CEO and cofounder of OpenVPN Inc., a leading-edge networking and software technology company.
The tech world has long enjoyed the privilege of being one of the most trusted industries. Unfortunately, that trust has been rapidly declining in recent years thanks to social media, AI and online security risks. All tech companies, no matter their specific product, tend to get lumped together in consumers’ eyes—so even if your company isn’t tied to social media, you’re still likely to lose trust in customers when those companies take a hit. In fact, if you’re not taking proactive strides to build trust among your customers, you will almost certainly suffer a loss in just that.
But there, of course, is the question: How can tech leaders build trust, especially in the face of so many industry-wide risks? There are a few steps you can take today to make a powerful difference.
Protect Your Customer’s Data
If your company is in the tech space, chances are you are collecting data in some way from your customers—even if that data is just login information. No matter how much, or how little, data you’re collecting, you have a responsibility to keep it safe. Make sure you have security measures in place and communicate what those measures are with your customers.
Think outside the box for this one. Anyone can have a firewall or a private network; go above and beyond to protect that data. Prioritizing security measures like encryption and multi-factor authentication can serve to prevent breaches and protect all your data, not just your customers’ data. Encryption keeps data secure while in transit, and MFA can add an extra layer of security during the login process. Better yet, offer your customers a way to control their own data—and the power to delete it if necessary. The more your customers see you taking steps to keep them safe, the more likely they are to trust you because you’re giving them a reason to trust you.
Reject The Idea That Tech Is ‘Neutral’
Technology never has been neutral, and yet tech leaders often try to hide behind a false guise of neutrality. Today’s user is incredibly intelligent, and they see through this claim immediately. If your product can be used to harm individuals or communities, you simply cannot be neutral. Intentionally working toward safety and taking a public stance in that regard builds trust because it shows your customers that you are sincere and that you take responsibility for the tools you build.
Get Audited
Third-party audits can serve to build immense trust with customers—and can help you create a better product. These audits provide an unbiased assessment of your data protection and privacy practices. This can help you do better work and catch mistakes if there are any and likewise assure customers that you’re taking their privacy seriously. Whether you do security audits, penetration testing or other types of testing, anything you can use to verify that the company’s security measures are in place and working effectively will build customer trust.
Build Layers Of Communication
Another essential element in building trust with customers is keeping them informed. This means being responsive to customer inquiries and concerns and providing clear and timely communication about any issues that come up. This can help to mitigate the damage caused by a data breach or security incident and demonstrate to customers that the company takes their data seriously. When your customers hear from you consistently, quickly and effectively, they learn that you’re there for them. That is the core of what trust is all about.
Proactive Transparency
One of the most important ways for a tech company to build trust with customers is through transparency. This means clearly communicating the company’s privacy and security policies, as well as any data collection or sharing practices. Customers should be able to easily understand what data is being collected, how it is being used and who it is being shared with.
More importantly: Be transparent about data breaches or security incidents. This can feel counterintuitive; no one likes to broadcast their mistakes. But owning that mistake is really the only way to move forward in a trustworthy way with your customers. Make sure you communicate quickly and clearly what happened, lay out what steps you’re taking to address the issue and clearly explain what measures are in place to prevent similar incidents from taking place in the future.
Build Trust With Your Team
Your employees are your first and best word on your integrity. If you treat them with honesty, respect and positivity, they will share that. If you treat them otherwise, they will share that, too. And customers intuitively know: If you don’t treat your employees well, you likely won’t treat them well, either. So build a team that feels supported, and you’ll have a team of evangelists confirming to the world that you are worthy of trust.
Building trust with customers is essential for any business, but in the tech world, we must prioritize it more than ever. The more privacy and security risks grow, the more our customers’ trust can erode. Don’t let that happen. Stay transparent, keep your customers informed and implement security measures to keep their data secure. When you show your customers that you’re committed to protecting their data and privacy for the long haul, they’ll see they can trust you—and trust is what keeps customers coming back to your company.
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