Before you launch any kind of telemarketing work, you need to be sure that the numbers you are calling are safe to contact.

Call a telephone number registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) for consumers, or Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) for companies, and you could be facing legal action and even a fine.

See this BBC article published today – Nuisance call bosses could be fined up to £500,000 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44294566

It’s easy to see that this is something that you really want to avoid doing – so we offer a service that ensures this won’t happen to you.

Selectabase are an official licensee of the TPS and CTPS and hold a full copy of both registers. These are downloaded and updated every day from the TPS Online website, therefore we can help you stay compliant with simple to use and instant TPS checking services. If your database of contact details features any numbers that you are not legally permitted to call, our checking service will flag them up.

Try the service for free. Call 01304 383838 or visit https://www.selectabase.co.uk/services/tps-check/

With GDPR just around the corner we thought it would be useful to answer the questions the ICO suggest you should be asking your marketing data list supplier.

These can be found via the ICO’s direct marketing guidance – viewed 10th May 2018 – skip to page 51 ‘Buying a marketing list’.

The ICO advises “Organisations buying or renting a marketing list from a list broker or other third party must make rigorous checks to satisfy themselves that the third party obtained the personal data fairly and lawfully, that the individuals understood their details would be passed on for marketing purposes, and that they have the necessary consent.”

Reasonable due diligence might include checking the following:

Questions in bold, Selectabase answers underneath

1. Who compiled the list?
   Our data portal Prospect Download hosts both Experian’s marketable B2C ConsumerView Database, and B2B National Business Database. Experian’s data partners obtain personal and commercial data compliantly and where appropriate notice has been given for them to pass the information to Experian for use in their products and services.To learn more about Experian consumer data, click here.
   To learn more about Experian business data, click here.

   When?
   All lists are completely refreshed and rebuilt every month.

   Has it been amended or updated since then?
   Invalid data is removed and new data added every month.

2. When was consent obtained?
   We do not use consent as the legal basis for processing. Our data lists are sold for direct marketing purposes using legitimate interests as the legal basis for processing.Please visit our GDPR & Marketing Data page www.selectabase.co.uk/gdpr/ for more information.
3. Who obtained it and in what context?
   Experian’s data partners obtain personal and commercial data compliantly and where appropriate notice has been given for them to pass the information to Experian for use in their products and services.Please visit our GDPR & Marketing Data page www.selectabase.co.uk/gdpr/ for more information.
4. What method was used – eg was it opt-in or opt-out?
   Data subjects will have been provided with the opportunity to opt-out from third parties processing the data for use in connection with their direct marketing services at the point when the data was collected.
5. Was the information provided clear and intelligible?
   Yes, data subjects will have been informed about the purposes for which their data would be used, by whom (by category of business or by name) and given the chance to opt-out at the time.
6. Did it specifically mention texts, emails or automated calls?
   No, as the legal basis for processing is legitimate interests, not consent, so there is no requirement to provide granularity of choice. Business to consumer data (i.e. to individuals) is limited to postal data only and screened against the Mailing Preference Service (MPS). Business to business data for sole traders and true partnerships includes postal and telephone data, and B2B data for corporate entities includes email postal, and telephone data, screened against the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS). Email marketing to corporate entities does not require consent. Please visit our GDPR & Marketing Data page www.selectabase.co.uk/gdpr/ for more information.
7. Did it list organisations by name, by description, or was the consent for disclosure to any third party?
   Selectabase only provides data that can be processed for direct marketing purposes using legitimate interests as the legal basis. It also means that there is no legal requirement for Selectabase to be specifically named, although Selectabase will have been identified by category of business. Please visit our GDPR & Marketing Data page www.selectabase.co.uk/gdpr/ for more information.
8. Has the list been screened against the TPS or other relevant preference services?
   Yes, against the individual and corporate Telephone Preference Service (TPS and CTPS). Postal consumer data is screened against MPS.

   If so, when?
   Every day all lists with telephone numbers are screened.

9. Has the individual expressed any other preferences – eg regarding marketing calls or mail?
   No, as we do not use consent as the legal basis for processing. Our data lists are sold for direct marketing purposes using legitimate interests as the legal basis for processing. Please visit our GDPR & Marketing Data page www.selectabase.co.uk/gdpr/ for more information.
10. Has the seller received any complaints?
    Quite the opposite, and to demonstrate this you can see our Why Choose Us page www.selectabase.co.uk/why-choose-us/ to view a sample of testimonials from thousands of clients that have used our direct marketing data lists and services over the years. Naturally like all direct marketing lists we do from time to time receive a very low number of unsubscribe requests from the data lists we provide. These are actioned promptly and efficiently and where individuals have requested the source of their details this is always communicated transparently. We can assure you that Selectabase will only supply marketing data lists that are compliant under the EU’s GDPR processing rules.
11. Is the seller a member of a professional body or accredited in some way?
    Yes, Selectabase is a member of The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and were one of the first organisations to be recognised as being fully compliant with The DMA’s Data Compliance Audit process. This full data audit was carried out by DQM GRC, a third-party auditor working on behalf of the DMA’s Data Compliance Audit process and the DMA’s Code of Practice. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office ((ICO) as a data controller, and all our data is sourced and processed appropriately within ICO guidelines.

Even if an organisation does not need specific consent for its marketing (eg for calls screened against the TPS list, or for mail marketing), it should still not go beyond what the individuals would reasonably expect. It should only market products or services which are reasonably similar to those which have been promoted to those customers in the past, or which they have a clear reason to expect. Bought-in call lists must always be screened against the TPS. And they should also be screened against the organisation’s own in-house suppression (do not call) list, to ensure it doesn’t contact anyone who has already said they want to opt out of its marketing.

