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Data security has been a critical issue in modern times, with high-profile stories of data breaches becoming uncomfortably common. Customers want to know that their information is secure with a business and that you will respect their privacy. Data security should be a top priority for businesses of all sizes, and with the ever-evolving threats of cybercrime, it is vital to constantly innovate and ensure you offer your customers the greatest protection.  

There are many ways to show your customers you’re serious about data security. The best way is to put your money where your mouth is and have the best possible data security processes and safeguards in place. There are also ways you can show customers their data is essential to you and empower them to help keep their data safe themselves.

Invest In The Newest Innovations

Technology is changing every day, and the advances to help businesses deal with cybercrime change along with it. By investing in the newest innovations, you’ll have access to the best possible tools to keep your customers’ data secure. It may help to attend some conferences and trade shows relating to cybersecurity and data protection. This can give you plenty of opportunities to explore new ideas and discuss best practices with like-minded professionals.  

Explain How You Keep Data Safe 

Being transparent is one of the best ways to show your customers that they can trust you. There are plenty of ways to explain how you protect customer data outside of just providing a privacy policy – though this is vitally important as well.  

You could consider writing a series on data protection to post on your company blog. Social media can be another great way to give customers bitesize, digestible information on how you keep their data secure. Some businesses send regular emails to their mailing list detailing the steps they take to protect privacy and data.  

Give Them Control Over What To Share 

When a customer signs up with a business, they will usually fill out a form of information needed to create an account or profile. As a business, you choose which information you need from a customer to allow them to create an account. It is best to keep this information to the bare necessities. Not only will filling in a lengthy, mandatory form make customers more likely to give up on creating an account, but it also adds unnecessary private information to your database to protect.  

Make Your Privacy Policy Accessible 

Every business should have a privacy policy that explains what is done with customer information, how and how long it is stored, and how customers can remove it from your records. Making this information easily accessible to your customers can be an excellent way to be transparent and show that you are taking all the right steps to protect data.  

Test Your Applications For Vulnerabilities 

If you have an app that is integral to your business and that customers regularly use and enter their data into, ensuring it is secure is critical. Errors in code or permissions in apps can cause data breaches if exploited by bad actors. You should test out your applications thoroughly, using the latest technology to ensure it is not vulnerable. Find out more about application security testing from the experts at ForAllSecure. 

Require The Use Of Strong Passwords 

Passwords are a critical way to protect data, and many people still use obvious or simple passwords. This is understandable, as remembering tens or hundreds of unique passwords can be next to impossible. That being said, if you want to ensure your customers’ data is protected, they will need to use unique, strong passwords.  

This should be a requirement upon registering with your business, and you can specify which characters to use to make a password more robust, such as a mix of lower and upper case, special characters and numbers.  

Display Your Accreditation 

There are plenty of organizations that offer accreditation to show that you hold your business to a high standard with data protection. Displaying recognized accreditation can be a great way to prove to your customers that you understand the law and your legal, moral and ethical obligations towards data storage and protection. The accreditation you have should be clearly displayed on your website so customers can use your business with confidence.  

Make It Easier For Customers To Delete Their Data 

When it comes a time that customers no longer want you to hold their information, it is important that they be able to delete this data easily. The only exception is when it is legally mandatory for you to store information for a certain period of time. You should develop a process to allow customers to delete their private information and avoid making it overly complex.