Is your company going to be GDPR compliant?

Why we should all be excited about GDPR

Taking the digital world by storm, ‘GDPR’ is the buzzword on every reputable company’s lips – and as we approach the final quarter of 2017.

With circa 75% of all data predicted to be rendered obsolete, the ICO’s upcoming changes to current data protection regulations is the biggest news to hit our industry in over 20 years; and as a result, our generation of modern professionals are fighting to ensure they achieve compliance – or at least dodge monetary penalties.

But in the rush to avoid being hit by the significantly increased fines of up to £17 million, or 4% of our turnover for the previous year, are we forgetting about the bigger picture of GDPR?

The ICO’s UK Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, stated that in attempting to safeguard ourselves from any negative repercussions, “we risk losing sight of what this new law is about – greater transparency, enhanced rights for citizens and increased accountability.”

Created to eradicate data duplicity, and give consumers more control, we must have confidence that after 4 years of EU parliamentary planning and debate, the ICO might actually know what they’re talking about.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave…

Over the last few years, it has often been considered common practice for lead generators, advertisers and publishers to avoid transparency, opting instead for the murky waters of ‘automatic opt-ins’, hidden information, and the mass distribution of largely irrelevant information.

Is it any wonder that consumers have become so cynical and unimpressed when they are constantly being inundated with advertisements? They are now so commonplace and routine, that ignoring them has become second nature.  And on top of that, isn’t it disheartening to realise that your campaigns and communications aren’t being viewed, opened, responded to, or even acknowledged? Bad leads, bot fraud, and sloppy targeting are the kind of things that give the rest of the industry a bad name – and the kind of things that GDPR hopes to eradicate.

So, wouldn’t it be better for everybody if citizens had ‘enhanced rights’, and they only saw the kind of ‘ad’ that is most likely to appeal to them? It saves advertisers and publishers time and money, and has the potential to enhance the repute and success of countless brands. Sure, the price of leads may rise, but so will the quality of what you’re paying for…

Basically, unless you’re covering something up, you should be preparing for May 2018 with a smile on your face.

Why panic, unless you have something to hide?

In a world driven by change, humans are renowned for our ability to adapt. We’ve mastered fire, we’ve conquered air travel, and we’re making huge progress with Artificial Intelligence. So, the question I really want to ask is what on earth are we all panicking about now? If your number one priority truly is the customer, surely that implies that you genuinely have everybody else’s best interests at heart? You’re probably already most-way GDPR compliant anyway!

And if that’s the case, why aren’t we all rejoicing about the changes?

Databowl’s CEO, Simon Delaney, stated that “There will be casualties of GDPR, because essentially it all boils down to who really wants to create mutually beneficial, above-board relationships, and who just wants to benefit themselves.”

Ultimately, it’s all about transparency.

So, allow us to be above board and glaringly honest. At Databowl, we’re excited for GDPR – partially because we have zero problems ensuring our compliance is top notch, but mainly because we can actually help you (and ourselves), by providing a mutually beneficial solution to enable you to ensure that you are GDPR compliant. Forever.

I know…you’re probably sceptical. You’ve heard it all before… marketing automation doesn’t fix your compliance. But it goes a long way towards it – we promise.

Introducing our new ‘GDPR check me’ button

With current legislation being subject to change between now and next May…Databowl are well ahead of the curve. Continually staying abreast of the new regulations, our compliance is in sync with the ICO. Pulling through relevant and compliant data with just the click of a button, we allow you to ‘GDPR-check’ everything with just the click of a button.

Powering real-time connections between consumers, advertisers and online ad publishers, our software helps you capture new prospects, validate leads and market to the data you collect. Measuring your entire marketing process from initial interest through to end result, we also keep tabs on your compliance.

By making use of our ‘GDPR check me’ button, you can:

• Add mandatory content to your landing pages, such as channel opt-ins, T&C’s and Privacy Links
• Hold suppression files of individuals who have opted out, preventing future contact
• Upload your creative and written assets so all data sources can use compliant info
• Capture compulsory fields of all data coming in to the system – such as source and opt-in date/time
• Set notifications so you can regularly check opt-ins on the places the data is being collected

Ensuring maximum security, the ICO suggests that you designate someone to take responsibility for data protection compliance and assess where this role will sit within your organization's structure.

Working in tandem with the system, you can invite people you designate in your organisation to your Databowl instance. This means the right people have the right tools to carry out the role more effectively – with much less hassle.

So, separating the good and the bad, and bringing the integrity-driven companies to the fore, the new GDPR gives us all an opportunity to step up our game. With automation software helping to make this more simple and effective, May 2018 is going to bring about the right to be forgotten, or the opportunity to shine.