A Happy New Year to you. Returning to work after the festive break is always challenging for two reasons. Firstly, there are the tasks to face that were postponed until after the holidays. Secondly, this is traditionally the time for evaluating business systems to identify where any weaknesses lie, and where improvements can be made for this year's trading.

In an effort to kick-start the new business year in a positive way, we are highlighting some past Newsletter topics that proved a hit with readers. This first Newsletter of 2009 is, therefore, an aide-mémoire as a helpful checklist when assessing your internal processes, together with our suggestions for good resolutions.

Tidy up your Inbox

Get to grips with your email inbox now before the influx of new messages develops into a rising flood. By ridding yourself of old email habits and managing your inbox more effectively, you could save hours every week. To find out how to do this, read our Managing Your Inbox article.

Legalise Your Website

Your website may be bringing you new business but does it comply with all the relevant legislation? Two of our popular articles will assist you in giving your website a quick and easy legal check-up. These are:

• Your Website and the DPA This article will help you recognise how your website could be breaching the Data Protection Act. 
• Privacy Policies This article explains how you can ensure your website visitors understand how you use their data.

Invest in Expertise

In the current economic climate it is tempting to think of cost cutting, but avoid short term savings at the expense of long term business. Out-sourcing can be a wise and economic way to benefit from professional help not available in-house. Bringing in experts can introduce you to exploring and adopting new added value services to boost your business, while also allowing you to get on with what you do best - running your business.

Accept Free Offers

Many companies offer a period of free consultancy. These offers, especially from independent businesses, can be worth taking up. We at AGUK Solutions Limited have always been happy to operate in this way. We know such a service has proved genuinely beneficial, in turn bringing us new clients in a win-win situation.

If you have any internet related project already running, or in planning, we can help you. Our initial meeting with any client, as mentioned above, is without charge and obligation. Why not see what we can do for you?

Sign up to Seminars

Taking time out of the office for a concentrated one-off business seminar is a fast way to learn from the professionals. AGUK Solutions Limited announced its new seminar programme last month and we are delighted some readers have registered interest. Subjects we will be concentrating on include everything you need to know about email; how to trade online; and getting a return from your website investment.

Seminar places are limited so to register your interest, please click here to subscribe to our mailing list.

Following recent media coverage about organisations handling personal data, now is a good time to focus on the issue of privacy. This month we explain why a privacy policy is important to your online presence. Having one in force shows a duty of care to your website visitors and customers. So, does your website have a privacy policy and if not, why not?

Their Purpose

A privacy policy is much more than another page of text on your website. As with any policy, it has significant meaning and a role to play. Its primary purpose is to explain fully and clearly how customer data will be:

• collected
• secured
• stored
• used
• shared

It represents a legally binding agreement between you and your site visitors, with responsibilities on both sides. If it does not cover your terms and conditions, these should be displayed elsewhere on your website.  

A meaningful privacy policy will demonstrate that you respect and protect the privacy of your website visitors and customers. Convince them their privacy is protected and they will be more inclined to trust in you and your business.  

Policy Users

If you have a personal website you do not need a privacy policy. If you are a sole trader and your website is a commercial venture, then you do. All SMEs, limited companies, businesses and organisations with an internet presence need a privacy policy.

As a business, regardless of size and sector, you have certain obligations under the Data Protection Act (DPA) to ensure your customers and site visitors know and understand what you are doing with any data collected about them. 

Even if your website does not sell products online, it should still display a privacy policy. This is because, even without realising it, you may still be collecting information about your website visitors. We covered this point in an earlier Newsletter entitled “Your website and the DPA”.  

Policy Requirements

First and foremost, a privacy policy should explain clearly and concisely what data you will collect and hold about the individuals who visit your site, and/or the products and services they use.  

Your privacy policy should be specific about (a) the information you collect, (b) how you gather the data, and (c) what you use it for. As an example, please take a look at our privacy policy. If you do not have a policy in place, you may need to perform an audit of your processes to verify the type of data you collect, and how it is handled. Such an audit may reveal previously unknown data collection and retention.

It is important to ensure that your privacy policy is comprehensive, accurate and truthful. It should be in plain English, easy to read and understand. Don’t forget, how your privacy policy is worded will have a positive or negative impact on its readers, influencing their decision on whether or not to use your website.