Member Article

60% of businesses lose data

Almost 60% of marketing professionals admit to having lost customers’ personal data in the last two years. In 90% of cases, the loss went unreported - either because the businesses felt they weren’t required to report the loss, or they were unsure whether they needed to.

The figures, compiled by email marketing firm StrongMail, found many firms are prepared to share ‘the type of personal data that would horrify civil liberty and data privacy groups’.

Although three quarters of respondents to the survey said they limit the types of personal information they share with other companies for marketing purposes, just under 10% said they disclose customers’ sexual orientation.

One in seven admitted to sharing details about their customers’ political affiliation, while one in 20 said they give details of ethnic background.

Paul Bates, managing director of StrongMail UK, said: “A cavalier attitude towards outsourcing customer data to third-parties combined with complacent processes for keeping that data safe is a recipe for disaster. The fact is confidential customer data doesn’t travel well and providing it to third-parties for outbound marketing purposes can, as the research shows, be a risky proposition. This data is extremely valuable to most firms, and we advise them to think very carefully about how they keep it safe.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .