding services, depending on your company’s requirements and budget.

For reliable, cost effective and hassle-free destruction of your physical and digital records, count on our qualified information management professionals at Crown Information Management. Call us at 800-979-9545 or contact us online.