Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy concerns the organisation, website and online applications linked to POS Insights Ltd.

Our Commitment to Privacy

Your privacy is very important to POS Insights. To better protect your privacy, we provide this notice explaining our information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected, used and stored.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time.  Any changes to this privacy notice will be posted to this Privacy Policy page. 

The Information We Collect

“Personal data” means recorded information we hold about you from which you can be identified. It may include your contact details and other personal information, including photographs and videos of research interviews.

Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. Cookie information is used to help us understand more about how our website is used and to improve our site.  We use Google Analytics for this process.  We do not store any personal data in the cookies that we use. 

Website Contact Page

The information you provide us with is used to call you back as requested by you.  If you ask us to contact you we will collect certain information such as your name, email address and telephone number.  We will collect further information if you contact us with comments or specific requests.

We keep information relating to our customers, including those who have requested quotes but have never commissioned a project.  We may use this information to market and promote products and services that we feel may be of interest to you. You can opt in or out of this at any time.  We will not supply client contact details to any third party without your consent except when required to do so by law.

Respondents and general public

POS Insights and our sub-contractors carry out market research with the general public.      

Market Research gives consumers like yourself the opportunity to give your opinions and feedback about services, products or concepts covering many different topics.  The insights that are generated are vital in the manufacturing, service and marketing process and can shape the way a product is designed, developed or advertised and the customer service you receive. It’s our job as Market Researchers to be curious about people’s opinions and ask questions. 

We will contact you either in person e.g. face-to-face, on street, in-store.  Or by; email, phone or online from contact lists supplied through our clients or third-party partners. 

During the process of our project work we may collect the following personal data from respondents whom we have approached or whom have agreed to take part in our market research surveys:

  • Personal data transferred by our sub-processors (recruiters) e.g. your name, postcode, phone number, email address, occupation, age and gender
  • ‘Sensitive’ personal data. Due to the nature of some market research projects we may need to process ‘sensitive’ personal data about you. By this we mean personal data such as your ethnic origin, religious beliefs or beliefs of a similar nature, your physical, mental health or sexual life. You would always be told the reason for being asked these questions. Your participation is always optional
  • Other personal data that we require to fulfil the quotas for some market research projects e.g. whether you have children and the age groups they may fall into
  • The time, date, location and topic of any market research you carry out

Why have we contacted you?

With most market research projects, we aim to speak to a sample from the general population, thus you may have been approached as you are potentially representative of this group.  For this reason, you may be asked details on your; age, income, marital status, postcode etc., so we can guarantee we have recruited a representative section of the ‘population’, as well as being able to analyse the research findings by certain ‘groups’.  All the information gathered is kept completely confidential.

If you are contacted via email you will have actively opted in to take part in market research, however if contacted you will still have the option to withdraw from that particular survey. You may also be contacted or recruited via telephone which would also mean your details have been supplied by our client, recruiters or third-party partners. Sometimes we don’t disclose the name of the client straightaway – this is so your knowledge of this doesn’t bias your opinion in any way. However, you have the right to ask where we received your details from. 

We will only ask your permission to re-contact you to conduct a quality control check on the interviewer that approached you initially, this will only be for that study. We do not store your details for future contact and participation unless specifically requested and with your express permission.

The Way We Use Information

The purpose is always for genuine market research – we never try to sell anything to respondents.  The answers you give us are completely confidential and used for market research purposes only. We may share your name, contact details and your responses to the market research with third party companies who have commissioned the market research that you take part in, however it will be limited to what is absolutely necessary for the project and not for any other purpose. It will also be transferred and stored securely in line with GDPR regulations.

We will always be transparent in what we are asking you to do and how the information will be used.

The information we collect to fulfill our market research projects is used specifically for that project and not for any other purpose. 

We use the personal data we collect about you for our legitimate market research interests which include some or all of the following:

  • If you have taken part in market research we will retain your personal data to verify that any future attendance does not exceed the levels recommended by the Market Research Society
  • To make sure you get any incentives you’re promised
  • To reply to and deal with any questions, suggestions or issues you have contacted us about 
  • To respond to any social media posts or other public comments you might make, whether they are directly to us or about us
  • To protect you and our business from any potentially criminal behaviour, including fraud
  • For internal monitoring and training purposes to check and improve the way we handle our communications with you

Retention Policy

We have a retention policy that we abide by and only store necessary information for a limited amount of time to enable us to meet the requirements of our projects and to abide by the Market Research Code of Conduct. 

Third party social media

Any social media posts or comments you send to us will be shared under the terms of the relevant social media platform (e.g. LinkedIn or facebook) on which they’re written and could be made public. Other people, not us, control these platforms. We’re not responsible for this kind of sharing. You should always review the terms and conditions and privacy policies of the social media platforms you use. That way you’ll understand how they will use your information, what information relating to you they will place in the public domain and how you can stop them from doing so if you’re unhappy about it. 

Our Commitment to Data Security

To prevent unauthorised access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect. 

We are registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) for the purpose of processing personal data, our registration reference is A8416595.  We are also a member of the MRS (Market Research Society) and adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct.

GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation

GDPR came into force on 25 May 2018.  

The six principles are, that any data must be:

  1. Processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner 
  2. Collected for the specified explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed  
  3. Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which it is processed
  4. Accurate and where necessary, kept up to date; every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that inaccurate personal data is erased or rectified without delay
  5. Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary  
  6. Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data

As a consumer/member of the public you have individual rights (with any company) to access any data they may hold about you, you have the right for data to be rectified, erased or restricted. You also have the right to be ‘forgotten’.

All of the interviewers and recruiters that work for us and that may contact you are fully aware of GDPR, data privacy, and work within the MRS Code of Conduct.     

What happens if you don’t want to take part? 

With any research project you as the individual have the right to refuse to take part.  The project (background, subject and what you would be asked to take part in) would be carefully explained and you have the right to refuse or opt-in (give consent), should you not wish to take part. If you choose to take part you also have the right to withdraw at any time, should you change your mind. 

Contact us

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, or to exercise any of your rights in relation to the data we hold about you please address requests to Dawn Odoi, POS Insights Ltd dawn@posinsights.co.uk

Privacy Policy updated November 2018