Author: Crown Information Managment

Hire Professionals to Destroy Old Equipment

You have seen it before – the old copier sitting at the end of a long, dark, scary hallway. It served your office well for years through thousands of copies. But now, it sits next to the old fax machine, haunting the space with its presence. Getting rid of old office equipment can seem like a pain. Do you recycle? Do you throw it all in a dumpster? Or do you let it pile up in an unused storage room? You may want to donate some items such as softly used chairs or desks to a non-profit organization. Media, old computers, and hard drives are another story. These items have confidential information about your company and clients. Destroying these items is important to ensure that data is safe. You can choose to work with a company that also recycles any parts that can be recycled.

Support for Your Data Compliance Needs

As a business owner, you juggle many responsibilities, from driving sales and managing supply chains to hiring employees and securing insurance. Amid these daily tasks, ensuring compliance with current data protection laws can easily get overlooked. However, data protection should be a top priority for every business, regardless of size. A single data breach can devastate your company, costing thousands of dollars in damage control and tarnishing your reputation. Unfortunately, small to medium-sized businesses are prime targets for cybercriminals. To safeguard your company, it’s crucial to stay on top of your data protection obligations. Partnering with an experienced information management company can help you meet compliance requirements and protect your valuable information.

4 Important Steps to Stay Up on Data Protection Laws in Your Business

When you know what steps to take, you can handle just about anything that comes your way and still get other tasks marked off your list. Here are some action steps you can take to ensure you have data protection taken care of:

1. Know what your data protection compliance obligations are. This step considers the type of business you are in. Law firms have different obligations than medical facilities. In all cases, it’s your responsibility to protect both Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Personal Health Information (PHI). Some of the most common laws and regulations that apply include FACTA, HIPPA, FERPA, GLBA, and the Florida Information Protection Act of 2014. Each one will have specific provisions for shredding and storage of documents and devices.
2. Design a schedule for retaining and destroying documents. Once you understand your company’s obligations, you can design a routine schedule to store and shred paper records. Having a detailed schedule will minimize the effects of a data breach, keeping your costs low and your reputation intact. Additionally, you will have less stress knowing you are in compliance with government regulations.
3. Work with a company experienced in document storage and destruction. Working with a company specializing in document storage and shredding ensures you can easily comply with regulatory requirements. The ideal candidate will have NAID AAA certifications to support their claims. The company must undergo rigorous testing and auditing to qualify for these credentials. 
4. Revise your document retention schedule regularly. No retention schedule is a set-it-and-forget-it system. You must stay on top of things by periodically updating your plans. Laws do change from time to time, and it is crucial to make adjustments as necessary.

Get Help with Data Retention and Destruction – Partner with a Certified Company

You don’t have to go it alone when addressing data protection regulations. The team at Crown Information Management understands what you are facing. We can assist you in establishing a workable retention schedule, including storing documents at our facility.  We will also handle destroying documents, media, and hard drives to help you stay compliant. Are you ready to stay in compliance and thwart cyber criminals? Give us a call today and experience the ease of working with us! 

For experienced help with document storage, media destruction, and records management, call Crown Information Management. You can reach us at 800-979-9545 or contact us online to learn more about our services. Put our team to work for you. We are a SOC1 Report,NAID AAA, and PCI Certified company.  

Are you aware of when your compliance policies need an update? It might seem like a straightforward question, but it’s crucial. Companies that neglect to update their policies, procedures, and plans risk regulatory violations—a potentially costly mistake. Outdated policies may not align with new laws and regulations, or account for new systems or technologies you’ve implemented, leading to inconsistent practices.

By establishing a regular review process, you provide your employees with clear and consistent guidelines, making it easier for them to handle sensitive information. This process also helps your team identify potential threats and vulnerabilities, allowing you to outline steps to mitigate risks. Additionally, setting clear team expectations fosters accountability. Your company can then continuously improve, adapting to new technologies and regulations as they arise.

To top it all off, consider enlisting the services of a certified information management company to help you establish a regular document storage and destruction schedule.

Tips for Reviewing Your Compliance Policies, Procedures, and Plans

Establishing a proactive review of your policies, procedures, and plans is the most effective way to remain compliant with laws and regulations. Your goal should be to get ahead of problems, not constantly react to events as they occur. Here are some tips to help you establish a regular review of your compliance program:

