When a business first starts using a professional shredding company, it can take some time to figure out how often to shred documents. While some businesses will benefit from frequent, regular shredding services, others will only need to have their shredding done quarterly. Some companies worry about committing to more frequent professional shredding than they need and spending more than they need to spend. So how do you figure out how often to shred documents?

Every company is different. Some produce a large volume of documents with sensitive information, while others rarely print out anything and only need to organize hard drive disposal when they are upgrading their computers. But with the GDPR data protection laws in place, it is more important than ever to take extreme care to protect your client’s sensitive information –whether it is stored electronically or on paper. Your clients care, and they are increasingly aware of how businesses are treating their personal and financial details.

When and Where to Shred Documents?

Good old trial and error will be a major guide in figuring out the optimum shredding schedule for your business. Some businesses produce a steady stream of sensitive documents they need to keep for a short time, while others produce a large volume a few times a year. For the latter, a once-off onsite document shredding may be their best option.

But you don’t have to start with a wild guess. Here are a few factors to consider when planning how frequently you need to have paper documents destroyed by a professional shredding company.

•         Space needs are a major factor.  How much space do you have to store documents awaiting destruction? Are they piling up in the way or do you have room for a few central shredding bins?

•         How safe are the documents awaiting shredding in your office?  Are they vulnerable to being seen by unauthorized people within your company or by visitors to your premises?

•         How often do you need to purge old documents?  Some businesses must keep records for a set period of time. How many times during the year do you pull those old documents? Is it best as an annual task, or would it be less disruptive to the overall workflow to spend shorter periods of time on this task monthly or quarterly?

•         What makes the most sense in terms of cost?  Is it more cost-effective to schedule onsite document shredding services from a professional shredding company, even if sometimes you don’t have a lot to destroy? Or is it better to call on an as-needed basis, for ad-hoc secure shredding?

Look for a professional shredding company that can work with you to determine the best, most cost-effective and safest solution for your company. Your shredding service should be flexible, and it should offer a Certificate of Destruction. It can save a lot of hassle to find one company that can handle both paper shredding and hard drive destruction.