As a business owner, you are likely well invested in your online presence. After all, you almost have to be online these days to operate a business. With this technological advance, though, comes new concerns about customer safety. Many people may feel tentative about shopping your online store if you don’t have security measures in place. With data breaches becoming more common, it is your job to make sure the information your customers give you is kept safe. Here are some steps you can take to ensure your website is a safe place to shop.
Start With Good Safety Systems
You want to begin by creating a site that has built in security. As MVU Online explains, there are many security risks you have to be aware of. You need to ensure you have at least a basic system in place. This involves having a dedicated server that will ensure your information is not accessible by just anyone. You also should be using encryption so when customers send information, it can’t be hijacked along the way. When your site is encrypted, you will have the https in your web address. This is something many shoppers will look for.
Avoid an Overflow of Data
The best way to keep customer data safe is to not collect it. Of course, you probably will need to collect at least some data to complete purchases. Make sure, though, that you are only collecting what you need. Don’t ask for an abundance of information. Get what you need and then get rid of it right away. Avoid storing data unless you have the security available to ensure it is protected.
Restrict Access
Make sure that only key people have access to customer data. Ideally, only you and maybe your accountant would have access to sensitive customer data. The fewer people with access, the fewer chances for a problem. In addition, you can more easily track issues if only a few people have access.
Create Secure Procedures
It’s always best to have customers create accounts. This adds another layer of protection. You’ll want to make sure that you create password rules that ensure a customer chooses a secure password. A secure password should mix numbers, letters, and symbols. By creating rules, you are able to have a bit of control over the safety of customer accounts. In addition, make sure that you have customers verify their accounts by sending a verification email where they have to click a verification link.
Learn More About Cyber Security
It may also be helpful if you learn more about cyber security. You can read articles, talk with professionals or even consider going back to school and completing a degree program, like a Masters in MIS program. Building up your own knowledge will only help ensure you know what it takes to keep your customers’ information safe.
Data protection is essential in online business. It is your responsibility as the business owner to make sure any information your customers share with you is treated carefully and kept secure. A data breach can mean huge trouble for your business, so do what you can to avoid it.