Manage customers’ personally identifiable information with care

SecurityCategory
•2 min read
Isaac Irvine

Whether your customers are signing up for a newsletter or making purchases on your online store, you want them to trust you with their personally identifiable information. To reassure your customers and maintain security, there are a few must-haves for your website.

SSL certificate

First, if customers enter information on your website — such as names, addresses and credit card numbers — then you definitely need an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate to protect that information. Check out What is SSL to learn more.

Privacy policy

Personally Identifiable InformationIf you're collecting information from customers, you should also display a privacy policy on your website. Full disclosure is key. Your policy should spell out how you collect, use and share date with others. You might want to consult a lawyer who specializes in data, or you can search for a privacy policy template online. For more information, see the U.S. Small Business Association's 7 Considerations for Crafting an Online Privacy Policy.

Secure storage

Finally, because it is confidential, you must store customer information securely. Create a plan for how you'll store such information, and make sure your employees are aware of it. For example, you can use an electronic spreadsheet or customer relationship manager (CRM) database. For best practices on storing data, see How Small Businesses Can Protect and Secure Customer Information.

Learn about the four types of SSL certificates available.

Wildcard SSL Certificate
Extended Validation SSL Certificate
SAN SSL Certificate
Organization Validation SSL Certificate

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  • Isaac Irvine

    A cheerleader for small business owners and buying local, Isaac “loves the heart and soul that local businesses put into their products and services.” He’s especially interested in writing articles and sharing advice about productivity and efficiently building a business. “It’s hard to run a business and balance family and friends,” he says. “I have young kids and a wife at home, so I know how important family time is. I love sharing tips and tricks that help small businesses grow and give them more time to spend with the people who support their dream at home.”   When he’s not at work, you can usually find Isaac and his kids riding their bikes at the local skatepark or sampling local coffee offerings.   Isaac is a native of Northern California who transplanted to Phoenix eight years ago to work for GoDaddy.
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