Keeping data safe during an office relocation

Clients are the lifeblood of a business and therefore it’s essential that client databases be safeguarded during any office move.

Plan Ahead
Any company going through a relocation will have to draw up a moving plan that puts their clients’ needs first – no matter how long the physical move of personnel, computer hardware, furniture and paperwork actually takes, it’s essential that the day-to-day business operation continues smoothly so your customers remain confident that their needs are met.

Use Regular Back-Ups
Most material relating to clients is likely to be retained on your company’s computer system. It’s important that this data is backed up regularly and that backup should continue on the same routine during any move.

If your firm doesn’t have a written backup data policy, this is an ideal time to implement such a policy, using an external hard drive to protect all essential data.

Store Archived Data
All archived data should be stored separately so that client information remains completely confidential and safe from outside interference. Do make sure that email contact details are also backed up.

Hard copies of client details; paperwork, order forms, invoices etc. should be treated with the same care and appreciation that the information it contains must be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Any out of date or irrelevant paperwork should be shredded and disposed of via recycling, as should any old brochures or leaflets.

Protecting your clients during office relocation demonstrates your professionalism and will go a long way to helping you retain your client base.