Why Your Business Should Put More Focus On GDPR

If you’re a business owner, then you’ll know often you’ll be collecting sensitive data from different customers. Of course, you’ll want to ensure that you follow standard procedures in place and make sure important information is not compromised. No matter if you’re supporting interest in life science through marketing or selling lab instruments, you’ll want your business to follow a strict practice in the workplace.

According to TechCrunch, the number of complaints made in the UK on data protection has doubled since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws were introduced in May.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said that it had recorded 6,281 complaints between the period of May to July. To put that into some perspective, it has doubled since 2017, with 2,417 complaints made during the same period last year. It’s worth noting that not all complaints are directly related to GDPR, though ICO has warned that the number could continue to rise in the foreseeable future.

An ICO spokesperson commented: “Generally, as anticipated, we have seen a rise in personal data breach reports from organisations. Complaints relating to data protection issues are also up and, as more people become aware of their individual rights, we are expecting the number of complaints to the ICO to increase, too.”

No doubt that most businesses prepared for GDPR in advance and how it would impact their day-to-day activities. You’ll have invested time in training and preparing staff for the change, though it could be important to revisit that area on a regular basis to ensure everyone in the company is compliant with the laws and their understanding of it, too.

You don’t want to be caught in a position where you’ve not been upholding GDPR in practice. In fact, the fine is capped at £16.5 million (€20 million), which is a dramatic increase on the £500,000 it was previously set at.

James Geary, a principal at EMW Law, commented: “Despite this being on the horizon for a couple of years, the reality of the work involved in [the] implementation and ongoing compliance may have taken many businesses by surprise. The more data a business has, the harder it is to respond quickly and in the correct, compliant manner.”

It should be an issue that many businesses should take notice of, especially for how customers feel towards GDPR. According to research from Marketing Week, 57 per cent of people said they felt that they had a better understanding of how companies are using GDPR and their personal data. However, only 27 per cent said their experience with brands was better, while a staggering 65 per cent said they felt there had been no change.

Now’s the time for business owners to revisit GDPR laws and ensure that staff are up to date with the changes that have been implemented. You might even have had new staff come into the business recently and not received the extensive training that others did when GDPR was put into effect. However, the most important part is not to lose the trust built with customers and suffer a data breach that could have a lasting impact on your business.