Privacy is one of the biggest concerns when signing up for any service - SMS gateway service providers are no exception. In a world where the swopping of personal information happens every few seconds, people need to be ensured that their info is protected.
Isn't it just dreadful when you get a phone call from a company you have never heard of trying to enlist you as a customer. They seem to know everything about you, but you are very sure you never gave them permission to contact you. Where on earth did they get your contact details? And then it hits you - you recently gave all your details to your new SMS Gateway provider. Now they can forget about your company, you aren't doing business with them ever again, thank you!
How can you as the service provider make sure that you never get slapped with a "you gave out my personal info, now burn!" message from a client?
Make your privacy policy easily accessible for your clients - don't simply put it on a wall at the reception desk. They should be able to view it any time they want. Put it on your website and make it downloadable.
Give them a detailed breakdown of your policy containing info on the following:
What personal information you will be collecting, and why.Whether they can opt in to (or opt out of) the collection or use of their personal information.Who is in charge of it and where can they lodge a complaint.Who it will be shared with and why.For how long and where will it will be kept/ stored.Be open and transparent about your privacy policies. If you need to collect sensitive info, make sure your clients are aware of it as well as the reasons behind it.
Only collect the info you really need. No SMS Gateway service provider needs to know how many bank accounts you have or how much you weigh.
Secure what you collect. A provider can't shrug his shoulders if his client's info gets stolen and say "oh well, my clients share their info with me at their own risk." Make sure you secure client info to the best of your abilities - or risk your business failing.
Thalia Brussow is a copywriter for Integrat Mobile Aggregation Services - a leading WASP aggregator that delivers state of the art mobile integration, mobile billing, and sms gateway services in Africa 