Cancelling Democracy: The Rule Of Flaw MAL 67:2025 | Page 55

in telecommunications. In finance and health, regulations require additional safeguards to protect sensitive personal information, reinforcing the need for vigilance across industries.

First-Party Data

So, what does this mean for us as Customer Relations and CRM professionals? At the heart of it is first-party data. This is information customers willingly share with us. This data is incredibly valuable but must be handled with clear consent, stored securely, and used transparently. Here are a few key strategies:

Consent First: Always seek clear, optin consent when collecting customer information, whether during sign-ups, surveys, or feedback sessions. Assume nothing. Transparency at the point of collection is critical.

Secure Storage: Use CRM platforms that offer encryption and role-based access controls to ensure only authorized personnel can view or edit data. Keep track of who accesses what, and when.

Be Prepared: Have a breach notification plan ready. If a breach occurs, act swiftly and notify the ODPC and affected individuals within 72 hours, as required by law.

Know Your Borders: If customer data must be transferred outside Kenya, ensure the receiving country has adequate data protection laws. Alternatively, use binding corporate rules or standard contractual clauses.

Consider a scenario where a customer provides personal information through a feedback form. If this data is later used for marketing without their clear consent, it could constitute a breach, potentially triggering investigation and penalties. Ethical CRM starts with ensuring that even well-meaning initiatives follow lawful, respectful protocols.

Beyond Compliance

Beyond legal compliance, ethical data practices foster trust which is a cornerstone of strong customer relationships. They also safeguard our professional integrity. Mistrust, even when unfounded, signals a need for transparency and continuous learning. As CRM professionals, we’ re often the custodians of sensitive information. This is an immense responsibility that demands not just technical safeguards, but ethical mindfulness.

Let us be the reason customers feel safe sharing their stories, trusting our systems, and engaging more deeply. Ethical data handling isn ' t just smart, it’ s the right thing to do.

When we embrace these data protection laws fully, we don’ t just avoid fines- we show our customers that we genuinely value their trust. Let us take this opportunity to educate ourselves, support each other, and commit to ethical customer data management that honors both our clients and our responsibilities.

Although I had adhered to existing protocols, the concern planted a seed of doubt. I revisited our internal systems, re-read the CRM audit trail, and even reached out to the Data Protection Commissioner’ s website to cross-check my understanding. That process became not only an act of defense but also a moment of clarity. It reminded me that while I may feel confident in my practices, data protection is an evolving field that demands continuous self-auditing.

For instance, during customer onboarding, our team uses a digital form that includes an explicit tick-box for marketing consent. Without this, the system flags the record, preventing it from being added to promotional campaigns. This builtin control has not only helped us stay compliant but also given our customers a clear indication that we take their privacy seriously.

• Assuming implied consent from returning customers.

• Sharing customer data across departments without proper access logs or tracking.

• Failing to regularly purge outdated, inactive, or incorrect information.

• Over-collecting data beyond what is necessary for the stated purpose.

• Not anonymizing sensitive customer feedback used in internal reviews.

Kenya is not operating in isolation. Across the globe, data protection laws have become more stringent, with the European Union’ s GDPR setting the pace. Kenya’ s Data Protection Act aligns with many of these principles, and our region is watching. Countries like Rwanda and Uganda are in the process of tightening their own data laws. The tide is changing, and it’ s not just legal pressure. It is customer expectation.

Just as GDPR reshaped Europe’ s data privacy expectations, Kenya’ s evolving framework signals a shift toward more empowered consumers and more accountable companies. It’ s no longer sufficient to say we’ re compliant. We must be visibly responsible, especially as CRM becomes more central to strategic operations.

Let’ s also advocate for regular internal audits and create safe spaces where colleagues can raise privacy or data concerns without fear of reprisal. A culture of transparency and accountability around data doesn’ t just protect customers. It protects us too.

Ethical CRM isn’ t something one team can carry alone. It’ s not about ticking boxes or dodging trouble. It’ s about doing right by people, every day. It is an ongoing commitment shared across teams, leadership, and every point of contact with the customer. The journey is long, but every step we take toward building trust is one worth making.

In an era where data is as valuable as currency, let ours be clean, secure, and handled with honor. I’ ll be honest: I used to see data compliance as a technical checklist. But the more I engage with customers, the more I realize it’ s about people, relationships, and the silent trust we carry every time we open our CRM.

Tamara Betty Asonga, is a Customer Relationship Management Executive for Equipment Business at Car & General Kenya Plc. You can commune with her via email at: Tamarabetty @ gmail. com.