Easily track, manage, archive, and audit consumer data requests, subject access requests (SARS), and other processes needed to keep your company compliant.

In an era of increasing scrutiny and activity surrounding data privacy regulations, companies are learning the hard way that non-compliance can be costly. TikTok, a global social media giant, recently faced the music, incurring a staggering €345 million fine for failing to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Meanwhile, Sephora settled with the state of California for failure to comply with California’s Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) — agreeing to pay $1.2 million dollars and to comply with injunctive terms.

As regulations and regulating bodies grow in scope, companies are strategically investing in workflow automation to ensure compliance and manage the risks associated with a diverse and distributed workforce.

Why turn to workflow automation for data privacy compliance?

Keeping up with data privacy regulations often means ensuring that your users know how your company uses their data, so they can determine whether they wish to opt out from the sale of that data. But giving users this opportunity can be tricky and time-consuming: the CCPA, for example, demands timely coordination and fulfillment of these requests, and failing to address them can result in hefty fines. Companies struggle to create a secure, centralized data inventory (as required by GDPR Article 30), which can lead to non-compliance and a lack of clarity in data handling practices.

That’s why TikTok, Sephora, and other parties facing data privacy fines and penalties are reassessing the way their end-users interact with their online platforms. Are users given transparent information that allows them to determine whether or not they want to opt out of sharing their data? After requesting additional information or a hold on their data, do customers receive timely and appropriate responses? Companies can struggle to accommodate all of the demands of these requests without getting mired in paperwork and falling behind — unless they’re leveraging workflow automation, that is.

With workflow automation, companies can get the jump on data privacy requests and ensure compliance — and ease of use — for both their customers and their internal employees. The right automation platform makes it simple to track, manage, archive, and audit consumer data requests, subject access requests (SARS), and other processes needed to keep your company compliant.

Elevating your data privacy requests and collection with workflow automation

Workflow automation offers a critical advantage for companies trying to navigate these new laws and regulations while keeping customer experience at the forefront. While end users may feel like they are filling out a simple, online form, the workflow on the back-end drives their request to the right place, so that it can get fulfilled efficiently. Once submitted, automation routes requests to proper stakeholders for review, and throughout the process, the workflow gathers analytics around the request outcomes to drive future process improvements. Whether the workflow initiates a “do not sell” hold on customer data or delivers a consumer a report of how their data has been used, automation can make the front-end experience seamless while streamlining the approval process and automating any data look-up on the back end.

In addition to streamlining the process and improving end-user experience, workflow automation also simplifies compliance. With every workflow pulling data into a central location, audit trails are automated and holistic — and it’s possible to ensure that your organization gathers information according to regulation standards. In doing so, it creates a centralized, secure data inventory of all processing activities that can be maintained and re-certified over time, with detailed reporting. This is important for any compliance workflow, and has specific relevance for GDPR Article 30.

Without workflow automation, the unrelenting updates to data privacy can leave companies wondering how they can make themselves available to end-user requests without getting mired in emails, spreadsheets, and lost documents. But with automation, these requests get streamlined and optimized — triaged and escalated as needed – ensuring that end-users have a pleasant experience, your internal team can spend their time on higher-value work, and your organization stays compliant.

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