Blog

5 Reasons To Ditch Your In-House Shredder and Switch to Professional Shredding Services

Do you still rely on the in-house shredder to protect confidential business documents? It might be time for a security upgrade. With data breaches at an all-time high and regulations tightening, the humble in-house shredder – once the symbol of secure document handling – is facing its obsolescence. If you’re looking to defend your company’s certain data, streamline your processes, and save the pennies, here are five compelling reasons to outsource your shredding needs to professionals.

Reason 1: Cost Savings

For many businesses, maintaining and running in-house shredders comes with hidden costs. There are the barely-there consumables that slowly munch through electricity bills, the not-so-tiny maintenance costs spiraling over the life of the machine, and the overlooked expense of labor as an employee sits, feed after feed, stack after stack, hour after hour. It all adds up.

The cost savings of outsourcing shredding needs to a professional shredding service can be significant for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. By eliminating the need to purchase and maintain shredders, businesses can save on capital expenses as well as ongoing operational costs. These services also offer flexible plans and pricing options to fit any budget, whether it be a one-time purge or routine shredding services.

Reason 2: Time Efficiency

Time is money, and in no place is this truer than in business operations. Employees’ time on shredding might seem like a minor disruption in daily workflow, but those minutes add up. According to a study by USA Today, the average office worker can handle about 10 to 12 pounds of shredding per hour. Think of all the productive tasks those hours could be redirected to!

Outsourcing shredding enables you to reclaim these precious hours. It allows your team to focus on core business activities, not to mention the morale boost that comes from employees feeling that their time is valued. Moreover, professional shredders do not require pre-sorting or removing things like staples or paper clips like in-house shredders do. This saves additional time and effort for your employees.

Reason 3: Security And Compliance

Many businesses fall into the trap of thinking that their in-house shredding is secure. However, most in-house machines don’t shred them into small enough pieces to ensure that sensitive information cannot be pieced back together. This can leave your business vulnerable to identity theft or corporate espionage. Inadvertently if you miss a document that needs shredding, it can lead to leaks, and these lapses could be costly for a company’s reputation and security.

Professional shredding services enforce a strict chain of custody, with secure procedures from collection to destruction. They also guarantee a Certificate of Destruction, providing a legal record that the documents have been properly and securely destroyed – something an in-house shredder cannot do. Moreover, outsourcing to a professional shredder ensures you comply with data protection laws. The service provider typically stays abreast of law changes and can advise on the process to ensure continuous compliance.

Reason 4: Scalability And Flexibility

Your business isn’t static, and neither are your shredding needs. As your company grows, your in-house shredding operation might need help to keep pace with the volume and variation of shredding required. A busier office might not have time to shred, leading to piles of documents waiting to be destroyed, which is a security risk and a mess.

Professional shredding services can adapt to your business’s growing needs, from a small startup producing a few bags of shredding to an expanding corporation with an ever-increasing shredding demand. These services are designed to handle fluctuating volumes without compromising on security or costs, always ready to scale up or down as your needs change.

Reason 5: A Greener Approach

Environmental responsibility is no longer just a buzzword; it’s a necessity. In-house shredders, often inefficient and energy-consuming, contribute to your carbon footprint and generate waste that may need to be recycled efficiently. The shredded paper often ends up in landfills, as community recycling programs are not equipped to handle confetti-sized paper.

Outsourcing your shredding to a professional service, such as a NAID AAA Certified provider, ensures a secure and eco-friendly process. These services often include recycling as part of their offering, with the shredded paper properly baled and recycled efficiently. By choosing a dedicated shredding service, you’re reducing your business’s environmental impact and ensuring that your waste is dealt with responsibly.

Conclusion

Your in-house shredder served you well, but it may no longer be the best option for your business. It’s time to consider the efficiency, security, compliance, cost, and environmental balance professional shredding services offer. These service providers are evolving to meet the demands of modern businesses, and by making the switch, you’re not just opting for a service – you’re upgrading to a complete risk management solution.

By choosing A1 DATASHRED, you can be secure in knowing that your confidential information is managed with utmost care while saving time and money. Let us handle your shredding needs so you can concentrate on growing your business.

March 13, 2024