How to get the balance between privacy and security

Privacy and security are often perceived to be at loggerheads, especially when looking at live chat software for website applications. However, an effective privacy-first security strategy allows you to deliver customer satisfaction as well as compliance with all regulations.

Whether you’re looking at a “chat software for my website” solution or hoping to upgrade your current approach to digital client interactions, this guide will teach you how to strike a balance for immediate and long-term success.

The balancing act between privacy and security

Whether looking at live chat software for website and mobile App interactions or any other connection with the customer, it’s not hard to understand the conflict between privacy and security.

For the business to maintain advanced levels of security, it must be able to identify any possible threats either from or to the user. Aside from protecting the customer, it is an essential step for keeping the business alive as 60% of SMEs that suffer data breaches will cease trading within six months. The only way to overcome this is to implement data inspections. Unfortunately, this can be seen as a potential problem in relation to privacy.

A privacy-first security strategy is the perfect way to strike a balance between the two issues. It identifies the risks associated with both elements, thus keeping data secure and private. This rings true in all aspects of business that rely on data privacy and data security, which is why you must take this into account when searching “chat software for my website” options.

Understanding privacy issues for chatbots and live chat solutions

When researching different “live chat software for my website and App”, it quickly becomes apparent that they are required to collect personal user data in order to deliver a personalised experience - something that 51% of experts state as a top opportunity for businesses.

The main privacy concerns for both live chat and chatbot facilities are;

• Collecting personal user information without consent, which is why users should be clearly asked to opt-in.
• Data sharing, any data collected by live chat or chatbot software should be solely for the company and not shared with third parties.
• Unsecured data, which is why all data collected during the interaction should be stored securely to stop hackers.
• Excessive data collection, live chat agents should only look to collect data that will actively support the interaction and build a better UX.
• Storing unnecessary data, which is why any data that is no longer needed should be deleted as soon as the interaction has finished.

While collecting some personal details will be necessary to provide a personalised service, an understanding of privacy concerns will subsequently allow your team to successfully pursue privacy-first security with support from its chosen live chat software for website applications.

Understanding security concerns with live chat facilities

Consumers may be primarily concerned about privacy, but security deserves equal attention - especially from the business.

After all, there are several potential security risks that could impact the company as well as the customer. They include, but are not limited to;

• Surveillance from the live chat or chatbot tools, even if accidentally.
• Unauthorised access from web users posing as a customer.
• Data theft and hacking from cybercriminals.
• Data leaks due to the negligence of live chat advisors.
• Unknown data accessibility due to inferior back-end security.

To master security with a privacy-first approach. More importantly, you must be aware of the above issues and be prepared to take action.

How to pursue privacy-first security

Understanding the importance of privacy-first security is fairly straightforward. Without it, you will witness a significant reduction in customer satisfaction and may put the future of the business at risk. However, knowing how to stay on top of the situation when managing live chat and chatbot systems is another.

Firstly, the live chat software for website and App services must be GDPR compliant. This will instantly ensure that privacy is maintained whilst also making a clear show of this to the user. Other key factors to consider are;

• Use end-to-end data encryption. Even if hackers infiltrate systems, they will not gain access to sensitive data.
• Consider multi-layer authentication systems to prevent fraudsters from successfully posing as customers.
• Invest in employee training on privacy and security because 90% of breaches are due to human error.
• Check that the live chat software you use has been thoroughly tested for potential vulnerabilities from a coding perspective.
• Be transparent with the user at every stage of the interaction so that they know exactly what data they are sharing,

For the best results, though, working with a team that cares about helping you find the balance between security and privacy with your live chat solutions is essential. At Click4Assistance, we’re here at every step of the process.