Privacy Policy

What is a privacy and electronic communications policy and why is it needed?

A privacy policy is needed to ensure organisations and individuals who interact with The Institute of Customer Service do so in the knowledge that the data they share with The Institute is protected and not used for marketing purposes, unless The Institute has direct consent for it to be used in that way. It covers how organisations’ and individuals’ data will be secured, covering both their right to data being kept private and their right to privacy from tele and online marketing, unless they have opted-in to receive it.

It is also necessary to ensure The Institute complies with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and that apply in conjunction with data protection legislation.

What is our privacy and electronic communications policy?

1. Background
This privacy policy sets out how The Institute of Customer Service (The Institute) uses and protects any information that you give The Institute when you use our website or provide your data through other means, such as filling in forms requesting information or via telephone conversations.

The Institute is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using The Institute’s website, subscribing to membership propositions or registering for events (whether electronically or via the telephone), then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

The Institute may change this policy from time to time by updating this web page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.

2. What we collect and what we do with this information
It should be clarified that we only collect information if you provide it to us via website forms, physical forms or through telephone enquiries.

Where we communicate with organisations or individuals where they have not provided data in this way, it is only because they have provided information for a bought-in list which we have purchased. We do, however, ensure that the data on these lists is compliant with Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) requirements. We also make sure that any third party organisation working with us complies with these requirements.

3. What we collect
We may collect the following information via self-filled-in forms on The Institute’s website:

• Name and job title
• Organisation name and size
• Contact information including email address and telephone number
• Demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests (asked through an ‘additional comments’ section of our online forms)
• Other information relevant to membership propositions/services provided.

4. What we do with the information we gather
We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

• Internal record keeping
• We may use the information to improve our products and services
• We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided
• From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone, fax or mail
• We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

5. Security
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online. This includes password restricted access to data, training and testing for all staff – and all future staff – about compliance and a requirement for all third party suppliers to ensure compliance, too.

6. How we use cookies
A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and do not use it to identify individuals.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

7. Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

8. Controlling your personal information
You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

• Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes
• If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or by contacting us via the contact us page.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless you have given your permission or we are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you. Our Subject Access Request Policy can be downloaded here. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please fill out the Subject Access Request form which can be downloaded here.

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or contact us as soon as possible, via the contact us page. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.