5 Common Questions About Professional Shredding Services

If you have more than a few documents to destroy, hiring a professional shredding service is the best solution for your business. It removes the time-consuming task of using a personal shredder or gathering and transporting bins of documents to a shredding company. These services are the safest and fastest solution for document destruction. If you have never done shredding through a company, you may have questions about how it works and its benefits. These are five of the most commonly asked questions that may help you make your decision.

How much do I need to shred?

To estimate the amount of shredding you’ll need, start by determining how many boxes, bags, or bins of paper you shred in a day, week, or month. You can set up your document destruction services to happen when you need them, typically on a weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly basis. When you know your current method and amount of paper, you can use an online conversion tool to determine the amount of paper you’ll need shredded.

How does a document shredding service work?

Professional shredding companies can come to your location to perform on-site document destruction. This method of destroying your confidential and personal documents is the safest one to use. The entire job is done right at your office, so you never have to worry about papers becoming lost or misplaced during transportation. Some companies offer a video feed from inside their mobile shredders, as well as a certificate after the shredding is complete.

Some companies will send a truck to your business that is designed for large-load pickup. The papers are then transported to an off-site shredding facility.

Smaller volumes of shredding can often be gathered and dropped off at shredding companies. The disadvantage of this method is that you have to take the time to transport the material. But, this solution is a good one if you have small volumes that need destruction quickly.

Is my office shredder safe enough to destroy sensitive documents?

If you have a small volume of paper, then an office shredder may work for your needs. You should be aware, however, that laws are in place to protect your clients’ security. You could be required to present proof you’ve been following all security laws. FACTA and HIPPA both have regulations in place requiring secure document destruction.

Personal shredders can be more costly as you or an employee must use company time to complete the shredding. These machines will also need maintenance and will not handle large volumes of shredding. Once you have shredded your own material, you will then have to dispose of it properly.

What is the cost of a professional shredding service?

The cost will depend on the service you use (mobile, offsite, or drop-off) and how much paper you have. Mobile shredding is done right at your office, and the documents never leave your property. Offsite shredding services have a driver transport your documents to their facility for destruction. The other method of shredding is drop-off, where you transport your material to the shredding service on your own.

You only want to pay for the services you use with any of these methods. Shredding companies have different bin sizes, so you can choose the size that fits your needs. Judging from the size you want, the service you use, and the a company’s usual prices, you can get a good estimate of the costs. The drop-off sites may charge per visit depending on the volume you bring in for shredding.

Check with a local shredding service to see how much storage you need, and how often you want document destruction completed to receive a quote.

How long does it take to set up a shredding service?

The answer to this question depends on the service provider you select. The best way to find out is to call a professional shredding service in your area and ask how soon they can provide their services. You may have to make an initial appointment, but should be able to set future pickup times after that.

Document destruction in Amarillo and Lubbock

If you are looking for safe and reliable shredding Services, call UCI Document Destruction at (806) 372-7722 and discover how our Services can benefit your business. You can also Contact Us by email or stop by our offices at 1000 S. Adams St. in Amarillo or 2034 82nd St. #101 in Lubbock, Texas to learn more.