Should I Use My Own Paper Shredder Or A Secure Shredding Service?

In 2012, identity theft cost Americans $24.7 billion. In 2013, it cost Americans $10 billion more than all other types of property crime combined. Not only does identity theft cripple businesses from a financial perspective but it also compromises their safety. It only takes one stray scrap of paper with just the right information still legible to constitute a data breach that can compromise a sterling reputation and bring about a bevy of legal liabilities.

The best way to avoid this scenario is by shredding your sensitive documents and other confidential information. Doing this can substantially reduce the chance of data leaks and privacy breaches. But before you reach for your personal paper shredder as a solution, you should know that there are still problems with doing that! The alternative to using your own paper shredder is to obtain professional document shredding services.

But the million dollar question here is: when should you purchase a paper shredder or seek the services of a secure document destruction company?

Do I Need Professional Document Destruction Services?

Most organizations assume that the most simple solution is to purchase a shredder. Why not take things into your own hands and do the shredding yourself with a company machine? This seems like a nice idea, but there are a few factors to consider.

Can you afford to invest?

The first factor is the investment of the paper shredder. The kind of shredder that can handle company volume is expensive. Many businesses also need destruction services for non-paper items that contain sensitive information such as hard drives and discs. A simple paper shredder does not take care of these needs.

Can you justify the time spent?

The second factor is the time that it takes employees to shred the documents. When you own a single shredder, the task is tedious and time-consuming. A couple employees can spend hours and hours each week just trying to keep up with the destruction load. Document shredding services have fully-equipped trucks that they bring to business premises so that they can handle large loads efficiently and safely.

Can you properly dispose after shredding?

The third factor is the issue of disposing the shredded remains. For many businesses, researching disposal options and dedicating staff to the disposal of the remains is not a worthwhile use of their time. Most document shredding services offer recycling disposal at an affordable price. Even though it does add to the total cost of document destruction, it is well worth the money.

If you decide to pursue the document shredding services route, research your options carefully. You want to make sure that the company has the equipment and services that you need that their price point is within your budget, and that they have solid testimonials from local customers.

Document destruction in Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle

If you would like to learn more about shredding, contact UCI Document Destruction in Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas. UCI has been a leading copier company in the greater Texas Panhandle region for more than 20 years. We take great care in making sure your personal and business documents are property destroyed so no one can access them. Our shredding team goes through background checks and drug screening before ever touching your documents and hard drives. You can reach us at (806) 372-7722 in Amarillo or (806) 722-0544 in Lubbock, or Send Us an Email to learn more about our Services.

Originally published February 27, 2014