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Privacy Policy

Data Protection, Cookies and GDPR

Every single day, every one of us generates a huge amount of data; be that on our phones, laptops or the paper trail that we create.

GPDR, a European regulation that has been adopted by the UK following Brexit, is there to help your data to stay safe.

Below is a list of what data we collect, and how we use, store and remove that data.

Our contact form collects personal data like, your name, address and phone number.

We use them to contact you, and we would never ever pass them on to anyone else unless you’d explicitly asked us to do so. For example, if you asked us to source a graphic designer, marketing company etc.

If you contact us and you don’t become a client, then we’ll delete your data after three months.

Once you become a client we hold financial data & add you to our CRM system.

Once you start working with you, we’ll need to invoice you. So of course, we’ll need to hold financial information too. Again, this would never be passed on, and we’d remove this after 7 years if you were no longer a client.

We keep our Customer Relationship Management data (like your phone number or email) for as long as you’re a client. Should you decide to leave us, then we’d remove it after three months.

When we are working on your website, we need access information for your site.

In order to develop your site, we need to have access. We will hold any passwords you give to us in a secured password vault. Again, this is never shared with anyone external to our developers and subcontractors.

We use a few cool pieces of software to help you to get a great experience when you commission work from us.

We use CRM package called Zoho, this is where we would store the bulk of your data.

This could be things like name, address and email etc.

Zoho also has a chat function, so if you initiate a live chat on our site; that is what we’ll be using and it will store your IP address and any information that you provide on the chat form.

When you come to our site, we also us Sales IQ (again part of Zoho) to track cookies (see below). Cookies generally do not hold personal information like names, email addresses etc.

We use cookies on this site…but it’s nothing to worry about and you can control them using your browser

We use them mainly for Google Analytics/Facebook Pixels, so we have an idea if our site works for the visitors or not, and to process your order. However, we don’t store any personal identifying information in these cookies, unless you have previously provided information during a chat session.

You can change your cookie permissions on your computer but if you don’t and you continue to use this site, we’ll presume you’re fine with them.

Nevertheless, if you have any queries, you can always contact us to discuss at hello@thesmartbear.co.uk.

Removing or amending information

If you would like to know what information (if any) we hold about you, then please contact us at hello@thesmartbear.co.uk and we will provide this to you free of charge.

If any of the information we hold about you is incorrect or invalid, let us know immediately and we will amend your information.

If you no longer wish for us to hold any information about you then again, let us know immediately by emailing hello@thesmartbear.co.uk.


Official Cookie Policy

This privacy policy describes how and when I collect, use, and share information when you purchase an item from me, contact me or otherwise use my services through my website.

Information I collect

To fulfil a service, you must provide me with certain information such as your name, email address, business name and address, and the details of the product/services you are ordering.

Why I need your information and how I use it

I rely on a number of legal bases to collect, use and share your information including:

  1. As needed to provide my services, such as when I use your information to fulfil your order, to settle disputes, or to provide customer support.
  2. When you have provided your consent, which you may revoke at any time, such as signing up to a mailing list, newsletter or blog.
  3. If necessary to comply with a legal obligation or court order or in connection with a legal claim, such as retaining information about your purchases if required by tax law; and as necessary for the purpose of my legitimate interests, if those legitimate interests are not overridden by your rights or interests.
  4. Providing and improving my services. I use your information to provide the services you requested and in my legitimate interest to improve my services.

Information sharing and disclosure

Information about my customers is important to my business. I share your personal information for very limited reasons and in limited circumstances, as follows:

Service providers; I engage certain trusted third parties to perform functions and services like my CRM and Project management tools to ensure smooth flow of work, finance software for invoicing or any platform where I am building a website on your behalf. I will share your personal information with these third parties, but only to the extent necessary to perform these services.

Data retention

I retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide you with my services as described in this Privacy Policy. However, I may also be required to retain this information to comply with my legal and regulatory obligations, to resolve disputes, and to enforce my agreements.

Your rights

If you reside in certain territories, including the EU, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal information. While some of these rights apply generally, certain rights apply only in certain limited cases. I describe these rights below:

  1. Access. You may have the right to access and receive a copy of the personal information I hold about you by contacting me using the contact information below.
  2. Change, restrict, delete. You may also have the rights to change, restrict my use of, or delete your personal information. Absent exceptional circumstances (like where I am required to store data for legal reasons) I will generally delete your personal information upon request.
  3. Object. You can object to (i) my processing of some of your information based on my legitimate interests and (ii) receiving marketing messages from me after providing your express consent to receive them. In such cases I will delete your personal information unless I have compelling and legitimate grounds to continue using that information or if it is needed for legal reasons.
  4. Complain. If you reside in the EU and wish to raise a concern about my use of your information (and without prejudice to any other rights that you have), you have the right to do so with your local data protection authority.

How to contact me

For purposes of EU data protection law, I, Suzi Brown, am the data controller of your personal information. If you have any questions or concerns you may contact me at hello@thesmartbear.co.uk or mail me at:

Suzi Brown, 220 Higher Road, Urmston, M41 9BH

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