If you have a business, then you will come across, or generate, sensitive documents from time to time. The actual quantity will depend on your industry, from health to accounting, legal or government, or any professional services business, and the size of the business.

Regardless, there will come a time when you will need to choose between an in-house shredding machine, or go with a professional shredding business.

Let’s break down the difference, and help make that decision easy for you!

Why using an in-house shredding machine is bad for business

It’s risky.

Self-shredding can result in shredded material being thrown in the trash – paper strips which can be reconstructed for those who are eager enough – so it’s never really secure.

Using a professional shredding provider for mobile shredding means that your confidential documents are CROSS CUT SHREDDED, and therefore completely destroyed, with no chance of being reassembled. 

 

Is there storage?

Where do you store private documentation prior to shredding them? They can be left anywhere in the office, available to any employee regardless of position or privilege.

A professional shredding business will supply you with locked shredding bins. Your employees can simply pop the sensitive documentation into these containers, and get on with their real work.

 

Is there a system?

If you have an in-house shredder, it’s likely that you don’t have a system in place – a system to ensure ALL confidential documents are shredded when they are no longer needed. So how can you be sure that there are not documents that have been forgotten?

Having a regular shredding appointment forces business to work by a system where all confidential paperwork that is no longer needed is always sent to the locked shredding bins – and once this system is in place, there is far less risk of error.

 

Do you need proof?

If your business is in a position where you are required to provide proof of secure document destruction, it will be difficult to manage with an in-house shredder.

Professional shredding firms will always provide you with a Certificate of Destruction, giving you total proof that your confidential paperwork no longer exists.

 

It’s costly.

Buying an office shredding machine is more expensive than you think! Think about how much time your employee spends using it, for a start.

Let’s break it down:

• Employee or employees collate the private documents that need to be shredded
  • Without a system or regular shredding appointment, this does become a time-consuming task.
• Employee is required to remove all staples, paper clips, and remove all paper from folders
  • If they don’t, it’s likely that the machine will actually jam and break down, requiring maintenance
• Employee is required to constantly empty the shredding receptacle – as they are always quite small in office shredding machines
  • Repetitive emptying of the container is laborious, and also results in fine particles of paper around the office
• Depending on the size / industry of your business, this could be required each and every day
  • Think about this:
    • 1 employee spends 30 minutes each day dealing with the shredding. That’s 120 hours per year! Wouldn’t you rather your employees be doing something productive that generates profit?

A professional document destruction provider never impacts your employee productivity. In fact, you hardly know that they have been! 

They don’t have to waste time removing staples or paper clips, and can include folders, lever arch folders, hardcover books – all without having to wade through piles of items.

 

When you do the numbers, you will find that having a professional shredding team on board is far less costly than using an in-house shredder.

If you would like more information about getting a professional shredding provider on board, please get in touch!