Protecting client data

Organizations involved in the delivery of essential services are providing important information in audio, braille, large print and e-Text formats to meet the diverse information needs of customers while simultaneously meeting legislative requirements.  It is important for these organizations to remember that the processing and production of alternative formats is much more than receiving a print stream from their service provider. A secure processing and management system, ensuring the integrity and availability of all client data, requires a significant investment in hardware, software, processes, security infrastructure and standards compliance.

For over a decade, I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to develop relationships with North America’s leading financial, telecom and government organizations to ensure they understand the issues with respect to independent, secure and private access to information for their blind, deafblind and partially sighted customers and constituents. Working with legal and standards groups on a consultative basis over the years, I have learned that the secure handling and processing of data is essential to overall success, ensuring the protection of both client and customer data.

As an example, I recently heard of a woman who was receiving braille energy bills for other people’s accounts.  She said she had recently been a victim of identity theft and was concerned other customers had received her bills and had access to information such as her full name, address and utility bill account number, and rightfully so.  This is an example that demonstrates how risks are often introduced to both company’s and their customers. Protecting clients and customers against fraud and identity theft provides a level of security that benefits everyone.