The GDPR – would you like to stay informed?

We are living in a digital age and the majority of adults in the UK now have access to an email account and their own email address.  The latest Ofcom report reveals 88% of UK homes now have the internet, 76% of adults own a smartphone and there are over 52 million 4G subscriptions in the UK.   In 2018, it is practically impossible to purchase anything online without an email address and the convenience, functionality and efficiency of email has made it a preferred mode of communication for many.

Effortless

Work in a modern office and your daily routine will likely be shaped by your incoming mail and even if it is not, the proliferation of increasingly smarter smartphones and optimised signal coverage will make accessing an inbox, home or abroad, as effortless as checking the time.

Attention

Small wonder that once you’ve got an email address, emails start arriving that will demand your attention.  A lot of emails.  Before you know it, precious time is spent wading through an overflowing inbox rather than focusing on the ones that matter.  Some will be sent from people you know well but most will be from companies you don’t.  There’s only so long you want to spend unsubscribing from mailing lists you vaguely remember joining or suspect you may have been unwittingly added to.

Nuisance

Unsolicited commercial email or Spam email is a nuisance and has unquestionably blighted the digital landscape for almost as long as it has been in existence.  That is all about to change.  On May 25^th The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes in to effect and companies who fail to comply with new regulations regarding data privacy will face fines as high as 4% of their annual global turnover or €20 Million.  This is not a directive offering guidance but an enforceable set of regulations.

Consent

The consequences of this thorough overhaul of data privacy regulations will be far-reaching but one obvious change will be email.  From May 25^th no companies operating in Europe will be able to send direct marketing emails to an email address without that person’s consent.  To be sent any kind of digital update, bulletin, promotional offer or summary, the recipient will be required to not only subscribe to receive specific information but have intentionally chosen to double opt-in.

Quality

The immediate consequence of the GDPR will be the traffic coming to your email inbox.  Your inbox will not only become manageable but potentially quite empty too. All legitimate companies, abiding by the new regulations, will likely have to rebuild compliant mailing lists with a renewed focus on quality subscribers, genuinely interested in what that company can potentially offer, rather than simply quantity.  Scattershot emails sent to vast databases will go and companies will need to make time to understand their customers and offer updates that are useful.

Downside

As a company, championing waste reduction and optimising efficiency, we applaud the GDPR but do think there could be a temporary downside for many of our existing subscribers.  If you don’t choose to receive our updates, you could potentially be left in the dark and no longer benefit from our beacon of information.  We will no longer be able to automatically send you updates from industry experts who are able to cast light on your major challenges and highlight potential solutions helping you avoid multiple hazards including needless overspending and poor investments.

Double opt-in

Double opt-in today and continue to receive updates and insight.  It will take no time at all and you can always choose to unsubscribe from our mailing list at a later date if it is no longer required.