Seasoned Professionals Ready to Help Your Document Shredding Needs

When you look at your desk, what do you see? Are stacks of documents piling up on your desk? Is your filing cabinet overflowing with old records? If you’ve been thinking, “Do I really need to keep all of this?”—you’re not alone. It might seem easier to throw everything away, but that could put your business, employees, and clients at risk. Sensitive information is found in almost every industry, especially in the legal, financial, and healthcare fields. Just one misplaced document could lead to trouble. So, how can you figure out which documents need to be shredded and which can be safely tossed? The team at Crown Information Management can help you make the right choice.

Take the Business Document Shredding Quiz

Not sure whether a document should be shredded? Deciding can be tricky, especially when you’re unsure what types of information need extra protection. Here are a few simple questions to help you make the right decision about different documents:

1. Does it contain customer, employee, or patient information? If exposed, personal details like Social Security numbers, birth dates, and banking information can lead to identity theft.
   If the answer is yes, then shred it.
2. Is it a legal, financial, or tax document? Sensitive contracts, tax returns, payroll records, and financial statements can be misused if they fall into the wrong hands. Shred it once its retention period is up.
3. Does it relate to HIPAA, FACTA, or GLBA compliance laws? Industries like healthcare and finance have strict document retention and destruction rules. Failing to comply could result in hefty fines. Shred it when it’s no longer needed.
4. Is it a draft, internal memo, or meeting notes? These documents may seem insignificant, but they could contain confidential business strategies or proprietary information. Review before shredding.
5. Is it just outdated marketing material or general office paperwork? Flyers, brochures, and business reports don’t contain sensitive data. Recycle these instead of shredding.

Common Mistakes Businesses Make with Document Disposal

Even the most diligent businesses can make mistakes when it comes to document disposal. Here are a few common errors to watch out for:

1. Holding onto documents longer than necessary: Many businesses keep paperwork past its retention period, leading to higher storage costs and increased compliance risks. Create a shredding schedule to ensure timely disposal.
2. Throwing out confidential documents instead of shredding them: Dumpster diving is still a real threat. If you don’t correctly shred sensitive materials, they could be exposed to identity thieves.
3. Neglecting digital storage: Hard drives, USBs, and CDs can continue to hold sensitive data even after deletion. Simply erasing files doesn’t fully protect you. Proper destruction is essential.

Stay Secure – Trust Your Document and Data Shredding to the Experts

Document security doesn’t have to be stressful. Crown Information Management provides secure, reliable solutions to help protect your business and ensure compliance. We offer routine shredding services with flexible pickup options, including weekly, biweekly, or monthly schedules to keep your shredding process on track. If you have years of old files to clear out, our one-time purge service can assist with bulk shredding. 

Whether you prefer on-site or off-site shredding, we ensure your documents are securely handled. We also offer hard drive and digital media destruction, ensuring no data can be recovered and misused by criminals. After every job, you’ll receive a Certificate of Destruction as proof your documents have been properly destroyed. 

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