Customer Service Consistency We evaluated each company's customer service, taking into account how consistent answers to our questions were from one representative to another, the service's turnaround time and pricing. We put a lot of stock into this rating, because you will entrust this company not only with your equipment but your company's vital data. We reached out to all of the companies on our list through their available support channels (phone, email, live chat if that option was available) anonymously posing the same questions to see if we received consistent, straightforward answers. Representatives that provided clear, direct answers to our questions (and didn't try to sell us on the service) were rated higher, whereas services that sidestepped questions, gave contradictory answers or were generally unhelpful received lower scores. Multiple customer service reps gave us contradictory answers. Many avoided answering our questions and, instead, boasted about the service's other features. When confronted with this, they rarely admitted they didn't know the answer and then transferred us to someone who did know.

1. Seagate Data Recovery

More Hard Driver Recovery videos. Ask Lifehacker; Data; Recovery; Drives; Hard Drives. But it's one of the best tools to pull data off of a connected hard drive in OS X. It can recover virtually. How can the answer be improved?

In addition, many of our emails went unanswered. Confirming Practices & Procedures Part of transparency for a hard drive recovery service involves proving that it indeed possesses the necessary certifications to demonstrate it's capable of safely and securely performing data recovery for clients. We awarded additional points to companies that received these certifications from credible, third-party organizations, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

The two certifications we looked for are, one, an ISO-certified cleanroom, and; two, service organization control (SOC) reports issued from an SSAE 16 audit (Statements on Standards for Attestation Agreements) that verify the service – in this case, the hard drive recovery service – has controls and processes in place that protect the safety and confidentiality of customers and their data. ISO cleanroom certification governs the maximum amount of particulates allowed in a cleanroom. The most common certification is ISO 5, which allows 100,000 particulates per cubic meter, and the better certification is an ISO Class 4 which allows only 10,000 particulates per cubic meter. It’s important to keep the number as low as possible, as exposed hard drive platters are sensitive and contamination can result in irreparable damage.

Many companies claim they meet these standards, but only a few provided the certification by a third party along with the date when it was issued. The second certification, SSAE 16, has to do with security and privacy auditing. There are different types of this credential (including SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC3 reports) with no common consensus on which is better, so we credited a company for possessing any version. This type of certification is important to clients that have financial and other private, sensitive information on their hard drives.

Your business is dependent on your data. Without it, the results would be devastating. You likely perform regular backups or store it on RAID servers for redundancy. However, backups and redundancy fail at times. Hard drives, like any mechanisms with moving parts, break down over time. Like a lightbulb, they eventually have to be replaced. Unforeseen accidents or disasters can wipe out your hard drives, but it doesn't mean your data is gone for good.

Data can be retrieved by the technicians of hard drive recovery services, which can avert disaster for your business. These companies work on your hard drives in cleanroom environments, repairing the device or salvaging data from even the most damaged of disks. What to Consider in a Hard Drive Recovery Service. When to Seek Help From a Professional Service Data loss occurs when you least expect it and comes in many forms; however, it doesn't mean you need to immediately rush your hard drive to a recovery service., which you can purchase over the internet, can resolve simple data loss issues, such as accidental deletion, reformatting and deleted partitions.

Before calling a recovery service, determine first whether you can recover your data with software before going to a service, which will be more expensive. Hard drive recovery services are equipped to deal with more extensive hard drive problems, including mechanical failures, data corruption and physical damage from disasters.

If your hard drive was damaged from a fire or flood, recovery services are the way to go. They physically dismantle the hard drive in a cleanroom environment to examine the actual platters where data is stored and salvage that data with various tools. Other Important Considerations While it's wise to do your research and decide which hard drive recovery service might be best for your needs before something happens, we've spent hours researching these services. We've spoken with dozens of customer service representatives and have verified the certifications each service claims to have.

The top services on our list offer a 'No Data, No Cost Guarantee,' which assures clients that they will not pay if the service is unsuccessful at pulling data from the drive. Some services, though, still charge a flat evaluation fee for looking over the drive to see if data can be salvaged. On our comparison matrix, we point out whether a company carries this guarantee or an evaluation fee. Nearly every service on our list offers expedited service for when you need your data quickly and emergency service for when it's critical that you get your data back as soon as possible. Depending on how many drives you're submitting and the extent of the damage, you can get your recovered data within just a few days. Just be aware that these services cost much more than the standard service. Our Verdict & Recommendations.

We selected for our Business.com Gold Award in part due to its superior cleanroom standards and great customer service. This is the only company with a certified ISO 4 Class 10 cleanroom, making it the only lab that follows a stricter standard regarding the number of allowable particulates within its cleanroom. Further, its customer service reps were helpful and provided consistent information across their many support channels (phone, email, live chat). Earns the Business.com Silver Award for its outstanding customer service and transparent process.

Representatives got back to us in a timely manner and provided helpful, straightforward answers. SalvageData also lists certifications on its web site for its cleanroom (ISO 5) and data security protocols (SOC 3), which provides further assurance to consumers about this service. Fast turnaround times and verifiable, third-party security and privacy certifications launch into third place, and this service is our pick for the Business.com Bronze Award. It missed first or second place due to the lack of a full cleanroom (it uses modular workstations instead) and a lower customer service consistency score.

Seagate Data Recovery

Media failure and data loss can be frustrating, time consuming, and can leave you without access to priceless information. However using a combination of proprietary recovery techniques and extraordinary customer service, our specialists can quickly salvage your data to get you back on track.

Our experts always can help in data recovery services. For over 15 years we’ve handled every kind of data loss situation recovering and salvaging critical data from all kinds of storage devices. Our mission is to successfully salvage and recover your data as safely and quickly as possible, and to provide you with the most stress-free experience possible.