Have you ever heard of a community shred day? If you’re a business who strives to give back to the community and specifically has an interest in information security, throwing a shred day may be a great way to network while you make a significant impact in reducing the risk of information theft among businesses alike, and of course individuals.

Information theft and fraud is a rising concern that is important to take seriously in an effort to stop the chances of being targeted. Ensuring you are doing everything possible to protect yourself, business, neighbors and friends from the consequences of such damaging crimes, is possible through partnering with A1 DATASHRED to host a Shred Day!

A shred day offers everyone in your community an easy and quick means to dispose of sensitive documents. It encourages residents and businesses to be proactive in protecting their identity and often it is free to participate with an occasional small donation in lieu. Why is professional shredding so important? In too many situations, financial records and other critical documents get tossed away in recycling and garbage bin because of sheer laziness and lack of knowledge. Unfortunately this disposal method leaves all information vulnerable and susceptible to theft, as nothing is secured.

How Do You Plan a Shred Day?

• Decide on the Event Size
  It’s time to stop and think about what size event you’d like to hold and what you’re comfortable with. Do you want to promote it through your entire community or just a select few areas? Depending on whether you have the appropriate resources and experience, this decision may vary and there is no right or wrong approach. If this is new to you, it might be best to start small to test the waters. With that said if you are feeling ambitious, go big!
• Find Volunteers
  If you’re organizing a smaller shred event, 2-3 people should suffice in terms of extra hands. If you’re hoping for or expecting a larger turn-out we highly recommend that you recruit closer to 10 individuals. Obtain assistance through social media, email, telephone, or even community bulletin boards in your town or city. You’ll more than likely receive support from family members and/or friends to start with. Once you’ve arranged appropriate assistance, be sure to delegate tasks to each person; your shred event will be a successful and stress-free one knowing you’ve covered all areas.

 Partner with a Reputable Shredding Company

Be sure you partner with a document shredding provider like A1 DATASHRED, whom you can rely on. Are they NAID certified, how long have they been in operation, and does their website seem reputable? These are all important factors to look into prior to selecting your shredding company. Not every shredding business provides mobile shredding services so you will need to confirm this. At A1 DATASHRED we offer both on-site and off-site document destruction services for additional flexibility.

 Choose a Good Location for Shredding

Always select a familiar location in your community to hold your shred event. You’ll want to go with something that is large enough to hold your expected crowd, and is easy for everyone involved. Remember that there will need to be sufficient space for a large A1 DATASHRED truck to maneuver through the area safely. Check that the location is also convenient for your attendees to get to; we suggest choosing a community center or municipal building.

• Communicate the Event

Spread the word and tell everyone you know! Communication efforts will of course be based on the expected size of your event, but if you’re concerned about a smaller than preferred turn-out, you can always consider getting in touch with local media for publicity. Ask your volunteers to notify people as well; word of mouth doesn’t cost you a dime and is extremely effective marketing!

• Start the Shredding Process

If able, arrive at least an hour before your event starts to verify all is organized and set up as it should be. Post signs around the given area so your event can be found quickly. Keep the event organized and the line moving.  Leave the rest to A1 DATASHRED to look after! We’ll shred in minutes what would normally take hours to shred with an office shredder. Your attendees can watch the shredding process firsthand, giving that extra peace of mind that their information has in fact, been shred appropriately.

A1 DATASHRED will work directly with your business to make your Shred Day a success!

Contact our professionals if you wish to discuss this great opportunity with our team.

Call 1-888-95-SHRED

Now that winter is giving way to the wonders of spring, we can look forward to the coming of nicer weather. With the nice weather comes that other thing as well: spring cleaning. While this isn’t the most anticipated time of the year, it is almost a gateway of sorts into the rest of the year. So, why not use this time to get a good start on your document shredding needs?

Sorting Through the Clutter

Since things tend to build up over the winter, be sure to give all those old records a good look over. Keep an eye out for your financial, banking, medical, and children’s’ records. These are some of the most common records that seem to pile up in households; sometimes for longer than a winter season. Once you’ve identified these records, put them aside in a secure place (where you won’t forget!) until you arrange for shredding services.

While you’re sorting through old records and cleaning up the house after spring, use this as a good opportunity to get your old electronics disposed of as well. When old electronic equipment ends up in the landfill, there are some pretty serious affects to the environment. As they deteriorate out in the open, the chemicals and heavy metals will leak into the air, water, and soil. Eventually they can be consumed by humans and animals that lead to adverse medical effects.

Before you get your electronics recycled, remove any data storage devices first. While it may seem like deleting the data will destroy it, this is sadly not the case. A bit of time, determination, and the right software is all it takes for someone with intent to start pulling your private data off a hard drive. Professional, complete physical destruction of electronic storage devices is the only way to be sure of your data’s security.

A1 DataShred is a professional shredding company that can take care of your document shredding, electronic waste recycling, and hard drive disposal needs. When you’re ready to get ahead this spring, reach out to us and book a shredding time. We’ll be there for you.

Call: 888-95-SHRED