Date: 25 January 2023
In a recent study, 84% of respondents indicated their concern over how their data is collected, and about privacy measures taken for their data security. They also voiced the desire for more control over how their personally identifiable information (PII) is being used.
In today's tech-centred world, there are hacks, data breaches, and illegal releases of personal information almost every day. Centralised infrastructure can be challenged in the domain of information security, and the need to stay on top of your organisation’s cyber security is at an all-time high. PII scanning can help you with that.
Information security is one of the most critical factors in keeping a customer base happy and loyal today. Integrating PII scanning tools into your corporate strategy helps your customer base trust you with their PII data.
Keep reading to discover how PII scanning can help improve your cybersecurity, boost your brand recognition and overall customer satisfaction levels.
Personal data protection
Personal data protection has never been more important than it is today. With the number of breaches & events of unauthorized access at a record high, anyone responsible for handling a company's sensitive data has to be extra vigilant.
While there are data protection laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which covers all types of personal data, PII is given extra attention because it is directly connected to one individual — and has the potential for irreversible damage to a customer if compromised.
Given the high stakes, businesses must scan their systems regularly for PII to avoid catastrophic consequences related to access to data. In fact, studies by IBM indicate that in 2021, customer PII was part of the data stolen in 44% of breaches, making it one of the most sought-after pieces of information by cyber-criminals. On average, this costs businesses $180 per PII record.
A scanning tool for PII or PII scanner can be easily integrated into your existing data security solutions to give you — and your customers — some peace of mind from these threats. While PII scanning won't protect against all possible threats — like ransomware or malware and related data encryption — it can go a long way towards giving customers peace of mind about how you are protecting data.
Customers value security of their personal information
Investing in digital tools to gather customer information can have a positive long-term impact on security while also helping your staff do their jobs more efficiently. The benefits of having your customers provide their information digitally, compared to pen & paper, might not be obvious immediately.
The truth is that in both cases, it's easier for customers to give away more information than they should about themselves. Since it's so easy to add extra information on paper, people tend to feel like they can fill out sections that aren't necessary — often leading to oversharing or information overload. All of these extra bits of information can unwittingly lead to confidential data such as their social security number being put into your systems by data entry staff. This can be streamlined with PII. 
Standardised information collection means you get consistent data about your customers' identities and can serve them better. This will provide insight into what services your customers are most interested in, and which queries or requests are the most common.
Combining standardised data collection with effective PII scanning will allow you to fine-tune your services and improve efficiency across all branches, ultimately improving business for everyone involved.
A necessary step toward growth and customer satisfaction
As your organisation grows, the number of customers you serve will also increase. In turn, the volume of sensitive information and data you handle will skyrocket over time.
Although it isn't necessary for your company to scan all personal identification information, there are several reasons why we believe that introducing PII scanning will be beneficial for both the growth and the satisfaction of your customer base.
The first reason is that you can have a more organised database and centralised records by scanning PII. In addition, you could avoid data entry errors that occur when typing long numbers or names into a computer, which is another way PII scanning can streamline and improve operations.
It is also important to note that by scanning PII, you can reduce the time it takes to complete certain tasks, increasing the efficiency of your company as a whole.
PII scanning is a must for information security
With the ever-changing security landscape, it has become a necessity for businesses to find ways to protect their customers’ sensitive information and invest in various types of data security.
In a world where databases, containing millions of people's information, are hacked every day, and identity theft is a constant threat, it's vital for businesses to take action.
PII scanning technology kills two birds with one stone — it lowers the risk of identity theft and increases the security of sensitive data. This protects your customers while ensuring your company meets the government’s compliance standards.
When your business starts to approach customer data protection as a means to build trust with your customers, the benefits of PII scanning will become apparent. Your customer base will feel safer knowing their data is protected, leading to more purchases and positive word-of-mouth advertising.
In the end, the decision is yours to make. However, introducing PII scanning as a safer solution will benefit both you and your customers. Customers seeking a better way to protect their information from identity theft have done their homework. Now it's time for you to do yours. So what are you waiting for? Start integrating PII scanning into your operations today!
About the Author: Peter Bray
Peter is an AI practitioner with a keen interest in competitive intelligence and web change monitoring. He is the CEO of Fluxguard based in Portland, Oregon.
