Building your reputation as an honest company begins by paying attention to the variables that influence public perception. From exceptional customer service and high-quality products to environmentally responsible business practices, many factors influence how people perceive your company and whether it’s trustworthy.
One variable that’s been in the headlines is how well (or poorly) a company protects its clients’ confidential information. Stolen laptops, low-security passwords, outdated firewall protection and misplaced client records are just a few of the ways that security breaches, and ensuing identity theft, have occurred recently.
As a company that takes its responsibility to information security seriously, you can promote this distinction to employees, clients and prospective customers. Here are a few suggestions:
- Begin your “security-centric” thinking in the interview process by asking prospective employees questions about information security so you can gauge whether it’s important to them.
- Emphasize your data security achievements and milestones during new employee orientation.
- Devote a section/subsection of your website to your company’s security initiatives and how they help keep client information protected.
- Promote your company’s new security programs or new initiatives in a press release, through social networks, etc.
- Highlight your track record of security in fact sheets, presentations, brochures or other marketing materials.
These five points can go a long way toward distinguishing your company from the competition, as well as emphasizing that your corporate culture of trust protects everyone from employees to clients.