I heard a good idea yesterday that practices are using WhatsApp as a way of keeping clients up to date with all things C-19. However, I'm now feeling worried about it 'biting me on the bum' with GDPR as clients names and numbers will be available? We've sent out a couple of emails but it's tricky getting everything across in a simple way when there's daily updates ... What are other practices doing?
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If there is an app or online resource that will send whatsapps to individual numbers then fine.
Surely you aren't planning on setting up a group on your phone with all your clients in it?!?!?! Apart from anything else when they all reply 'thanks' it will drive the other (insert number of clients here) bananas.
One of my clients is already complaining about being spammed by another local firm (his previous accountant still has him on their system)
Not sure GDPR is such a big issue just now. People are taking stuff home which might have been a sackable offence a few weeks ago. Common sense is back on the agenda.
You can do this via whatsapp
It call 'Braodcast Lits'
This way you can form a group but members in the group can not see each others numbers.
You send a message and all of them get it
HOWEVER if someone replies then ony you get it - its not broad cast to the group
So if you ooking to get a group convo going then its not good
But if its soley to communicate and let them ask you individual questions then this could work
could you be sure that all (or at least the majority of clients) use whatsapp? - we chose email updates as every single client has an email address.
On the email updates it says - if you wish to contact us by whatsapp here is the number.
Lucy Cohen and Glenn Martin may be the source of this idea. They talked about it in last week's Audience Q&A with Rebecca Benneyworth:
https://www.crowdcast.io/e/aweblivecoronavirusq&a
We're just working up a summary article of what they said, but you can see for yourself by watching. Rebecca Benneyworth talks about the technical details of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme first. If you want to skip that bit, Glenn starts talking about his client support methods around 27mins in.
The ICO has made it clear that GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 will still apply - see https://ico.org.uk/global/data-protection-and-coronavirus-information-hub/
ICAEW guidance also available
https://www.icaew.com/insights/coronavirus/working-from-home