VUSSC/Content/Tourism/Customer Care/Data Protection

DATA PROTECTION

As mentioned earlier in some countries, the Data Protection Act gives customers rights

• to have access to information that is held about them;
• to have inaccurate information changed or destroyed;
• that information will not be used for purposes other than those for which it was provided;
• to claim compensation for the misuse of information.

The need for confidentiality

When your customers give you information, they expect that you will

• not share it with others who do not require it;
• only use it for the purposes for which you have obtained it.

Now let’s turn to the following example:

Mr Sen has joined a two day swimming training course. He had to fill in an application form on which he gave personal information about himself and his address.

He was happy to provide this information so that the training provider knows who he is and how to contact him. However, he became furious when his personal details were communicated to a private company selling swimming clothes/equipment. That private company contacted Mr Sen using the information he had provided to the swimming coach, to sell its goods and services.

You will surely understand Mr Sen.

Some departments providing services have access to personal information about their customers’ health or private lives, which is of a highly confidential nature.

Other service providers have access to information that affects the security of their customers and their property.