Why good data protection builds customer trust and confidence

Can your customers trust you with their personal information and details?

Are you collecting it in the right way and for the right reason?

Do you store data correctly?

Are you using it to build your brand and relationship with your customers for commercial advantage??

Customer data is one of the most valuable assets in your business – but so many companies are scared to use it, fearing getting into trouble with GDPR and data protection issues. Many think of GDPR as a list of restrictions, but I help my clients to view it as an incredibly useful framework for opening up the opportunities in their business data.?

As the current Information Commissioner, John Edwards, said :“UK GDPR is a how to, not a don’t do”.?

Which means that the data can be used to benefit both your business and your customers too – but within the guidelines so that it’s transparent, people are happy and your brand is protected.?

Customers give you information when they engage with your business – sometimes, it’s just enough to deliver the service, such as transaction information and address. But there is so much more that you can take from these snippets.? ?

Some examples are:?

• Product popularity – how many people are buying it? Is it worth stocking, marketing, manufacturing etc?
• Repeat buying – is this a customer who buys it more than once? How often? When – is there a pattern to their buying? Could you encourage them to buy it more, or more often, at different times of the year?
• Local information – you know where they live, which can aid a geographical campaign or partnership link-up.?

Used well, your data can be an asset to your business, helping to shape your offering, how and what you market, produce and sell. Used even better, it can build your relationship with your customers too.

Segmenting your audience data into meaningful categories based on customer journey stages means your communications will be relevant and timely. You can group customers by:??

• Those who’ve enquired or looked at your products/services but not yet bought?
• Customers who’ve previously made a purchase but haven’t bought for a while?
• Regular buyers who could be interested in something else in your range?

This allows you to talk to each sub-group in a way that’s appropriate and relevant to them, whether that’s reminding them of you, letting them know what their next buy is, rewarding them, sharing news, launching or promoting new products, highlighting your values, community or charity work.

There is so much in your business that you can use to communicate with your customers to build loyalty and create a strong brand.???

As they say though, it’s all OK, until it’s not. If the data is used incorrectly, or outside of what they expect, customer relationships can be lost in a lot less time than it took to build them – and with their loyalty, goes your market share, their immediate spend and lifetime value too.?

Research by OneTrust and the Data & Marketing Association found that 70% of consumers say trusting a brand is more important now than in the past. The recent UK Business Data Survey found that 77% of consumers make choices based on trust.?

Over the past 30 years, consumer purchase decisions have moved from being about quality and price in the 00s, where experience and engagement was important, to now demanding a lot more – they want trust and transparency too. Your customer data is key to building that all-important trust.? ?

It allows you to talk to clients in a targeted way, which:?

- Makes them feel understood?

- Demonstrates you value them?

- Positions you as the expert, who ‘gets’ their wants or needs and can provide the solution, product or service?

If you’re not using your data, you could be missing the opportunity to develop strong relationships with your audience - and grow your business.

If the reason you’re not using it is because you’re worried about getting it wrong, then get in touch and I can guide you through what you can do, why and also, where the line in the sand is – what you definitely can’t do!?

Ask me for friendly advice and 'implement straight away' recommendations.?