Isn't it likely that if people complain about every single email to the
regulatory Holy Trinity, this will simply increase their backlogs? This, in
turn, will lessen the likelihood that any of these organisations will be
able to respond effectively to any complaints? This situation involves one
email. And yet now, we have three separate organisations potentially
creating a case, writing responses, taking time. My response in a similar
situation (not that it happens very often) is
1. SPAM UCE arrives.
2. Hit delete key.
3. Make cup of tea.
I know I'm being dismissive, but I don't think we should be paying
organisations like the ASA and IC to deal with single email complaints.
They'll never deal with the big issues if they get distracted by the small
ones. Moreover, they could even use their huge complaints backlog as an
excuse not to do anything, on the basis that they wouldn't know where to
start. Admittedly, I've never heard anyone try this, but give them time, and
sufficient complaints mountain, and it might happen.
Tim Turner
> ----------
> From: Tim Trent[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Reply To: Tim Trent
> Sent: 05 July 2004 16:17
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [data-protection] Data Protection and Customer Service
>
> I am not going to name the company. After all the Chief Privacy Officer
> is
> on this list. But look at the following scenario:
>
> 1. SPAM UCE arrives. Trust me, this is to an individual subscriber.
> 2. I go to the corporate website and use the contact form to lodge a
> complaint, quoting DPA 1998 and 2002/58/EC
> 3. Several days later I get an email acknowledgement which is not
> wholly satisfactory, telling me to ask the Telephone Preference Authority
> (sic) for advice
> 4. I respond suggesting a more in depth response would be desirable
> 5. I decide they are asleep and lodge a complaint with the ASA, the
> TPS
> and the Sleeping Giant (oops I meant "TICO"!)
> 6. Several days pass and I get an email acknowledgement which is very
> junior and does not meet my needs, nor those of the DPA nor 2002/58/EC
> 7. I respond and mention that I have now complained to the ASA, TPS
> and
> TICO
> 8. Several days elapse. I get an email telling me I must "Write on
> paper to the following address". Apparently I must follow their
> procedures
> if I am to complain to them.
> 9. I choose not to be fobbed off and explain my formal procedure for
> complaining and tell them that they must follow *my* procedure for
> complaints and suggest they take it seriously
> 10. I get an email response (eventually) reiterating the demand to
> send
> a written complaint
> 11. I resist the overwhelming urge to allow my toys to leave my pram,
> am
> exceedingly patient in my explanation again of my complaints procedure. I
> do make a helpful suggestion. (Watch it! I know you lot!!) I suggest to
> them that they really ought to take this seriously and escalate it to
> someone who understands that there is an issue
> 12. A very nice lady calls me today to introduce herself and tell me
> that she is taking this seriously and that there is a major customer
> service
> education issue here which she will handle, plus getting to the bottom of
> the problem. She handles me well, gives me a realistic expectation of a
> response (even if it is a call to say "no progress so far") and leaves me
> in
> a pleasant mood. I ask her if "Fred Smith" is their Chief Privacy
> Officer.
> She confirms that Fred is indeed the CPO.
> 13. I wonder to myself if Fred is about to receive a call from her.
> Fred? I'm sorry. I just happen to take this very seriosuly and
> perosnally.
> I know you do too, but it seems that your message hasn't got to the front
> line troops regularly and properly. "Fred" of course may be "Freda". I
> really don't want to identify the corporation that way.
>
> The lesson here is simple.
>
> As CPO, "How do I get my message to the customer facing parts of my
> organisation in such a way that they will take it seriously?"
>
> I may well feature this entire saga, anonymised unless the ASA etc find
> against the corporation when it will be mega public domain stuff anyway
> [Hmm, memo to CPOs "Want to stay off Google for the RIGHT reasons?"] in
> one
> of our newsletters. I don't copy this list on those. I find that overly
> commerically intrusive, but I have put an RSS newsfeed on our website so
> people may see new stuff with ease!
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Tim Trent - Consultant
> Direct: +44(0)1344 392644 Mobile:+44(0)7710 126618
> email: [log in to unmask]
> <blocked::mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Marketing Improvement Limited, Abbey House, Grenville Place, Bracknell,
> United Kingdom, RG12 1BP <blocked::http://www.marketingimprovement.com/>
> http://www.marketingimprovement.com
>
>
>
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