Privacy Policy
Call Answering Service is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information responsibly, securely and transparently.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal data when you visit our website, contact us, use our services or interact with us through a call answering service provided on behalf of one of our clients.
Call Answering Service is a trading style of Connect Communications Services Ltd, registered in England and Wales under company number 08850911.
Who We Are
Call Answering Service provides professional telephone answering and call handling services to businesses throughout the UK.
For personal information relating directly to our own customers, prospective customers, suppliers and website users, Connect Communications Services Ltd will generally act as the data controller.
When we answer or handle telephone calls on behalf of a client, we may process personal information under that client's instructions. In these circumstances, our client will generally act as the data controller and we will act as a data processor.
What Personal Information Do We Collect?
The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us and the services being provided.
We may collect information including:
Your name
Business or company name
Telephone number
Email address
Postal or business address
Information submitted through website forms
Details provided during telephone conversations
Call details, including the date, time and duration of a call
Messages and information provided for the intended recipient
Customer account and service information
Billing and payment information
Correspondence between you and our team
Technical information relating to your use of our website, such as IP address, browser type and device information
Where we answer calls on behalf of another business, we may also collect information that the caller chooses to provide during the conversation.
We only collect information that is reasonably required to provide the relevant service or fulfil another legitimate business purpose.
How Do We Collect Personal Information?
We may collect personal information when you:
Contact us by telephone
Send us an email
Complete a form on our website
Enquire about our services
Become a customer
Communicate with our customer service team
Call a telephone number that we answer on behalf of one of our clients
Visit or interact with our website
We may also receive information from our clients where it is necessary to provide call answering or related communication services on their behalf.
How Do We Use Your Personal Information?
We may use personal information to:
Provide our call answering and call handling services
Take and forward telephone messages
Route calls to the appropriate person or department
Respond to enquiries
Set up and manage customer accounts
Provide customer support
Process payments and maintain financial records
Communicate with customers about their services
Improve our services and internal processes
Maintain the security of our systems
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
Establish, exercise or defend legal claims
Prevent fraud, misuse or other unlawful activity
We will not use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the reason it was originally collected unless permitted or required by law.
What Is Our Lawful Basis for Processing Personal Data?
Under UK data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal information.
Depending on the circumstances, we may process information because:
It is necessary to perform a contract with you or take steps before entering into a contract.
We have a legitimate business interest in operating, managing and improving our services.
We have a legal obligation to process or retain certain information.
You have provided consent where consent is required.
Where we process personal information on behalf of one of our clients, we process that information according to the client's instructions and the relevant contractual arrangements.
Call Answering and Message Handling
Our services involve receiving and handling telephone calls on behalf of other organisations.
During these calls, our operators may collect information such as your name, contact details, reason for calling and any message you wish to leave.
This information may be recorded within our systems and passed to the organisation you intended to contact.
The organisation on whose behalf we answer the call will generally determine why your information is collected and how it is subsequently used. You should refer to that organisation's privacy policy for further information about its processing activities.
Call Recording
Some telephone calls may be recorded where appropriate for service delivery, quality assurance, training, security, dispute resolution or compliance purposes.
Where calls are recorded, appropriate information should be provided to callers where required by law.
Recordings are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which they were collected, subject to any legal or contractual requirements.
Sharing Personal Information
We do not sell personal information.
We may share personal information with third parties where necessary to operate our business or provide our services, including:
The client on whose behalf we are handling a call
IT and telecommunications providers
Hosting and data storage providers
Payment processors
Professional advisers, including accountants and legal advisers
Regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies or public authorities where required by law
Where third-party service providers process personal information on our behalf, we take appropriate steps to ensure that information receives suitable protection.
How Do We Protect Personal Information?
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, loss or destruction.
These measures may include access controls, secure systems, password protection, staff procedures, data security policies and appropriate contractual safeguards with service providers.
Access to personal information is limited to people who require it for legitimate business purposes.
How Long Do We Keep Personal Information?
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.
Retention periods vary depending on the type of information, the service being provided and any legal, regulatory, contractual or accounting requirements that apply.
When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised or otherwise disposed of where appropriate.
International Data Transfers
Some service providers may process or store information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take appropriate steps to ensure that the transfer complies with applicable UK data protection law and that suitable safeguards are in place where required.
Cookies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate correctly, understand how visitors use the website and improve its performance.
Some cookies are essential for the website to function, while others may be used for analytics or other purposes.
Where required, non-essential cookies will only be used after appropriate consent has been obtained.
Further information about the cookies used on our website can be provided within our Cookie Policy.
Marketing Communications
Where permitted by law, we may contact existing or prospective customers about services that we believe may be relevant to them.
Where consent is required for electronic marketing, we will obtain it before sending marketing communications.
You can ask us to stop sending marketing communications at any time.
Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law may give you the right to:
Request access to the personal information held about you
Ask for inaccurate information to be corrected
Request deletion of your personal information
Request restriction of processing
Object to certain types of processing
Request the transfer of your information where applicable
Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent
These rights are subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions.
If your request relates to information we process solely on behalf of one of our clients, we may need to refer your request to the relevant client as the data controller.
Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to websites operated by other organisations.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of third-party websites. You should review the relevant privacy policy before providing personal information to another organisation.
Children's Personal Information
Our services are primarily intended for businesses and adults.
We do not intentionally collect personal information from children through our website unless it is necessary for a legitimate purpose and permitted under applicable law.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes to our services, business practices or legal requirements.
The latest version published on our website will apply.
How to Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, how we process personal information or your data protection rights, please contact Call Answering Service using the contact details provided on our website.
Call Answering Service
A trading style of Connect Communications Services Ltd
Registered in England and Wales
Company Number: 08850911
Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, please contact us so that we can investigate the matter.
You also have the right to raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent regulator for data protection.