I wrote an article about four years ago describing the level of the document destruction industry’s market penetration. In the introduction of that article, I remarked how infrequently I saw security destruction firms stopping at our office building. The multi-tenant building NAID occupied then (and still does) hosted about 50 businesses: mortgage brokers, counselors, title companies, insurance agents, etc. They are all small businesses.
My observation then was that, excluding the secure destruction firm that came to collect our materials, only one or two other tenants were being serviced by a secure destruction service in any single month.
I am glad to report that has changed in recent years. Now, in that same building, we probably have three or four trucks per week stop to service one or another of the tenants in the building.
The recent NAID Consumer Attitudes Survey tells the same story. By far, the fastest growing market for secure destruction services is medium-sized and small-sized businesses. And yet, with respect to small accounts, the document destruction industry only has less than 10 percent penetration.
One of the most significant findings of the NAID Survey is that companies that use secure destruction services find the service is cost effective and efficient, whereas companies that do not use a shredding service believe it will be too expensive and inefficient.
Bridging the "disconnect" between the experience of organizations currently using the secure destruction services and the misconceptions of those that do not is the key to unlocking the full potential of the marketplace. This is a continuing challenge to NAID and NAID Members and one that will require us to respond with an industry-wide initiative.
NAID is up to the challenge.
I hope you are.
Bob Johnson is the executive director of the National Association for Information Destruction. He can be reached at exedir@naidonline.org.