I have been reading this morning about Privacy Campaigners who are saying that the “Test and Trace programme” in England is breaching GDRP data law and there are two main points that have come out of this article in my opinion.

Firstly, the government should have known better and when establishing this system should have considered GDRP. In recent years, data has become one of the most important and highly protected currencies and whenever any organisation is looking to collect personal data, they have to think about how it is going to be collected, stored and used. However, the programme was set up in a very short time due to necessity so there needs to be some consideration made.

Secondly, yes, I am sure there have been breaches of GDPR, however, desperate times require desperate measures. The last six months have been a strain on us all and the next six months will be no different. During times like this we all have to adapt and those who don’t will fall behind and ultimately may fail.

There are many examples of businesses who have not adapted to changing times, and not necessarily times that have changed as quickly as the ones we are in at the moment, just look at BHS and MG to name two, but none more so than retail. Over the past decade retail has seen a significant change from high street based to one that is increasingly being dominated by the internet. The Covid-19 crisis has now sped that process up further and yet many retailers are still trying to hold on to traditional ways of shopping and engaging customers.

The world has changed fundamentally and most market commentators and experts agree that it will never go back to the way it was a year ago. This includes businesses and we have to now look at what these business will look like in ten years.

During the lockdown, the government has tried to support as many businesses as possible, some have missed out, but many haven’t. What many businesses are doing is taking the time to review what they sell and how they sell it and when the lockdown is finally over and “normality” has returned they will be the ones who thrive. Those who have sat there and waited to go back to work in the same way without adapting may well struggle and not just in the short term.

My advice to all organisations, commercial and third sector is to use this time wisely, adapt to the changing needs of society, be more accommodating and accept that in the current climate we may have to cut a few corners for the safety of others, but in the long term if we do adapt we will be OK.

We are working with many different organisations at the moment who are changing how they work and deliver products and services and are looking forward to next year. These are the ones who will thrive but not without challenges and most importantly they have to engage their customers and listen to them.

To find out what we are doing with them and how this could help you get in touch.