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GDPR Compliance Should Be Effortless

The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which took effect on May 25, 2018 applies to any organisation that collects, stores, or processes the personal data of EU residents, regardless of where that entity might be headquartered and now many more countries around the world are adopting the same or very similar policies to protect their citizens

A serious Responsibility but also a real Opportunity

By harmonizing a patchwork of existing national regulations, the GDPR promised to make things easier for businesses in certain respects. On the other hand, its rules now represent a significant escalation with regard to the responsibilities of data collectors and processors, along with the penalties that can be levied for noncompliance.

However, the implementation of the GDPR regulations also stands as a significant opportunity for many businesses. Successful, demonstrated compliance with the regulation will instill more trust in customers, boost brands and corporate reputations, and make damaging digital breaches less likely.

Yet despite being faced with these two types of motivation, many organisations still may not have taken the necessary steps. But businesses worldwide will now need to be sure their data management arrangements enable:

  • Security by default and by design. Protection for personal information must be built into business processes and data management systems at the design level. Data must also be secured, managed, and processed actively and by default, according to GDPR rules.

  • Demonstrated compliance. Instead of assuming the best about data management practices, the GDPR requires that organisations be able to specifically demonstrate and document their compliance at all times.

  • Respect for the rights of EU residents. From access, portability and erasure to the ability to correct mistakes, organisations must be ready to respond appropriately when individuals try to exercise any of the personal rights enumerated in the GDPR framework.

Even a minor failure to comply could provoke anything from a warning to the need to submit to regular audits. Organisations that do an especially poor job of keeping up with their GDPR duties might face fines up to €20 million or 4 percent of their annual worldwide revenues, whichever is greater.

The Right Data Management System Will Make GDPR Compliance Far Easier to Achieve

Some companies and other organisations are now ready for enforcement of the GDPR. Many more however, still need to focus on deploying brand-new or improved data management processes, systems and platforms organisation-wide.

In some cases, this will essentially mean starting from scratch. In others, organisations will be able to build upon and extend existing 'service management systems'. Those that have already invested in workflow-based, service lifecycle management systems e.g. in IT, human resources (HR), sales or customer service however, will often be able to leverage these systems in order to narrow the gap around GDPR compliance.

Whatever the situation and strategy, a data management system must live up to a few basic standards if it is to be of real use for GDPR compliance. In particular, viable systems must account for:

  • The entire data lifecycle. The GDPR is strict in insisting that data be secured and managed as directed all throughout its lifecycle. A lack of appropriate handling, even at the time of previously scheduled deletion, can subject an organisation to future audits or worse. End-to-end data management systems that allow for everything from the compliant collection, storage, and modification of data to erasure on demand and as required, will make problems with the GDPR much less likely.

  • Sound governance. Many organisations have already discovered how well-conceived data governance processes can help them extract more value, more reliably from the information they collect. Effective data governance is just as important with regard to GDPR compliance, whether in terms of making information available as required or keeping it secure.

  • Automation. The complexity and rigor of the GDPR can make it seem as if compliance must necessarily be expensive. In practice, making the best possible use of automation wherever practical in the data management lifecycle should keep costs to a minimum. At the same time, automated data management processes need to be secure by design to avoid problems.

Adopting an organisation-wide data management platform that meets these standards will make it much simpler to comply with GDPR and remain that way with confidence. It will also allow any organisation to make the most of the significant benefits that can arise in the process, from increased trust among customers to improved data security.

Service Management systems such as ServiceNow or BMC Remedy allow for data to be easily managed as a corporate ‘asset’ with comprehensive, automated workflows, reducing the burdens that many organisations fear.

However as anyone who has deployed such systems knows, it’s not about the technology alone but much more about the attitudes, behaviours and processes adopted across the organisation, that will make such an initiative successful or not and turn what is construed as a new regulatory burden into a unique customer relationship opportunity.

After all…. It’s All About Service!…. and professionally managing your customer’s data is a significant part of the value you can deliver.

References:

General Data Protection Regulation Portal: https://www.eugdpr.org/

GDPR Services Portal: https://euGDPR.services

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