This Data Processing Policy explains in plain English how SmallBusinessPrices.co.uk processes data so you can make an informed choice about whether or not you’d like to use our services. We’ve created it as a response to GDPR and serves as an addition to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
SmallBusinessPrices.co.uk is a free to use website and there is no obligation to register and/or enter any personal details to use it. It is intended for a UK business audience, but all information is offered free of charge for anyone to access.
However, we do actively and passively collect and process data, which we feel you should be aware of. All website pages and data are sent using secure SSL technology.
All our data processing activities are done on a legitimate interest basis for the following reason:
- We only use the data we process for its intended purpose and not for other marketing activities.
- We primarily process information about UK businesses not individuals.
- The only data we actively collect is required to help fulfil users’ requests (more below)
SmallBusinessPrices.co.uk processes several types of data for several different purposes, using several third-party partners and platforms.
Active Data Processing Activities
Our primary data processing activity is helping businesses compare prices for small business products and services via our no obligation quote service. It is intended to be used only by businesses that are already trading and/or about to imminently start trading and not by individuals.
Please also be aware, SmallBusinessPrices.co.uk does not provide quotes itself but has instead partnered with the following companies companies:
- Love Energy Savings: Business Electricity & Gas
- Marketing VF Ltd (trading as Inspire Digital): Telephone Systems, Invoice Finance, Business Loans, POS Systems, Photocopiers/Printers, Merchant and Payment Services
- Marketing VF: Card Machines and Merchant Services
- NerdWallet: Business Bank Accounts, Business Loans, and Commercial Mortgages
- Think Business Loans: Business Finance, Loans, Commercial mortgages and invoice finance
- Simply Business: Business Insurance
- Quote Search: Business Insurance
- Make It Cheaper: Business Energy
- Parvio: CCTV Systems
Each of these companies works directly with relevant suppliers.
Therefore, we act as both a data controller (since we send each of them data) and data processor (since they inform use what data they need and then decide how to process it). All data we collect on their behalf is required to help filter suppliers that may be right for you. If you would prefer not share certain information, you are free to do so and can still find generic pricing information across the website.
Here is the type of data that may collected, and the reason for collecting it:
- Basic business information including, but not limited to, name and location. This is used to help determine that you work for a business that is currently trading.
- Specific business information, this will include information about your business related to the specific request. Can can include things such as turnover, whether or not you’re currently using a given product or service and if so who. This helps filter your request to make sure you only get matched with relevant suppliers.
- Contact information including e-mail address and phone number. This is used to contact you about your quote and we strongly recommend you use a business e-mail address and phone number.
- A contact person’s name. This is so the companies providing the quotes know who they are addressing.
Once all the data is entered into one of our forms and you press submit the following actions will occur:
- You will be redirected to a thank you page which will give you some basic information about next steps and may also offer some additional information about related services.
- The form data is then sent via a secure SSL webhook to Zapier.com, which helps us to process the data via what they call a Zap.
- Once the data is received by Zapier.com, the Zap will send the data to the relevant partner via a secure SSL webhook. They will then use this data to contact you via e-mail and/or phone about your request and see if you’d like to proceed with getting quotes. You are under no obligation to purchase anything and may inform them you would not like to proceed. You can also contact us if you wish to cancel.
- At this stage the Zap is complete and Zapier will automatically delete all data within 90 days. This gives us time to help sort our any issues, but means data is not stored longer than necessary.
- Our partners will retain information for as long as their internal policies warrant. If you have any concerns about the data they may hold, please get in contact with us and we will do our best to help.
Passive Data Processing Activities
We use the following third-party tools to help us run a useable website. They do not share any personal information about you with us, but they may still collect information about you and your computer that may be considered personal information.
Below we outline what we use each of them for and where you can find out more about how they may collect and use personal data:
Google Analytics/Tag Manager We use this to track how people use our website in aggregate. We do not use it collect track individual users. Here are the key settings we are currently using:
- Remarketing: OFF
- Advertising Reporting Features: OFF
- User and event data retention: Set to expire after 14 months (shortest option offered)
- Reset on new activity: ON
- User-ID: OFF
- Accepted GDPR Data Processing Amendment
Google currently offers an Analytics opt-out here or you can use a third-party tool such as Ghostery.
Facebook Social Graph: This used to help make it easier to share content from our website and blog on Facebook. We do not use them for any remarketing or retargeting. See Facebook’s Data Page for more on how they use your data.
Social Media Sharing: In addition to Facebook Social Graph we also have G+, Twitter and LinkedIn sharing buttons on our site to help make it easier to share our content on those platforms. You can see G+ privacy policy here, Twitter’s Privacy Policy here and LinkedIn’s Privacy Policy here.
External / Affiliate Links: We sometimes track external links either via Google Analytics and/or third-party affiliate tracking platforms. Any sort of tracking only occurs if you click on an external link. At the bottom of every page where this occurs we disclose which links are affiliate links, but if you’re concerned about this, the simplest option is to not click on external links from our website.
Web Hosting: We use Kinsta to host our website. Like most web hosting companies they maintain website logs. You can learn more about the data they may have on their privacy policy.