Selectabase support this by carrying out due diligence on every data list order before release. Plus all of our direct marketing lists are screened against the appropriate preference services. In addition, on 29th January 2018 Selectabase released our new, free Windows PC App EasyCheck, which enables users to screen consumer and business, telephone number and postal data against the individual and corporate Telephone Preference Service (TPS and CTPS), and the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) – and all from the desktop!

Please note that these answers provide a general overview response. Answers may vary on a case by case basis depending on your campaign, marketing channel (postal, telephone, or email), B2B or B2C audience, and the product or service being promoted.

If you have any questions regarding this blog or would like to find out more about the services we offer, to help you with compliant direct marketing, call our friendly team on 01304 383838.

Credit to Legal Futures https://bit.ly/2HbysTD

With less than 50 working days until GDPR takes effect on 25 May 2018, many businesses are starting to consider the hot topic of whether their marketing lists will still be valid.

As we all know, under GDPR, organisations can only process personal data if they have a lawful basis for doing so (article 5, clause 1). The test for ‘lawfulness of processing’ includes that the data subject has given consent for the processing, but this does not automatically mean that you need consent to carry out direct marketing (or any other type of processing).

Even the ICO acknowledges that obtaining valid consent under GDPR (article 7) will be challenging and they urge businesses to consider whether consent is the correct lawful basis for the processing of any data.

Legitimate interests

Recital 47 of the GDPR states: “The processing of personal data for direct marketing purposes may be regarded as carried out for a legitimate interest.”

Postal marketing: As long as the organisation identifies itself, offers an opt-out and screens addresses against the Mail Preference Service, then it’s OK to send first-party marketing (about your own products and services) as long as the individual has not previously opted out.

Email/SMS marketing: You must follow the rules in PECR, which require an opt-in unless you have obtained the contact details of the individual during the course of a sale (or negotiations of the sale) of a product or service.

The marketing must be of a similar product or service and the individual must have been given the opportunity to opt-out.

When can we email or text companies?

You can email or text any corporate body (a company, Scottish partnership, limited liability partnership or government body). However, it is good practice – and good business sense – to keep a ‘do not email or text’ list of any businesses that object or opt out, and screen any new marketing lists against that.

Telephone marketing: For live marketing calls, the rules say you can contact anyone as long as they have not previously opted out and are not registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS for individuials) and the Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS for companies). You must not make automated calls to anyone unless they have specifically opted in to receive this type of call from you.

Selectabase and GDPR

We can assure you that Selectabase will only sell data that is compliant under the EU’s GDPR processing rules. You can trust us to only provide you with the highest quality marketing data, in accordance with the latest GDPR guidance.

Marketing is a significant and important economic activity. Organisations are entitled to market their goods and services, and they have a legitimate interest in seeking to address marketing to the most relevant audiences.

Speak to one of our data experts today on 01304 383838 and see how you can benefit from using Selectabase’s GDPR ready data.

Rest assured!

We recently shared a couple of news stories on our social media feeds “Direct mail industry set for boom time under GDPR” https://goo.gl/2iubwH and “Much needed clarity from ICO on Legitimate Interest and Direct Mail!” https://goo.gl/sd6BZj. These stories offer some welcome good news to all businesses and importantly our valued customers that utilise the power of direct mail.

In a new FAQ section on its website the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) confirms: “You won’t need consent for postal marketing…you can rely on legitimate interests for marketing activities if you can show how you use people’s data is proportionate, has a minimal privacy impact, and people would not be surprised or likely to object.”

This is welcome news from the ICO to finally confirm that businesses will be able to use legitimate interests, and not have to gain explicit consent under GDPR to mail individuals by post.

So rest assured the long term benefit of direct mail will continue post GDPR. We can indeed continue to help you with the supply of B2B and B2C data lists along with our hybrid mail Create & Post service – providing a truly one stop shop solution.

If you have any questions regarding this blog or would like to find out more about the services we offer, to help you with compliant direct marketing, call our friendly team on 01304 383838.

In preparation for the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) on the 25th May 2018, Selectabase are working on a number of solutions to help our customers be compliant, and over the coming weeks and months we will share the various updates with you.

Our first update relates to the release of our new, free Windows PC App EasyCheck, which enables you to screen your consumer and business, telephone number and postal data against the individual and corporate Telephone Preference Service (TPS and CTPS), and the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) – and all from your desktop!

Selectabase are an official licensee of TPS, CTPS and MPS and hold a full copy of these registers. They are downloaded and updated every day, therefore we can help you stay compliant with simple to use and instant data checking services. If your database of contact details features any numbers that you are not legally permitted to call, or consumers that have opted out of postal mail our checking service will flag them up. There is even a free list de-duplication checking tool!

Are you concerned about uploading and releasing your precious sensitive data to a data cleansing company? Then waiting for minutes, hours or even days until it’s return?

With EasyCheck you can check full lists against the live ‘do not contact’ TPS, CTPS and MPS registers instantly without parting with your data.

How to use EasyCheck:

– Load the EasyCheck software and login
– Open the file you would like to check within Microsoft Excel
– Choose TPS/CTPS/MPS checking & your preferred flagging options
– Press the button to begin automatic checking
– Sit back and watch the software scroll down and check your data!
– No need to send your data away and wait – instant results!

Download EasyCheck today and as a new user we include 50 free credits.

If you have any questions regarding this blog or would like to find out more about the services we offer, to help you with compliant direct marketing, call our friendly team on 01304 383838.