In media sales, things don’t always work out. Not every job is the best match to a person’s talents. So sometimes, parting ways is best. Whether it be initiated by the employee (there is a better opportunity across the street or across the country), or by the station (“Sometimes these conversations can be difficult…”), once the decision has been made, all parties are better off if the exit is smooth.

I’m betting that, at your station, there is a Separation Checklist of some sort. Turnover the office keys – check! Turn over employee id cards – check! Fill out any necessary paperwork – check! Change orders in traffic – check! Forward phone and email – check! And finally, lock them out of their computer – check!

And after their personal effects are boxed up and the door closes behind them, you are done!

Or are you?

The web has changed how much data to which we all have access. Stations have many software systems, from traffic to their CRM to production to inventory analysis and more. Now days much of this is web-based and even cloud-based. Yet, it is often forgotten that former employees may still have access to all of this. They may see a master account list, complete with contacts; billing; rates; historical billing; competitive spending; what is pending; digital plans; what spot ran when – and the list goes on.  If they are going to another market or even another industry, they probably are leaving all of that behind them and only keeping the fond memories. If that difficult conversation came into play, or they end up across the street, their access to that information could conceivably end up in your competitors’ hands.

We at Efficio are not saying that everyone who leaves your organization is unscrupulous and leaking your sensitive data. We are saying that there MAY be someone who leaves your organization who doesn’t have your best interests in mind any longer, and they may have access to your sensitive data. Your web-based software partners give you control over who can get that data. User names and passwords were always required, but with shortcuts, auto logins and password memory, it is easy to forget that the portal was, at one time, locked.

So those of us at Efficio and your other software vendors ask you to take a few minutes and think about all of the data in all of the programs that your employees have access to. Once you have that list, define who can and should make the necessary log in and permission changes. Add it to your Separation Checklist. Lock them out of the office, their computer AND your software programs.

Locked out of CRM – Check!