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Manage Privacy in a Multichannel Environment
By Donna Loyle
Call it the privacy paradox. Consumers want to purchase products and services in a multichannel environment, and they respond well to personalized marketing strategies, but they still want their privacy protected. What's a direct marketer to do?
This was the central question answered during the Sept. 24 audio conference, "Managing Privacy Across Multiple Channels," sponsored by the International Association of Privacy Officers.
Moderator James Koenig, chief development and legal officer of ePrivacy Group, a consulting and training company, said the consequences of the paradox are that consumers who are not sure their privacy will be protected tend to "buy less and lie more." Koenig quoted a Forrester Report finding that 67 percent of consumers admit to providing false information in an attempt to protect their privacy.
In addition, when consumers suspect their privacy is being compromised, they pressure legislators for more action, which is what we're seeing today, Koenig noted. But companies that build trusting relationships with their customers will gain the competitive advantage. "Confidence and long-term customer value is the game," Koenig said. "'Privacy' is what you call it when it's been done wrong."
Marketing Oversight
Mary Helen Gillespie, chief privacy officer (CPO) at FleetBoston Financial, and one of the conference speakers, suggested multichannel marketers develop a marketing oversight management process that entails the following:
Make It Real
Barbara Lawler, CPO at Hewlett-Packard (HP), and another speaker at the audio conference, reiterated the importance of making privacy policies real to employees who must adhere to them. She offered these tips:
Companies Mentioned:
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