Monthly Archives: October 2018

GDPR in lead generation – how TLA’s proactive approach earned industry and award recognition

A recent study found that only 20% of companies believe they are GDPR compliant, whilst 53% are in the implementation phase. When it comes to working with a lead generation partner, it’s vital that you have confidence and trust in the service you’re receiving.

At TLA, our implementation phase is complete (although we remain committed to making further enhancements on an ongoing basis). We are confident that our services are not only compliant with the new regulation but go far beyond its requirements. And, crucially, we’ve been able to give peace of mind to our clients.

Jess Douce, Jaguar Land Rover: “The Lead Agency is a trusted partner. They’re not only great to work with but they believe in doing things the right way. They provide the highest-quality GDPR compliant client portal that I have used, which helps us to send more leads to our retailers.”

Danielle Hollis, Hyundai: “The Lead Agency team are a long serving partner of Hyundai. They provide good quality GDPR compliant enquiries at scale, which means we sell more cars which helps us to achieve our targets.”

Alban Treglohan, PHD: “TLA delivers transparency, professionalism and obsessive high standards. It’s this excellent service and quality that has furthered our partnership as well as our relationship with our clients.” 

A proactive approach to GDPR

We had a great foundation to start from. We’ve always taken our responsibility to consumers seriously and adhered fully with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998. This made our transition to GDPR compliance far smoother than many other businesses in our industry and beyond.

But that’s not to say GDPR didn’t represent a challenge. The new regulation is a landmark moment for all companies, let alone a data company such as ours, so it required a full and comprehensive programme to ensure we were prepared.

Our strategy was to focus on gaining an in-depth understanding of GDPR, be proactive in our approach, take decisive action wherever we could and do everything possible to give consumers and clients peace of mind.

Early activity

Two of the most important steps we took during the planning stage were the appointment of our first dedicated compliance manager; and forming a steering group that involved people from all across the business – including our CEO and CTO.

This buy-in from the very top of the business was particularly important for making GDPR a priority.And having someone dedicated to leading the programme would ensure we never lost focus of what we wanted to do.

We also mapped our current processes and services against the requirements of GDPR to identify areas that needed to be addressed and how we could take TLA to the next level.From there we created an 18-month, action-orientated GDPR programme that detailed enhancements to our policies, technologies and services.

Compliance Portal

The most significant enhancement was building a Compliance Portal – a place where clients could have access to a full and documented audit trail of every step a consumer takes from their initial enquiry through to the lead being delivered directly into their CRM.

This approach not only addressed the need for accountability – one of the new principles of GDPR – but it went far beyond those requirements by offering complete transparency for clients.

Working with clients

Another fundamental step was engaging clients throughout the process – from the planning stage through to progress made with key actions. We consulted a number of clients on the development of the Compliance Portal to make sure it met their core needs as well as adding value to the service we provide.

We also used our website, social channels and email to create content for our clients and partners that broke down some of the key features of GDPR and what actions they could or should be making in preparation.

Independent assessment

With the exception of the regulator, the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), there are no official auditors for GDPR compliance. But we wanted to put our programme to the test and make sure it delivered what we wanted it to.

We invited ASE Global, a company that has provided a range of services to the automotive industry for more than 40 years, to conduct an independent GDPR Readiness Assessment.

The result was a glowing endorsement for TLA’s GDPR Programme. Here are some of the key excerpts from ASE’s report:

“There is a clear ‘top-down’ commitment to compliance which drives all associated activities. Internal focus has been on compliance. However, this has been conducted with an eye on the customer, to keep them informed and up to date in as transparent a manner as possible.”

“What’s particularly impressive is that the work undertaken by The Lead Agency goes far beyond what the new legislation requires.”

“Internally, The Lead Agency’s policies are sound, staff are appropriately trained and there is commitment to ensure compliance does not suffer over time. Externally, customers can provide their personal data to the business confident that the processing it is subject to will be compliant.”

Award nomination

This brings us to our recent news. Our GDPR programme has earned us a nomination for Data Pioneer of the Year at the inaugural UK Business Tech Awards.

This is a proud piece of recognition for the commitment we’ve shown and enhancements we’ve made to go beyond GDPR’s requirements and provide consumers and clients with peace of mind.

To maximise your sales performance with a GDPR-compliant service, contact us today.

My Internship at The Lead Agency

As a recent University graduate, I was in search of an opportunity that would allow me to get my foot in the door and begin my professional career.

I was hoping to secure an internship, so when I was selected as The Lead Agency’s new PR and Content Intern I was extremely grateful and excited.

The past five months have flown by. I have learnt so much during my time here and have really enjoyed the whole process, thanks to my manager, Keith Price, and the rest of the TLA team.

First impressions

the lead agency liverpoolSet on the 13th floor of Liverpool’s Unity Building, the TLA office is open and bright with 360⁰ panoramic views of the city. (The picture to the left has been my view of the Liver building from my desk!).

From the very start, I was made to feel extremely welcome and was taught all about the company culture and core values that are so very important to the business.

New challenges

During my time here, I’ve had the opportunity to take on many different tasks and challenges. This has involved writing a number of articles for the TLA website – the content of which has varied from employee interviews and charity press releases to industry opinion pieces. I’ve also taken responsibility for TLA’s social media platforms, creating content to be published across the company’s LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram profiles.

My experience here has taught me an immense amount about digital marketing, content writing and SEO. I have had the opportunity to work with many different members of staff across different departments within the Liverpool HQ, and have received continual support, guidance and advice since day one.

Positive culture

The culture at The Lead Agency is very positive, one in which everyone is open, honest and made to feel trusted. There is a really strong work ethic here too. Every member of the team is focused and committed to their role but will always offer a helping hand to anyone who needs it.

The social side of my time here has also been great fun. The company has many employee benefits, such as the 4pm Friday ‘check-in’ – in which everyone heads into the office’s very own bar for a drink. ‘Cake Friday’ at the end of the month always goes down well with everyone too, along with other events throughout the calendar, such as the team social that was organised in celebration of TLA’s Tech Track 100 ranking!

I’ve made some great friends that I will remain friends with as I move on to the next stage of my career.

Grace Boardman

Do you want to join Liverpool’s fastest-growing tech company? Check out the latest career opportunities in Liverpool and London.

TLA’s GDPR programme shortlisted for Data Pioneer of the Year

TLA has been named on a five-company shortlist for Data Pioneer of the Year at the inaugural UK Business Tech Awards.

UK BIZ TECH 2018The nomination is for our comprehensive GDPR programme and the steps taken to strengthen our processes ahead of the new regulations coming into effect in May.

Taking place in London on 20th November, the awards will celebrate the UK’s finest tech businesses and reward innovative and exceptional application of technology to transform and grow businesses.

While we’ve long advocated and practised a responsible approach to consumer data, our programme – led by our in-house compliance manager – focused on updates to policies, technology and services that would ensure compliance with the new regulation and offer peace of mind to clients and customers.

Earlier this year, we received an independent endorsement for our GDPR programme when automotive specialist ASE Global completed a GDPR Readiness Assessment.

In the resulting report, ASE Global’s Data Protection and Compliance Officer, Kevin Symm, said: “The right attitude is evident from the top-down at The Lead Agency. It’s clear that there is a real and determined commitment to GDPR and how it can be used to make the business better.”