• Know when you should review your policies and procedures. The best time to do a review is once a year. This can be scheduled into the master corporate calendar, so all involved parties have a heads-up. Other times, it is crucial when there is an organizational change. For example, maybe your firm is undergoing an ownership or executive leadership change. Another vital time for review is when the laws and regulations change. Finally, if a policy violation does occur, you must conduct a detailed review without delay.
• Identify which policies and procedures may need to be updated. Reviewing your compliance policies and procedures does not immediately mean a policy revision is in your future. Sometimes, you will need a complete overhaul; other times, you may only need to tweak things. You and your team need to identify which ones must be addressed by answering a few questions:
  • Is the policy being implemented as intended?
  • Does the policy have the desired effect?
  • Are the policies and procedures current and relevant?
• Gather the right participants. You may have a small team doing the reviewing and others writing up the changes. You may need to enlist your company’s lawyer to ensure you are meeting current legal requirements.
• Document changes and proofread. Since those deciding on the changes may not be the same people writing the changes, document what needs to be fixed thoroughly. Once a draft is written, proofread for clarity, conciseness, and grammar.
• Talk with your document storage and shredding company. Some changes require the assistance of an information management company that can help with offsite storage and shredding services. They ensure your records are properly stored or destroyed according to your schedule and policies.

Make Compliance Policy Reviews Easier with Help from the Information Management Pros

Partner with Crown Information Management to take a proactive stance on your compliance program review. Our team is ready to assist you with establishing a retention and destruction schedule to help you remain compliant. We offer additional services to ensure you have what you need when you need it. Look to us for storage, shredding, and scanning services. Learn more when you call us today.

For experienced help with document storage, shredding, media destruction, and records management, call Crown Information Management. You can reach us at 800-979-9545 or contact us online to learn more about our services. Put our team to work for you. We are a SOC1 Report,NAID AAA, and PCI Certified company.  

Information Management Companies Advise – Add Credit Checks for Your Kids 

It’s time for back to school! While the dog days of summer are in full swing, parents are helping their kids find school supplies, buy new clothes, and find their locker in middle school. Some kids have graduated high school and are heading to college for the first time. This is a busy time for families as they finish summer and prepare for fall. Some others are secretively excited about all the hustle and bustle…cyber thieves. They know parents are dropping hundreds of dollars on supplies, and new college students are getting their first credit cards. Many are going to be conducting their studies online, too. These are activities ripe for the harvest if you aren’t careful. Unfortunately, some kids will discover that their identity has already been stolen. You understand the benefits of shredding outdated documents and storing vital records securely for yourself. Now is the time to help protect your children from child identity theft.

Convenience and Compliance Solutions from a Trusted Shredding Company

With technology, many businesses have streamlined their documents by going paperless. Not all industries can do this, however. In particular, the legal and medical fields still have mountains of paper documents. These records contain personal identification, including account details, addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers. They shouldn’t dispose of paper documents in the garbage. That is a cyber criminal’s greatest wish and a company’s biggest nightmare. Utilizing the services of a professional document shredding and storage company is an excellent option. They can handle what you need quickly and efficiently, saving you time, money, and headaches. Having them located right here in Central Florida is the icing on the cake!

Keeps Things Tidy and Protected Before the Pros Pick Them Up

As a commercial enterprise, your company is tasked with a crucial role in correctly storing and protecting hard drives and other media with your customers’ personal information. This responsibility is not just to protect your reputation and remain compliant, but also to empower you in the fight against cybercrime. From time to time, it is necessary to have hard drives destroyed. 

Enhance Your Document Shredding Process to Remain Compliant

In today’s business world, regulatory compliance is more critical than ever. The laws and regulations constantly evolve, requiring companies to take extra steps to handle sensitive information correctly. As you consider your compliance program, one critical aspect is proper document destruction. Failure to dispose of documents securely not only places your reputation at risk but could also lead to hefty fines and legal consequences. Your company may house personal customer data, confidential business information, or industry-specific records that must be destroyed. Why not make it easier on yourself and your team to know you have correctly handled all those documents? Using the services of a professional shredding company is vital to successfully following the requirements of regulatory compliance.

Helpful Tips from a Professional Information Management Team

Decades ago, you didn’t need to be as concerned about losing your identity. It seemed that most thefts were of tangible assets. The advent of the internet and the ease of its use have made identity theft a lucrative venture for criminals. Why steal a car when you can buy a new one using someone else’s credit and name? Unfortunately, identity theft is big business and doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon. 

Hire Professionals to Shred or Store Documents

Summertime is a popular time for businesses looking to move to a new office. The weather is move-friendly, and more real estate choices become available as other businesses relocate. Moving is quite a mix of excitement and stress. There are loads of items on your list that need to be handled, such as signing leases, hiring moving companies, and packing all those paper records. During an office relocation, it’s common to purge old furniture, office supplies, and documents. However, the dumpster is not the best place for paper records. Criminals are known to dumpster-dive, and very often, they strike gold. Your trash may be their treasure. By taking the right steps to ensure safety, you can save time, money, and your business reputation. Using a professional information management company is an excellent choice for all your shredding, storage, and records management needs. They can handle your documents, hard drives, and office furniture destruction requirements.