Cyber crimes are big business and will only become more prevalent in the coming years. According to a study conducted by IBM, more than 1.5 million cyber crimes are carried out every year and it is estimated that they cause a global loss of over $400 billion! Given how devastating and common cyber attacks can be, clients are often wary of trusting their sensitive information to market research firms for fear of a data breach. At Observation Baltimore, we take care to practice safe data security practices to ensure that all market research information is safeguarded according to the MRA Code of Marketing Standards.
At Observation Baltimore, we take data security seriously.
From initial email contact all the way through to the final handoff of project deliverables, we understand that maintaining confidentiality and integrity of sensitive client information is of the utmost importance. All of our employees are trained to handle information according to strict security guidelines and protocols to ensure that sensitive data is never put at risk and they are required to sign non-disclosure agreements on the first day of employment so that we can be certain that all of our business is completed according to the highest ethical standard.
All of the information that we collect during the process of conducting market research is subjected to a variety of safeguards for both digital and paper-based data. Members of our senior management team maintain files that are password-protected and only accessible to specific, authorized employees. Hard-copy documents–such as screeners, recruitment lists, and other project-specific information–are only distributed when necessary for project completion.
After each project has been completed and the final report has been delivered, all paper-based materials are shredded after the requisite 60-day archive period (unless otherwise specified by the client). We make every effort to honor any client confidentiality requests so long as they are in line with our own company practices.
While there is no way to completely eliminate the risks posed by hackers, Observation Baltimore takes every possible precaution to safeguard sensitive client data. It is our goal to conduct our research according to the highest ethical standards, and you can trust that we will go above and beyond to ensure that your information is safe in our care.
About Observation Baltimore:
At Observation Baltimore, we understand that the success of your research is directly tied to the quality of your participants. Recognized as one of the top Maryland market research facilities and rated “One of the World’s Best” by Impulse Survey, we believe that Experienced Recruiting Makes the Difference. Our experienced recruiting is the foundation of our mission, as well as courteous and proactive hospitality and client services. Just six minutes from BWI airport and AMTRAK, our Baltimore research facility has a great location. Most importantly, we understand market research!