How to lose customer goodwill when buying a business

Make sure previous owner leaves their details on view

If you're buying an online business make sure its previous owners lax security hasn't left you with a privacy disaster waiting to happen.

Staff at Megabyte Cybercafe, which took over the business (but not the debts) of Internet design agency websonline.co.uk from the receivers, were shocked when we told them that confidential customer details had being left in plain view on the defunct business' Web site.

After we informed Megabyte of the gaff this afternoon it swiftly pulled confidential files, which included customer addresses and contact details, contracts and invoices, from the site.

Quiet how such a monumental security cock-up happened in the first place isn't clear - but we're sure this is one aspect of websonline.co.uk's business Megabyte certainly didn't want to inherit - particularly while the sale is going through. ®