The pain of GDPR compliance and the long term effects
GDPR has no exemptions that organisations I work with can rely on, perhaps for the first time with data, we are all in it together.
The challenges facing organisations trying to comply are magnified by the amount of “fake news” surrounding it. I haven’t been surprised by the feeding frenzy from those trying to cash in yet I am somewhat alarmed by the number of “experts” on this untried legislation. I understood that it took 10,000 hours to become an expert in something and I’m wondering how the experts managed that. C’est la vie.
What truly concerns me is that this is a massive cultural change and I fear that the policies being written and disseminated are not going to empower the people that need to deal with data on a daily basis. During my 29 years in the field of risk, insurance and business continuity I have seen many issues that could have been avoided by educating people. Yet it seems that policies are written to ensure employment or contracts can be terminated rather than actually encouraging people to comply. I realise that this is partly due to legal precedent yet motivating people by fear is far weaker than motivating them by other means.
Having listened to many people and taking in copious amounts of information, I think that the feeding frenzy has prevented people from understanding the “mission” of the data regulators. They want organisations to be careful with data and respect the wishes and privacy of people like you and I. It is not a lot to ask yet achieving that aim is undoubtedly awkward. It is a lot less awkward if the culture of an organisation recognises this.
I have this awful nagging doubt that people will not be motivated to do the right data thing if they are told off or, disciplined when they make mistakes. I’ve seen many policies that tell people what to do yet they are rarely allied with the cultural piece. Even rarer is the right level of education and reinforcement that motivates.
The deadline will come and go yet the mission of the regulator is not going to be achieved if the culture of blame continues to be the most pervasive in organisations. One issue that no-one seems to have thought about is the way salespeople treat data. Arguments over who owns it are regular, especially with the advance of online networks. Roughly 50% of people take data with them when they leave one organisation for another. There are at least two companies in breach when this happens and the individual has broken the law. It is theft after all.
The existing regulations state that this shouldn’t happen yet half of the population think it’s OK to take it when they really know that they shouldn’t. It could be argued that the policies that discipline people have worked because they have stopped the other half from doing this. Yet half is not enough. It should be a single digit number, at the very worst.
So policies and procedures are not working now. New ones will not change that if they don’t address the cultural side of human behaviour.
What can be done?
A new type of policy is required. Naturally, it should start at the top of an organisation. It should motivate people to change the way they think about data. It should be readable, not shrouded in jargon. It should reward people for doing the right thing. It should be something that everyone is reminded about. But not “beaten up” over.
Jason Cobine is an Insurance broker in London who works with businesses and charities. He has built a business from scratch, without pilfering data so he knows how hard it is. Yet it was a cultural decision that has been proved to be correct.
The GDPR is coming. Time to sit down, relax and take stock
This article is about the feeding frenzy taking place, how to avoid it and what to look out for in the run up to GDPR lift off.
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The vultures have been circling for some time now.
Plenty of people are putting the frighteners on good people that just want to survive the supposed relentlessness of heavily armed Data Commissioners issuing fines aplenty. Which will not actually happen. The ICO simply haven’t got enough resources to do that. Much like other agencies that are not for profit.
Speaking of which, it is those that are for profit that we need to be wary of. I’ve received several updated contracts from insurance companies dictating how data issues need to be resolved. My first piece of advice is to establish what your partners expect of you because, whilst the data commissioner might give you 72 hours to report certain types of breach, I am now contractually bound to give others 24 hours notice. Probably because they want the lions share of the deadline to get themselves ready. They also insist on certain types of data security and issue tight deadlines on “data subject access requests”. Cheeky but true.
So have you read all your contracts recently?
At least some of our partners are decent enough to tell us they’re being updated. Other contracts, like insurance policies, already cater for the change with clever wording. Where it states that they expect you to be complying with the law it actually means that as soon as the law changes, you have to be compliant with the new one. They don’t need to wait for the renewal of a contract to make you keep up with legislation. They’ve already taken care of it.
Are you going to read all your supplier or partner contracts? Probably not. Who has the time? I hear you sigh! Keep these in mind when you are changing your policies that are affected by GDPR. There might be a clash. You might want to notify them with 72 hours, yet they might stipulate immediately. Forewarned is forearmed and I don’t think fines are going to cause the biggest headache. I think it will be interruptions to business and loss of reputation and/or clients.
Government crack the whip
I have a feeling that the government announcement last week, that it would try and reduce the compensation culture by cracking down (again) on so called “whiplash” claims, might fuel the class action culture that Morrisons supermarkets find themselves subject to. There are a lot of companies that rely on that revenue stream (it’s in the billions) and they will switch to the next as quick as they went from PPI to holiday sickness claims. And PPI is coming to an end.
Wrap Up: We’re not overly concerned about the deadlines imposed by our supply chain because we have the resources to cope with them. Yet we’re very pleased we know what they are because a data breach causes enough confusion on it’s own.
