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October 2017 Newsletter

Posted on 16/10/2017 at 11:33By Corpdata

How Corpdata helps you comply with new data protection law
As you know a new data protection law is coming into force in May 2018. When we at Corpdata first heard about it, it was pretty obvious tha…
Corpdata helping you comply

How Corpdata helps you comply with new data protection law

As you know a new data protection law is coming into force in May 2018. When we at Corpdata first heard about it, it was pretty obvious that GDPR would impact on what we do, and on clients who use our business lists. After a lot of thought we started to plan and change our procedures to enable both us, and equally importantly you, to still execute effective direct marketing AND comply with GDPR (download the regulation from us here.).

Increasingly common are conversations with long standing customers concerned about how they can continue to use externally sourced business lists for direct marketing. Unfortunately for everyone concerned, there is still little concrete information out there, so organisations are having to take matters into their own hands. Some turn to lawyers for guidance, but are often finding the legal profession is unable or unwilling to provide meaningful advice. As time moves on some are feeling it necessary to form some sort of opinion and strategy. Many however are waiting, and doing so in the hope that instructions will emerge from some august body.

Over the past eighteen months we have tried to share our view on what we think the new legislation will mean, and what we and you as a direct marketer need to do to remain legal.

Well, there's some good news, and there's some bad news.

The Good News – there is some !

You can still use direct marketing to generate new business, and you can continue to use third party data, such as a business list from Corpdata.

The Bad News

1. Consent is talked about way too much.
In some ways this seemed the easiest to look into in the early days, there was already some guidance upon what consent might mean, how it could be gained and what might be required to make it compliant. But consent is only ONE of the possible lawful bases for processing personal data, and often will not be the most suitable.

2. Consent will almost never be valid if you use externally sourced lists.
Consent cannot be transferred, full stop. Any data supplier who tells you their data can be used on the basis of consent is either lying to you or completely missing the point ! The ICO take the view that for consent to be valid, the data subject must know who they are giving consent to. This is obviously not the case except in specific list build projects.

3. But you can't forget about consent.
Despite that, the new ePrivacy Regulation (if it is implemented as drafted) will mean you will need consent for using email, mobile phone numbers, social media handles and so forth. So you can't entirely escape the concept of consent. Most importantly ePrivacy as it is drafted means you will not be able to use email addresses from third party data. It's worth re-reading you will NOT be able to use email addresses from third party data if ePrivacy arrives as it seems to be intended. If this is worrying for you, or you don't understand why we say this, our 3 page detailed exploration covers all the legal ground, and the exchanges about the draft document which are happening within the EU. We provide all the documents for you to download, information about where to look within them. We encourage you to form your own opinion, and we are very happy to talk with you about this.

4. You are guilty unless you can prove otherwise.
You need to have the proof that you have acted lawfully. Enough said!

Back to the Good News

  • All the steps we have taken, changes to how we research, and supply our business lists mean that you can be certain that use of Corpdata data and complying with our terms and conditions, you will be able to execute effective and safe direct marketing. As we’ve already mentioned you need to prove that your data and its processing is legal. As your supplier we enable you to do so, and help you prove you need to.

  • Not so much a 'Get out of jail free' card, more or a ‘Don’t go to Jail in the first place’ card for B2B direct marketers.

  • Want to know more about what we’ve done. It’s explained in more detail on our YouTube channel; Andy Smith (MD) explains it all, what we’ve done and the legal reasons why.

  • If you are wondering how we work, and more about the organisation, our One Minute Whizz through Corpdata video will show you about us.

  • On our YouTube channel, we share with you our understanding of GDPR and look at the impacts of it on UK organisations.

  • We have updated our Terms and Conditions, and these are key to ensuring you continue to be safe when GDPR comes into force.


Safe Business Lists

Our telephone research and our process make your Corpdata business list safe to use

Over 25 years our reputation for supplying UK business lists is not just the result of our bright articulate people and the calls they make checking and refreshing details we hold on hundreds of thousands of UK businesses. Our clients stick with us because of our years of experience to adapt our systems and processes to meet the direct marketing needs of today.

As you know UK data protection legislation is changing, and you may also be aware that with these changes come large penalties for the unwise or unwary. The law changes many things; one being that the distinction between private individuals and those acting as agents for the companies they work for will for all practicable purposes no longer exist.

Well over a year ago we refocussed our telephone research and what we ask to reflect the change in data protection law. When we now call, we ask those we speak to for their preferences toward marketing communications via email, telephone or post. It became apparent to us that most people were prepared to receive something ! So after many months of careful research we are now in the position to present clients with business lists using contact preferences.

Once we have gained a person's preferences toward direct marketing messages it becomes important to respect them, and be seen to do so. It may seem obvious but we also thought long and hard about both obtaining business contact information in a lawful way but also managing what we have to ensure that its continued use is also lawful.

This is why we now offer two safe methods to use Corpdata B2B business lists. The simplest is to use them quickly after we supply them, use them once – it’s that simple. However many people believe that the most effective direct marketing employs a multiple contact approach to both inform, educate and motivate people to action over time. Many of our clients do just this. Our Rolling license allows them to continue to do so by regularly updating the list they use, which means the latest update from us reflects any changes in our contact’s preferences.

GDPR is not that far away (download the regulation from us here.). Our approach does mean that if your business needs to target new business you will still be able to do so.

GDPR and you

GDPR and you

Many of our customers are contacting us concerned about GDPR and how they or their clients should respond to it. Regulation 679 of the European Union, otherwise known as GDPR, comes into force on 25th May 2018 (download the regulation from us here.). Our newsletter opened about the steps we have taken to prepare and respond, and how direct marketing can still be efficiently employed to continue to find customers and help businesses grow.

Corpdata have for twenty five years served the demand for accurate B2B marketing lists, but GDPR goes well beyond your ability to target and communicate to potential new customers. New business acquisition is impacted by the change in data protection law, but we recognise this is only part of your organisations challenge. Like every organisation Corpdata holds employee records, customer records, prospect details, supplier information and so on. You can understand that GDPR was always going to have a big impact on what we do. This meant we really think things through properly, and carefully and fully. So we applied ourselves to making sure that we are fully compliant. We are and so we now offer this service to you.

We recognised that between now and next May, there would be a growing need for practical and affordable advice that allows small to medium sized organisations to effectively manage the risk that GDPR poses.

You will need to be legal, and you will need to be able to prove it. So, Dept679 has been created specifically to enable organisations to ensure full compliance with GDPR, and develop processes and systems that allow you to prove it.

Rather like providing accurate business lists quickly, the ethos of Dept679 is “You concentrate on what you do best, we'll take care of your personal data protection worries”. Most people are enjoying the affordability. Our aim is to partner with our clients long term, so we do not charge huge up-front fees, but instead cost are spread over a five year term, during which time we will ensure you continue to comply even as the law becomes more clear and settled.

Five years may sound like a long time but when the law does change it will be here for ever, and so will your need to comply.

Dept679 is a division of Corpdata, have a look at dept679.com, from just £100 per month we’ll help you manage this potentially complicated area. Leaving you to get on with managing your business.

Call Dept679 FREE to find out more - 0800 2800 679