We live in a time when we all need to be careful regarding our personal security and the security of our personal information. With this in mind, businesses should be mindful that, when they approach potential customers, they should be careful about asking for any personal information. In particular, if they do ask for any personal information, the potential customer is likely to want to do some checks before giving that information.
The door to door double glazing salesman is something of a cliché, although having said that it’s so long since one knocked on my door I thought the practice had been abandoned! Until today, that is.
My house is already fully double glazed, but the guy asked if he could give me a quote for the soffits and fascias. He pointed out the quote would be good for a year and I had no objection to him giving a quote until the guy started asking me for some personal details. OK, he wasn’t asking for anything that’s exactly a secret, but I have a (healthy) paranoia about giving out any of my details at all! My general rule is I only give out details if – within reason – I need to. It follows that I’m not going to give out any information whatsoever to a stranger who has just turned up at my door.
The guy pointed out that the information I gave wouldn’t be passed on and would only be kept in the office. In doing so he demonstrated he was clueless as to the problem. From my point of view, if I were to give him any personal information whatsoever I would have to:
If this sounds like an overkill, well, these days I really do believe being this careful is justified. Consider this: it would be far easier for me to approach companies for a product or service than it would to deal with someone who has just knocked on my door. If I approach the company I get their contact details from the phone book, from their web site or from some other credible source – via a referral from someone I trust, for example. Then, when I call them I know who I am talking to (or at least I have much, much greater confidence that I know who I am talking to). Then when a representative calls, he/she will be expected, and I will have confidence they are who they say they are. None of this is foolproof of course, but like most things, it’s about managing the risk involved.
I suspect most people are not as paranoid as I am (although I think they should be), and wouldn’t worry about giving out simple personal details such as their name and address (note that this is a general comment – obviously someone standing at your door already knows your address, but I still wouldn’t give them my name). However, as abuse of people’s personal information becomes more and more of a problem, I reckon more people will become this careful.
I think it will not be long now, before caution about giving out personal information makes itself felt in business. One day, it will make many established forms of unsolicited approach to individuals obsolete.
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