How to Protect Your Clients/Customers

  • Keep all documents containing personal information of your clients, customers, and employees under lock and key.
  • When personal information is held within a computer, ensure that it can only be accessed and tracked by authorized personnel using passwords and is protected with an appropriate level of security/fire walls. When the information has been transferred to the computer, any handwritten information should be shredded.
  • Shred the customer's personal or account information and receipts before discarding them. Consider keeping shredders within reach of those employees who handle personal/account information on a regular basis.
  • Create policies to restrict the handling of customer information to a limited number of employees.
  • Customer personal information such as credit applications, sales receipts/carbon copies should not be temporarily kept within reach of the casual observer. This will help to deter theft by criminals or corrupt employees. Provide a secure receptacle for employees and citizens to throw out applications/receipts or provide informational signs advising them not to carelessly discard these documents.