Top Tip: Once you’ve assessed your position, review your contracts to see what else you might need to weave in. This is a once in 20 year opportunity to engage with your stakeholders. Done well, it will build trust regarding data and how you want to keep it safe. That trust is gold dust in the current climate.
How to protect risks to cashflow with insurance
This blog is about protecting cash flow, especially if those that owe money go bust.
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What if a buyer goes bust?
With the global recession and Brexit, business owners are having to consider the impact this could potentially have on their business. What if a client goes bust? If a company is owed significant amounts of money from clients, it is a major risk to cash flow.
Gareth came to us with these questions and more. He knew exactly what he wanted from an insurance. Dealing with imports he needed peace of mind that he had cover if stock went missing. He also needed to know that his invoices were covered if products didn’t reach the consumer. We took time to completely understand Gareth’s business to a granular level.
What if they don’t want to pay?
Business Owners need confidence that they are going to get cover that matched their needs and not be sold an off the peg insurance that doesn’t quite do the job. After negotiating with underwriters we carefully selected the options that matched Gareth’s broad requirements.
One option included protection against protracted debts or liquidations relating to companies that had been invoiced. It often helps with obtaining quicker payments, from companies that are happy to share the debt, when the risk of a default is backed by credible protection.
What are the risks when reducing risks?
Following up with a meeting to go through the small print and fully explain terms, conditions and exclusions is a must. We tell it like it is, the good and the bad so our clients can make informed decisions.
The devil is in the detail and it is often a surprise to everyone, including us, when it is interpreted based on a particular business. It’s our duty to actually recommend protection that fits each client and the most appropriate has to meet their needs, rather than provide the dreaded false sense of security.
Wrap up; Small print can be seen as an enemy yet there’s a lot that can be learned from it. Read our blogs on the different types of policies available. I used to be surprised at the number of people that told me that they had already covered everything, then sent me documents riddled with exclusions. I now know it is a common occurrence in our sector.
Top tip; Some people find out when it’s too late.Review your debtors regulary and watch out for slow payers and avoid companies that are shown as risks on credit checks
Contracts, Consultants and indemnity
Jason really was amazing, he managed to find insurance cover for me as a consultant valuation surveyor when no one else could. He kept me informed of progress continually. I would thoroughly recommend him.”
– Robin Smith, FRICS
Getting your contracts in order
Robin called me saying “I need urgent assistance”. I’ve won a contract yet they’re asking me for insurance and nobody can provide me with what’s needed. This is something we deal with every week because a lot of insurance providers have placed their products on the Internet and don’t have the facilities to give advice as to what fits.
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The contract wasn’t complicated or onerous yet it was specific. The type of work to be carried out was slightly unusual yet the problem wasn’t the work it was the availability of cover. Robin also had a deadline to meet and so the frustration in finding red herrings all over the Internet was understandable. There were many providers that said they could offer the cover Robin needed but as soon as he scratched the surface they turned and ran in the opposite direction.
Insurance and contracts are usually at odds
Another challenge for Robin was that the contracts told him the terms and conditions of undertaking the project yet the insurance available has to be compare to the contract to ensure they dovetail. There are clauses in contracts that relate to insurance and there are clauses in insurance policies that relate to contracts.
Most insurances available via the Internet are no good when compared to contracts. The fact that so many insurance providers allow people to buy insurance without speaking to anyone is brilliant. Especially when you need something in a hurry. It’s not so brilliant when you need to speak to somebody and find that the Internet and, in particular the website that you found it on, doesn’t take your calls.
Whatever next?
Sometimes those awarding the contract start reading the insurance themselves and asking questions. Being cynical, they often ask these questions when they are due to pay an invoice. I’m not saying that they use this as a tactic to delay payment yet, if the insurance doesn’t meet the requirements, they will delay payment.
This happens most often when small businesses are working with a large company with an in-house legal team. They accept the insurance documents and only start checking the details when they are due to pay. This is so common we make sure that the insurance stacks up before it’s issued rather than suffer the pain of the late payment at a later date.
Wrap up; Temptation to accept a contract with a large company is great. The offer may seem fantastic yet their requirements can offer the water down the profitability.
Top tip; Make sure you check the cost of the insurance before you negotiate your fees or payment terms. You might need insurance for a contract yet you don’t want to end up with zero profit.
Say it but don’t blame me
Sometimes it’s best to help your prospects understand what you offer that your competitors don’t rather than trying to highlight the inadequacies of your competitors. This is specially the case when the comments you make are in public especially when your competitors get angered easily and or have very deep pockets or in-house legal teams. This article explains what happens when someone is unhappy with what you say about them, how to avoid it and what you can do about it.
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I have a client who has produced software that is absolute outstanding and reduces the amount of time you and I spend waiting for organizations to answer our calls. It also reduces the number of staff call center require and I think it’s a product that provides everyone with a benefit. They have nearly 1 million subscribers to their app so they must be doing something right.
There was a time, before they appeared on “Dragons Den”, that they were looking to generate a buzz about their business. They talked to a marketing consultant and eventually persuaded to use a marketing expert who’s specialized in generating PR for technology based businesses. It all sounds great, everything heading in the right direction.
