Commercial Paper Shredder: 6 Reasons You Need One
Running a business? You need a commercial paper shredder. And just in case you're not convinced, we're laying out 6 crucial reasons to buy one today.
We have made a lot of progress as far as moving to a paperless society is concerned. Having said that, we are still a long way off from totally eliminating paper from our day-to-day lives and business operations. And with the reliance on paper comes the constant need for a commercial paper shredder.
If you are running a business, you need to have a paper shredder. And in this post, we will look at the six reasons why.
Commercial Paper Shredders Provide Better Protection Against Identity Theft
Data breach is a serious and costly problem, affecting 14 percent of the population. Worse, a data breach makes one an easy target for identity theft, which can cost up to $13,500 to resolve.
Simply disposing office documents can make you an easy target. Identity thieves can rummage through the trash to find the pieces of information or records they need to commit fraud.
If you want to protect yourself better against identity theft, shredding documents that contain important personal information like name, address, or social security number is a must.
By shredding office documents that contain sensitive information, you ensure that identity thieves, dumpster divers, and other unwanted information seekers won't get their hands on stuff that's meant for your eyes only.
Stronger And Better Data Protection For Businesses
Every business generates a near-endless list of records every day - from quotes from suppliers, invoices sent to customers, to job offers sent to candidates.
And, just like documents containing sensitive personal information, printed records that contain data about another person or business require extra care for disposal.
A commercial paper shredder can help ensure that the information of people or organizations related to your business is not compromised.
It's The Budget-Friendlier Option
You have two options when it comes to shredding paper at work. First, you can sign up for one of the document shredding services around. Or you can buy a high-security office shredder and do it yourself.
Between the two, the latter often proves to be easier on the budget.
Sure, an NSA-listed model like the Intimus 175CC6 can cost you thousands of dollars. But the machine isn't just approved by the NSA, it can also last a long while with proper care and maintenance.
A document shredding service, on the other hand, may offer the same crosscut shredding capabilities.
But one has to keep up with the monthly payments to keep the service, which means it will cost more in the long run. Not to mention you don't have any right or ownership over the machine.
Helps Declutter The Office
Get this: Office clutter is a leading productivity, motivation, and happiness killer according to OfficeMax in a 2011 survey.
Employee performance is dependent on the workspace. Focusing at work and digesting information can become an impossible task when a huge pile of paper gets in the way.
With a commercial paper shredder, you can eliminate that 2-foot pile of documents with ease, creating a sharper and more precise environment which encourages productivity and meaningful work.
On the other hand, if you store all of your paper waste in a room or at a corner at your office, a paper shredder can help you get back the lost space. After all, you want every square foot in your workplace to be put to better use than just holding scraps of paper.
Having One Makes For Easier Paper Waste Management At The Office
Fact: Paper is one of the biggest components of solid waste in US landfills, amounting to 26 million tons or 16% of landfill solid waste in 2009 alone!
And with US offices consuming 12.1 trillion sheets of paper every year, the great contribution of businesses to the growing paper waste at landfills can't be ignored. Fortunately, having a shredder at the office gives the business owner more options in dealing with those scraps of paper.
For starters, you can go down the usual recycling route. Some recycling companies accept shredded paper and the only requirement is to store them properly so other recyclable materials won't contaminate the paper.
Beyond recycling, shredded paper also makes for a great compost or mulch - and it may even be safer than straw or grass! It's a great source of carbon which helps increase a compost pile's temperature to the ideal level.
And if you need to store delicate, breakable stuff like glass or computer hardware, shredded paper can be a suitable replacement for bubble wraps or styrofoam.
Because The Law Requires It
Several laws set standards for storing, securing, and destroying sensitive information.
For example:
The FTC's Disposal Rule calls for the proper disposal of information in consumer reports, records, and documents to protect consumers from unauthorized access.
The standards for proper disposal is flexible and dependent on the technology, and document shredders provide an extra layer of protection against prying eyes and bin divers scraping for personal information.
On the other hand, several industries also have document disposal regulations in place: HIPAA for the medical industry, GSA for government agencies, and GLAB for the banking organizations.
If your business belongs to such an industry, owning a commercial paper shredder brings you one step closer to compliance.
And even if your business isn't in the medical, government, or banking space, you still want to take extra care of your customer's sensitive data and privacy.
The last thing you want to happen is to lose the trust of clients and face lawsuits from disgruntled customers because a document fell into the wrong hands instead of getting shredded!
Are You Ready To Shred That Piece Of Paper?
In this post, we looked at several compelling reasons why every business should have access to a commercial paper shredder.
First, it protects one against possible identity theft while enhancing a business' data protection measures.
Next, having a paper shredder gives one a better way to deal with office clutter and growing paper waste. And last but not the least, it brings businesses one step closer to total compliance.
Yes, a paper shredder is a capital expense. But it's one a business shouldn't be without.
