Posted 9:26 pm Sunday, October 28, 2012
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Help your customers trust your business
By Mechele Agbayani Mills
Tyler Better Business Bureau
Tyler Better Business Bureau
All companies keep some amount of sensitive information in their files either to identify customers or employees.
Customers and staff expect that the company will take measures to keep sensitive personal information from falling into the wrong hands.
Depending on your type of business, you may be legally required to protect the personal information you collect. Better Business Bureau reminds businesses to put procedures in place to safeguard their customers' privacy.
When looking to secure your customers' private data, BBB recommends the following:
Determine what makes sense for your type of business. This will be based on the type of data that you collect and store, and the kind of resources you have managing that data.
Inventory your data. Inventory the type of data you collect, store and/or transmit. Inventory how you store your data. Inventory where you store your data for each type and format of customer information. Inventory how data is moved, who has access to it, and how to keep it locked up physically and electronically.
Educate your employees. Keep in mind that security technology can only do so much to protect customer data. Developing policies and providing regular training for employees handling customer data is also imperative.
Write it down. Create a written Standard Operating Procedure for your data security measures including checklists you've just created, the security measures you are taking, and an explanation on why these security measures make sense.
For more tips on data security, visit BBB's Data Security – Made Simpler, www.bbb.org/data-security.
To report a fraud or scam, call the BBB Hotline at 903-581-8373.
Customers and staff expect that the company will take measures to keep sensitive personal information from falling into the wrong hands.
Depending on your type of business, you may be legally required to protect the personal information you collect. Better Business Bureau reminds businesses to put procedures in place to safeguard their customers' privacy.
When looking to secure your customers' private data, BBB recommends the following:
Determine what makes sense for your type of business. This will be based on the type of data that you collect and store, and the kind of resources you have managing that data.
Inventory your data. Inventory the type of data you collect, store and/or transmit. Inventory how you store your data. Inventory where you store your data for each type and format of customer information. Inventory how data is moved, who has access to it, and how to keep it locked up physically and electronically.
Educate your employees. Keep in mind that security technology can only do so much to protect customer data. Developing policies and providing regular training for employees handling customer data is also imperative.
Write it down. Create a written Standard Operating Procedure for your data security measures including checklists you've just created, the security measures you are taking, and an explanation on why these security measures make sense.
For more tips on data security, visit BBB's Data Security – Made Simpler, www.bbb.org/data-security.
To report a fraud or scam, call the BBB Hotline at 903-581-8373.