We didn’t say that did we?
The marketing expert had decided to seed the press and other relevant forums with explanations about the different waiting times that people experience when calling well known companies. In theory these companies were not competitors to our clients. They were irked even angered, to find them self at the top of a table highlighting which companies leaves callers on hold for the longest time. The angriest was a particularly large company in the health industry and they decided to issue a letter asking our client to explain exactly where they got their information from and asking them to remove any reference to that company from the public domain. This was an understandable reaction to an article that was supposed to improve the profile of this client yet it just sort to anger a party they didn’t needed to anger and caused many other problems internally. The initial panic should never be underestimated when you get a letter from a in-house lawyer because they have so much time on their hands to deal with such issues.
naturally my first question to my client was had they actually made the points that the in-house lawyer objected to. Their answer was it wasn’t us. Yet when I used Google I found the article was credited to them. At which point they said it was an outsourced marketing expert who had put these articles together. I asked if the marketing expert had provided evidence of their insurance. Blank looks all round. I asked if the marketing expert’s research had been checked by my client. More blank looks. I asked if the marketing expert had used an specialist to research the details they were using. The blank looks continued.
Shall we tell them it wasn’t us.
This was the comment my client made next and I asked them if they thought that would send the complainant off towards the marketing company and they realized that was probably never going to happen. If that were the case, everyone would simply say someone else did it in our name and no one would ever seize or desist when the lining someone. Fortunately they didn’t need to have this conversation because we had already provided them with a legal defense if allegation of liable defamation or breach of confidentiality were leveled at them yet they still had learned a valuable lesson about suppliers. These days very few businesses are self contained. Nearly every company I know relies on a employee or another organization to help them deliver their product or services. However not all such businesses are as careful as they should be and you can either be guilty by association or considered guilty because something is done under your umbrella.
Top Tip:
Check your suppliers carefully if they have insurance and it is fit for purpose you can give them a free rain, which makes your life easier.
Wrap up:
If they don’t have insurance you shouldn’t be dealing with them. Because at best, your insurance premiums will creep up as your suppliers make mistakes. That’s like buying car insurance and allowing the worst driver you know and drive even though they are already banned.
No-one will sue me or blame me
Business is easier to do when people are getting on yet it pays to keep everyone happy when relationships start to falter. This article is about money, the fact that it talks when opinions differ and why it is a foreign language for some.
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I’ve had an idea…..but I can’t do it on my own
Inventors are not just stuck in sheds. Some of them are hugely creative and have big idea after big idea. I am contacted by inventors when they want to protect an idea they’ve created. Most of them are in “start-up” mode and it takes time for the income to pour in.
However, they still need services to help them lift off and it is not uncommon to reach bartering agreements or agree profit or equity shares with those that help them out. Wonderful isn’t it? In an ideal World, yes, in the real World it depends. Recently, I’ve been contacted by two different companies who both had similar issues with such agreements . They were both being taken to court when such “contracts” had gone sour, they were very loose unwritten agreements.
We can’t agree about everything
But it pays to sit down and agree the basics. The first indication that something was going wrong was the receipt of a legal document outlining a case of a service provided that hadn’t been paid for. In each case the inventor thought they had “come to an agreement” yet the complainant asserted that nothing had been written down and they expected a prompt realisation of profits, which is rare. Both inventors were upset as well as being annoyed. One was being asked for £40,000 in fees for work they had “ordered”. The other was being invoiced for £18,000 fees for time spent “assisting” the start-uo.
Even after the first legal notice was issued, the inventor contacted the person that was “owed” the £40,000 and came to another agreement. They were somewhat surprised to learn, soon after, that the complainant had obtained a judgement against them and bailiffs were chasing them for money they didn’t have. Sometimes, the courts do odd things. Launching an appeal has proved fruitless for at lease one company facing a wind up order. Their business was closed down by a judge before the appeal date arrived. It is beyond belief.
You owe me, I sue you
Eventually, the money was found yet it had been earmarked for marketing so the launch had to be delayed in one case. The debts were paid when they may not have been legally liable to pay them. They were forced to settle because they didn’t have the resources to defend themselves.
Defending yourself doesn’t have to be ridiculously costly but it does take up time. High quality legal resources have to be paid for. It’s not only about what you sign, it’s about what you agree. Verbal agreements are often considered binding by one party and failure to defend a corner means louder voices are likely to be heard. The balance between defending and paying up doesn’t always leave defendants between a rock and a hard place. I have plenty of clients who have successfully defended spurious allegations.
Wrap up; Contracts aren’t always big documents and verbal agreements are often taken seriously. It’s really difficult to juggle all the tasks when unexpected legal issues arise. Not to mention the upset if you don’t know where to turn.
Top tip; Do not ignore issues that are on the “too difficult list”. They have a habit of resurfacing and investor shareholders hate that too. It is not fair but the deepest pockets usually win.
