4 CCPA Pitfalls

What are they and how can you avoid them?

Any time there are new regulations, laws, and policies that affect your business, you are bound to struggle with developing systems to comply. With the CCPA regulations taking effect and penalties beginning in July of this year, it is important to understand potential pitfalls of this legislation and how you can avoid making costly mistakes. Think about you can use your time and team efficiently and effectively so you can avoid financial penalties and other CCPA pitfalls.

Rushing to comply can backfire. With time of the essence, it’s natural to want to speed up the process. But, with the amount of detail in the CCPA regulations, it’s important to work through each step thoroughly. If you skip creating a data map, the subsequent steps will likely be flawed, so the time you “saved” will actually force you to go back to the beginning and start over. And, if you only train a few members of your staff and then someone in marketing (who wasn’t trained) uses information in a non-compliant way, you are going to get fined. The State of California will not be sympathetic that your budget only allowed for training some of your professionals.

Don’t set it and forget it. Privacy by design – meaning privacy is a driver of operations – is a key piece of how CCPA regulations are shaping the way we do business. And, the key with this new way of thinking is that it is a continuous process. You cannot as they say on many an infomercial – “Set it and forget it!” Technology can make these on-going processes easier and more efficient because assessments can be sent through tools that can scan data and survey customers. These tools, and how they are used, are an integral part of privacy by design strategies. Remember, technology, marketing, data gathering, and other pieces of business have to be continually examined through the privacy lens.

Your in-house team isn’t enough. Even if you have an IT team and a Chief Security Officer, your in-house team is unlikely to have the time or expertise to ensure on-going compliance for CCPA guidelines not to mention future ones that are likely to come from other states or countries in the coming year. You will end up saving on human resources and potential fines by hiring a Fractional Privacy Officer to manage your day-to-day compliance and long-term privacy strategies.

Reactive strategies won’t cut it. Privacy policies, their implementation, and the resulting pieces can no longer be on the back burner. They must be a driving force in your marketing and company operations. For instance, your privacy policy might be in line with CCPA regulations now, but is your data well secured? Are your data collection and mapping procedures properly set up? And, maybe most importantly, has it been communicated? As we move into the world of greater data usage, brands that are not proactive in making privacy a priority that fits into all aspects of their business will decrease trust with their consumers and begin to lose market share. Be smart about privacy now and build it into all of your future plans for true CCPA compliance success today and proactive policy procedures for tomorrow.

RedClover Advisors is here to help you avoid CCPA pitfalls. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help you become CCPA compliant.