Data is power in this age of information.
Many customers are aware that companies gather their data and use it to make key business decisions and improve customer experience.
Thus, the responsibility of how to source ethically and handle consumer data properly falls onto you.
Let’s discuss how you can navigate the various challenges regarding data privacy.
The Challenges
Technology advances so quickly that it’s almost scary.
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) only heightened the public’s concern about their data, particularly the following risks that come with data privacy:
Malware Attacks
The transition from physical to digital made data vulnerable to various cybersecurity threats.
Data breaches can make customers lose trust in you and your business.
However, malware attacks aren’t the sole reason behind data leaks.
Human error can also compromise your customer’s data privacy.
The issue of cybersecurity attacks can be especially alarming when IT outsourcing goes wrong.
Infrastructure Complexity
As we’ve previously stated, technology progresses so fast that learning new processes can be challenging for your information technology (IT) team.
For instance, the standard procedures in IT a couple of weeks ago might no longer suffice.
Thus, these developments can be difficult to navigate, especially if there’s a need to collect huge amounts of data in a short period.
Regulation Intricacies
Different countries have different rules and regulations.
For example, if you want to expand your business in Europe, you need to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
In the US, you might have to check with individual state laws because no national law has yet been enacted.
For instance, California has the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
Ethical Implications
Apart from compliance with legal requirements, you must consider the ethics of collecting your consumer’s data.
You need to strike a balance between the need to innovate through gathering information as well as protecting your customers’ privacy.
Best Practices
So, what measures can you take to ensure data protection?
Regularly update any software you use.
Make it a policy within your IT team to keep programs and applications up to date.
Don’t forget any antivirus software too. Make sure they’re the latest version so they contain the newest security patches.
Use only secure connections.
One tricky aspect of managing a remote team is you can’t always guarantee that everyone’s Internet connections are safe and secure.
You never know which of your service providers will access sensitive company data via public WiFi.
Thus, it’s better to come up with policies on what employees should do when working with confidential information.
Always back up your data.
Accidents can happen.
So, make it a habit to ask your IT team to create a backup of everything, just in case.
Data can also be stored on the cloud or in a data center for accessibility and convenience.
Constantly improve internal processes and policies.
Regularly update any policies as needed when dealing with technology and data.
Again, this field constantly changes and improves so your internal processes should too.
Prioritize Data Protection
As your business evolves, data becomes more critical not only for legal purposes but for strategic reasons too.
Thus, it will largely benefit you as an entrepreneur to have strong data privacy measures in place.
Doing so keeps your consumers’ trust intact without stopping you from reaching the full potential of what data can do for you and your business.
So, are you ready to undergo a digital transformation?
Why not try outsourcing your IT needs, especially if there’s a talent shortage in your area? Let Remote Staff connect you with some of the most highly qualified Filipino IT professionals.
Remote Staff has been around for 16 years (and counting)! The company aims to support you as you bring your business to new heights.
Have a job order you need to fill? Schedule a callback with us and let’s discuss!
Herschel Lili has years of professional writing experience. She enjoys reading anything under the sun, but in recent years, she has turned her attention to books that leave her feeling profound. At present, she looks forward to learning everything she can about remote working and sharing the knowledge through succinct write-ups.