Is Outsource Data Entry Still a Safe Choice Amidst the Pandemic?

Is an Outsource Data Entry effective during the pandemic?

Data entry is a critical process and it plays a big role in the growth of your business.

But as a growing company, we understand your needs to know if it is still safe to outsource data entry processes amidst the COVID-19 virus.

So in this article, we will discuss the security concerns that worry entrepreneurs. We will also cover how you can guarantee that your BPO partner is trustworthy and the best practices that we do to avoid errors in data processing.

Outsource Data Entry Services Security Concerns Amidst the Pandemic

Everything is digital in today’s business landscape. Storing, processing, entering, and retrieving data is faster than ever before. While it has some obvious advantages, it also poses some serious security risks.

In a Data Entry Business Outsourcing company, cyber-security should be the number one priority. When data is not properly secured inside a data, it is extremely prone to data theft, leakage, and more. Especially during the pandemic where there are constraints with movements and interaction.

Here are the common security risks that companies are concerned with outsourcing right now:

• Threat of product information being stolen or misused. – The possibility that sensitive product data will get compromised is the number one fear associated with outsourcing. Especially at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic wherein agents need to work from home to mitigate the spread of the virus.
• Not having complete control over the data entry process. – An unreliable procedure on protection and processing is quite troublesome for companies as this could lead to delays and dents in brand image.
• High chances of miscommunication. – Language barriers exist and when it does, it could lead an employee to unintentionally leak information. It is a very detrimental risk to companies.

However, thanks to technologies, innovations, and smart strategies, BPO companies were able to overcome these challenges.

1. Employees are not allowed to use personal computers or laptops in dealing with critical services such as data entry. With most companies providing equipment for their employees’ tasks, they are securing data through encryption, hard disks, or cloud drives. Storage is all password-protected as well, with only certain employees having access to it.
2. Since computers and laptops are prone to suspicious malware, equipment provided by the companies has secured VPNs and firewalls to protect them.
3. Most outsourcing companies provide their work-from-home agents that do not have fast internet connections or portable broadband. This is to ensure that quality is still on top despite the setback caused by the pandemic.
4. BPOs are still able to streamline their processes thanks to many collaboration tools and online services such as Zoom, Skype, Viber, and G Suite for Documentation.
5. Call centers use advanced systems like CRM to record and track customer issues.
6. Amidst the pandemic, a skeletal workforce supervises and supports work-from-home data entry agents. They assure the quality of performance, process other types of transactions, and manage deals and reports.

What are the Back Office Data Processing Security Credentials to Look For?

Contrary to popular myths surrounding the industry, BPO company provides your organization with even more data security. It is because we follow strict rules and standards to maintain our credentials and the trust of our clients.

In looking for the best Data Process Outsourcing company, take into consideration the number of security certificates they earned. Some of the most popular credentials to look for are these two:

1. ISO/IEC 27001:2013

ISO or International Organization for Standardization is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies. Basically, it is a set of standards that over 160 countries follow.

ISO/IEC 27001 is one of the bodies of standards that ISO made and it goes by the name of Information Security Management. Like other ISO management systems, getting an ISO/IEC 27001 is not obligatory. Some companies prefer to implement their own standard. While others, like Magellan Solutions, want to reassure our clients that we are one of the recommended BPO companies when it comes to information security.

Data Processing requires a company to handle large amounts of information, every day. It is labor-intensive and highly technical. Most firms even employ a large number of experienced individuals to manage the surge of data. However since it relies on procedure rather than skills, there should be proof that the BPO company exemplifies exquisite standards. 

In outsourcing your Data Entry needs, consider a BPO company that has an ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification. Certified companies undergo extensive audits from their certifying body regarding cyber security and data protection annually. Other than the strict monitoring and quality assurance, ISO also updates its guidance and frameworks on keeping data safe.

That is why ISO is one of the best trust indicators in choosing a Data Process Outsourcing company.

2. GDPR

GDPR or General Data Protection Regulation is a regulation made by the EU to make sure all personal data, like e-mail, phone number, and address, stays safe and protected.

In a Data Processing Business setting, it means securing sensitive data with end-to-end encryption and pseudonymization. Even more so, it also means that there should be transparency in how the company uses data. 

A company that agrees with GDPR’s strict rules and regulations on data security must ensure that:

1. Data protection is taken into account at all times.
2. Companies should have an internal security policy and awareness about data protection.
3. They have a process in place to notify the authorities and the data subject in the event of a data breach.

GDPR is more than a trust symbol. It is an indicator of data protection excellence.

GDPR is important for Data Entry services because sophisticated data analysis provides companies with tons of valuable information. Data entry can be used to mine customer’s personal health data, biometric data, political opinions, sexual orientation, and other generic data. And without protection like GDPR, customers will lose trust in the company they are interacting with.

Best Practices that the Best Data Entry Company Does 

As a data entry company, handling the bulk of customer and business information is a difficult task and a huge responsibility.

That is why BPO companies, such as Magellan Solutions, maintain a gold standard in keeping good practices.

To ensure that data are not intentionally or unintentionally compromised, here are some of the data entry best practices we do:

1. Data Validation by using tools and enforcing data entry rules.
2. Refraining from using proprietary output format as it is prone to become obsolete.
3. Keeping a data log to note all necessary instances like missing, inaccurate, unclear data, errors, and difficulties they encountered during the process.
4. Creating descriptive names of data, such as source, date, version, and project, to make subsequent verification and analysis easy.
5. Consistency by using different tags for various fields. It is easier to understand, transfer, and convert data if they are all the same.
6. It is a must to ensure that there are no empty cells in a single line.
7. Utilizing both automation and manual entry for data logging, cleansing, extracting, and sorting.
8. Prioritizing accuracy over speed. Instead of rushing through a sea of data, focus on maintaining a consistent pace.
9. Avoid overloading as it can cause fatigue to workers. A tired agent will not be able to perform well and it also invites errors.
10. Letting the people understand the importance of data and data entry. That is why training is a must for every company. If employees know the purpose of what they are doing, they perform better.
11. Standardize a template. By keeping a template, we can ensure that all teams will adhere to a single guideline.
12. Maintain a healthy work environment.

Data entry is a critical task. So we do our best to maintain the trust of our business clients.

Why Opt for Data Processing Outsourcing?

Outsourcing your data entry needs can help meet deliverables efficiently while maintaining a tight budget. You can actually save more than 80% of your expenses by outsourcing your data entry services.

On top of that, here are other reasons why you should consider Data Processing Outsourcing for your business:

1. Outsourcing helps your company expand faster.
2. By getting a work-ready team, you can turn around large volumes of work within a short period of time. It allows you to prioritize other core tasks and improve your business’s overall status.
3. Getting a Data Entry Outsourcing company helps you organize data better since we already have a systematic storage and management process in place.
4. Higher quality of service since outsourcing allows you to get talent from another country.
5. There is a strict requirement when it comes to data protection. So there is total data security with outsourcing.

Ready to Start Data Outsourcing?

Do you feel secure with your Data Entry BPO partner? If not, do not wait for something wrong to happen and shift to a company you can trust.

We are Magellan Solutions. We are a BPO company based in the Philippines with over 17 years of industry experience. 

We offer high-quality data entry services to all industries. Our company is both ISO 27001:2013-certified and GDPR-compliant. You can guarantee that we prioritize security above anything else.

At Magellan Solutions, we train our agents to become data processing experts. We make sure that they have the necessary tools, equipment, and knowledge to serve customers efficiently. 

We want to extend our services even to small and medium enterprises, so our rates are highly flexible and competitive.

Get in touch with us now, and we shall discuss how our company can help your business. 

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