Callcredit Information Group Strengthens its Requirements as to its Fair Processing Notices & Privacy Policies for Marketing Data

In response to regulatory developments in the marketing data marketplace, Callcredit Information Group, one of the UK’s leading providers of marketing data, is strengthening its requirements as to Fair Processing Notices (FPN) and supporting Privacy Policies  for marketing data.

Callcredit Information Group is introducing the enhanced requirements following careful scrutiny of the Information Commissioner’s Office’s guidance on direct marketing  and recent decisions by the First Tier Tribunal .  The analysis has been assisted by independent industry consultants and an extensive period of consumer testing. The purpose of this testing was to refine model FPN and Privacy Policy wording which will enhance the strength of consents obtained from consumers by ensuring that individuals are empowered to make more informed choices about their preferred channels of communication and sectors of interest.

The company has shared the new model FPN and Privacy Policy with its existing data contributors and is working with those providers to adopt the new formula as soon as possible in 2016, and by no later than the end of March 2016. After this date, the company will no longer accept data from any contributor who is unable to comply with the new standards of good practice. This will further strengthen Callcredit Marketing Solutions’ position as a leading provider of consumer data in the UK marketplace.

Will Lowe, Managing Director, Marketing Solutions, Callcredit Information Group said: “Direct marketing has a significant role to play in linking consumers to the products and services that interest them. However, direct marketing practices must constantly evolve and what has been common practice in the past is no longer regarded as good practice today.   As an industry we need to adapt to providing more of what consumers want, which includes how they want to be spoken to and what is of interest to them at a specific point in time. Knowing this will allow brands to engage with more relevance for better results.”

Callcredit Information Group has also taken the decision to suspend selling data for prospecting by telephone, email and SMS from its Define database until it meets this new standard. Clients will still be able to continue to use Define for marketing communications where they hold consent by other means, customer management communications, communications by direct mail as well as for analytics and insight purposes.

Gareth Jones, Data Director, Callcredit Information Group said: “After careful consideration, we have decided that we will acquire marketing data with strengthened privacy permissions and, in the interim, suspend selling data for prospecting by telephone, email and SMS from our Define database until it meets this new standard. This is the right course of action and has three major benefits. First, it will create a pool of data with enhanced consent in terms of channel preference and sector permission providing firmer assurance for our clients; second, it maintains  consumer privacy; and, third, it enables us to extract very precisely defined prospect lists that empower clients to more accurately target prospective customers.”

Callcredit Information Group offers businesses multiple ways to engage with their customers and prospects and will continue to help its clients grow their businesses through multi-channel campaigns.