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Document shredding has become a standard expectation for many companies. Many people lump paper shredded in with fax machines, copiers, and other typical pieces of office equipment. Maybe you'll shred papers when there's nothing else to do. But shredding documents isn't a pointless task or busy work. Shredding should be a vital part of any document management strategy. Learn more about document shredding and discover why shredding documents is essential for your business.
Paper shredding involves systematically destroying physical documents after they're no longer needed. If you've ever torn up a paper so no one else could read it, you understand the basic principle behind document shredding. Standard office shredders do a more thorough job than you can manage with your hands. Almost every paper shredder on the market shreds documents into small, identical pieces that are hard to put back together.
Using a typical office shredder is better than leaving sensitive documents intact. However, you'll find the best document shredding and storage services when you work with professionals. ALFA Business uses industrial-grade document shredders, which are faster and more efficient than standard consumer models. Our small business solutions help you manage, maintain, and dispose of documents in the most effective way possible. Explore the benefits of our secure, on-site shredding services to learn how shredding will help your company thrive.
It might seem counterintuitive, but shredding and other document solutions will help spread information throughout your team. Physical documents can be challenging to find now that many employees work remotely. If one person has a crucial document in their home office or briefcase, that information is inaccessible to the rest of the team.
You can encourage information sharing with modern document management solutions. Instead of keeping important information on physical documents, your team should be scanning, sharing, and then shredding documents. This practice makes information available to your entire workgroup so everyone can be more effective.
If you're like many companies, you keep a wealth of valuable information on paper documents. Reports, sales statistics, meeting notes, brainstorms, and even doodles can contain vital business information. You'd never publish project details or client information on your social media account. Why leave this info out in the open on a piece of paper?
Shredding documents is a smart way to keep your company's information private. Don't give competitors, scammers, or other outsiders access to your valuable data. Document shredding helps you protect your business details and plans by destroying vulnerable papers.
Identity theft is a serious concern, but you can take action to prevent this crime by shredding documents. Physical documents have traditionally been a goldmine for identity thieves. Criminals sort through mail, trash, files, and other papers to find personal information. Documents listing someone's name, date of birth, address, financial information, and Social Security numbers are especially useful for fraudsters.
Every business works with documents that contain this valuable personal information. Employee records, HR reports, and payroll information include sensitive details on your staff. Your client files may also hold secure financial, business, and personal information. Medical, financial, and educational offices are particularly high-value targets, but any company is at risk. Careful document management solutions and shredding practices keep private information safely out of harm's way.
You may face strict data rules and regulations depending on your industry. Various laws and restrictions have requirements for how corporations store, use, and access information. The Data Protection Act, Health Insurance Portability And Privacy Act (HIPPA), and other American guidelines require careful data practices. International rules like the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) can also impact your document management process.
If you're required to protect client or customer data, you may also need to securely dispose of this information after a certain time. Paper shredding helps you meet your legal requirements to destroy confidential information by the required deadlines.
Shredding documents by hand is possible, but it's not a good use of your time. Standard office shredders are only suited for destroying a few pieces of paper at once. Many models can't handle staples, binding, card stock, or other common document features. They also take a long time to finish the task. Cutting up documents with scissors or manually tearing them up are even less efficient.
ALFA's shredding services are much more productive than using a typical office shredder. Our industrial shredded are fast, reliable, and efficient. Your private information will be quickly and securely disposed of whether our mobile shredding team comes to your office or we shred your documents at our secure storage facility.
Even though many business tasks have gone digital, offices still produce endless paper waste. Unfortunately, much of this used paper winds up in landfills instead of being recycled. Consumer-level paper shredders don't always produce recyclable waste. The uneven shreds are hard to process because they might contain different paper types. Un-shredded office paper can also be sent to the landfill depending on thickness, staples, and other qualities.
Commercial paper shredding, on the other hand, is an eco-friendly practice. ALFA works with large-volume paper recycling facilities specifically designed to handle shreds. These recyclers maintain our security protocols while also giving your leftover paper a second chance at life.
Your office space is an expensive investment in your company's success. Whether you're working out of a large business suite, a shared co-working space, or even a home office, it's important to make the most out of your limited room. Documents are one fast-growing form of clutter that can quickly take over your office.
If you have more papers than storage, it's time to cull your documents. Sort your papers to determine what you must keep in physical form, what can be scanned for digital use, and what can be immediately discarded. Try to scan or discard as many items as possible to streamline your office. Once you know what to get rid of, have these files shredded to reclaim your workspace.
Paper is a highly flammable material that poses a major fire risk. Keeping physical documents can put your office in danger during an emergency. Whether you keep your documents in tidy banker's boxes or have them piled on any available surface, papers are hazardous during a fire.
You can reduce your fire risks by cutting back on the amount of paper in your office. Every box of paper you remove is an investment in your safety. Shredding unneeded documents is a smart way to reduce your fire hazards.
Your customers, clients, vendors, and other partners need to have trust in your company. All of these groups entrust your business with valuable information. You may have access to Social Security or Tax Identification Numbers, credit card accounts, banking information, dates of birth, and other sensitive information related to your business partners. Depending on your services, you may also handle confidential business details. Your clients and other partners should feel confident about your document management strategy.
Shredding documents is a straightforward way to show you respect for private information. You're protecting importation details every time you shred a piece of paper. Enhance relationships and build your clients' confidence with ALFA shredding services.
Intellectual theft should be a major concern for any business. Corporate espionage might sound like something out of an action movie, but this concept includes any kind of idea theft. Your brand is always at risk of having your ideas stolen by a competitor. No matter how big or small the company, any business can be harmed when a competing brand undercuts its next innovation.
It's important to safeguard your ideas, especially while you're still dreaming, planning, and brainstorming. If another company finds your intellectual property while it's still in development, they can put your plans into action. Your document management strategy should include scanning documents and shredding them regularly.
Shredding improves personal privacy and helps prevent corporate theft, but it also helps ensure confidentiality. Most companies handle information that shouldn't be publicized, even if it doesn't include vital statistics or financial information. For example, clients may want to keep the terms of a contract private, even if the contracted services are fully above-board. Timely document shredding lets you protect the security of any information in your possession.
Shredding papers is a smart step for any business to take. Managed document solutions like professional shredding help protect your clients, vendors, employees, and brand. You can keep your office tidy, safe, and secure simply by shredding your papers. ALFA offers a range of shredding services to help your company become more efficient. We can bring our mobile shredding team to your office or shred your stored documents in our facilities. Whichever option you choose, you'll enjoy better performance, more time, and improved effectiveness, thanks to document shredding. Click here to explore our shredding services and learn more about ALFA Business.