When it comes to choosing a data destruction and information security service provider, the essential factor to a successful partnership is compatibility. It’s critical to evaluate your service provider in a manner that will ultimately provide you with a clear understanding of how well you will work together.
Keep it simple. It may be helpful to rank the following criteria in order of importance.
- Critical nature of your data. What type of information is actually on your systems with hard drives – medical records; credit card numbers; student information; social security numbers; customer contacts? It’s highly unlikely that the information stored on these systems is trivial. So ask yourself this question when evaluating a service provider: Can I hand them MY OWN personal information and trust them? For it to be a good fit, this has to be a yes.
- Proven process. Experience is important, but having a proven process is critical. How does the process work from the time you sign the contract to the time you receive confirmation your data has been destroyed? Who handles your data? Is this their primary business? Will they welcome a surprise visit from you? Are they audited by NAID? Use these and other questions to determine the strength of their process and if you feel it fits with the way you like to do business.
- Price. Cost is always an important factor to consider, especially in our current economic environment. However, if price is your primary determining factor for whether a computer recycling/data destruction provider is a good fit, then don’t bother hiring one. You’ll be better off finding a staff member who enjoys target practice and have them destroy your data.
As Regional Account Manager for Reclamere, it’s just as important for me to determine if we’re a good fit for our prospective clients. Our best client relationships are built on mutual trust. You should choose a provider that you believe you will have the same type of relationship with you.
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