Privacy policy

About Survey Solutions

Survey Solutions is a company which provides research-based solutions to clients. This typically takes the form of survey questionnaires which are administered via several channels, including online, paper based and telephone surveys.

In this Privacy Policy we explain how we process data, how we protect it and what you can do if you have any concerns about your personal data.

Our Managing Director, Colin Wheeler, is also responsible for the role of “Data Protection Officer”. If you have any questions or concerns about how your data is used or protected, you can contact him using this form on our website, via email to support@surveysolutions.co.uk, by post to our office at Causeway House, 13 The Causeway, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0JR, or by telephone on 020 8943 1445 during normal UK business hours.

Some terminology

  • GDPR – the latest regulations relating to data protection, the “General Data Protection Regulation”
  • ICO – The UK regulator, the Information Commissioners Office whose website is at http://ico.org.uk
  • Data Protection Officer – the person responsible for Data Protection within an organisation, defined within GDPR. This is typically someone in a senior position due to the importance of the role.

Changes to our privacy policy

We may make changes to our privacy policy in the future and such changes will be updated on this page. Where appropriate we may also notify you via email.

Data we hold to deliver services for our clients

Types of information held:

  • Typically our clients provide us with name and email address contact information. Where relevant, telephone contact details may also be provided
  • As part of the survey process, some additional information may be provided to enable analysis of the survey results by specific groups e.g. gender, age, marketing segment.

Survey Solutions offers services to other business which include processing of personal data on behalf of clients to deliver surveys. As such the role of Survey Solutions in this regard is as a processor, and not a controller of data, as defined by the relevant data protection legislation.

Our clients take responsibility for ensuring that contact information provided to us meets regulatory requirements in relation to contact and data protection.

Lawful basis for processing data

As part of the latest regulation, organisations must have a “lawful basis” for holding and processing personal information. With regards to the contact information provided to us as part of delivering surveys to stakeholder audience:

  • For details which are contact information of our client’s customers (name, email address, contact number) the lawful basis will usually be that this information is held and processed to deliver the services that customers have requested.
  • For details which are contact information of our client’s employees (name, email address, contact number) the lawful basis will usually be that this information is held and processed as part of the normal interactions which form part of employment.
  • Where third party sample providers are used (panels) they will be required to confirm that the contacts who participate in research have consented to be contacted for the purposes of research.

Survey Feedback activity

Conducting authentic survey research is a process of gathering feedback to help improve services for participants (e.g. updating the customer experience, increasing employee engagement). Survey Solutions is a member of the Market Research Society Company Partner Scheme and as such places a strong emphasis on the confidentiality of participants in research and on treating participants respectfully.

The process of gathering feedback is not the same as sending promotional materials and is a legitimate activity for organisations to undertake. Individuals are not identified or individually targeted on the basis of their response to surveys.

However, we provide ‘opt-out’ links within all email survey invitations. Survey information and guidance includes clear information that participation is voluntary.

Results from survey research

Where we conduct survey research on behalf of clients we provide assurances of confidentiality to participants. Results from surveys are presented as 'aggregated' findings, where individuals are not identified. Small groups of participants are not shown in the survey reporting.

For other types of feedback process that we offer such as 360 feedback and appraisal systems, individual responses may be shown where this has been made clear to participants in the process.

Rights of participants in survey research

As a participant in research, you have the right to access information held about you, including having this information amended if there is an error, or deleted if you do not wish it to be held. To exercise this right, please contact us using this form on our website, via email to support@surveysolutions.co.uk, by post to our office at, Causeway House, 13 The Causeway, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0JR, or by telephone on 020 8943 1445 during normal UK business hours.

Anonymisation of survey data

We typically retain personal data used in surveys for a period of between 3 and 6 months, after which time all relevant data quality checks will be complete and there has been time for any queries to be resolved. At this point, personal information is removed from the survey data and an anonymised dataset is used for any further analysis. Please note that we cannot identify individual responses once this action has been taken.

For some surveys, where there is a valid methodological requirement, we may retain personal or identifying data for longer periods. Where this is the case, information is provided within the survey and other texts (such as FAQs and email invitations) to explain this.

Storage and protection of personal data

Survey Solutions takes the responsibility of protecting data seriously.

Our systems are carefully maintained, with relevant updates and patches applied. We utilise virus protection where applicable to minimise risk and all our staff are trained in their responsibilities with regards to Data Protection and Confidentiality.

All sensitive and personal data is protected via encryption at rest, and during transmission across networks.

We utilise firewalls, passwords, personal identification numbers and access control methods to manage access to data stored on our systems.

Data we hold to operate our business

Types of information held:

  • We maintain a list of names, email addresses, contact numbers, company names and transactions/communications we have with our suppliers, current and past clients and contacts on our database.
  • We hold information about current and past employees as required by the relevant authorities.

As such, Survey Solutions is a data controller for this information and is registered with the Information Commissioner Office. This means that Survey Solutions is responsible for maintaining this data and to maintain confidentiality of such as required.

Any private individual can request information about the data held about themselves by our company.

Lawful basis for processing data

To hold and process data of natural persons, it is required that we have a “lawful basis’ to do so. In this regard, the information we hold for the operation of our business is regarded as “legitimate interest” within the definition given as part of the General Data Protection Regulations (aka GDPR) which came into effect in May 2018.

Our marketing activity

Survey Solutions offers services to other businesses and conducts marketing activity to promote services to businesses. It does not market services to private individuals.

Information that is collected via forms on our main website, for registering to download content or to receive newsletters will be processed only for the purposes stated on the form.

We may also collect details of visits to our website, such as traffic data, location data, weblogs and other similar data, including the pages visited while on our site.

Data that we collect may be used to promote our services including email information or newsletters.

We may also purchase contact information from legitimate list brokers who confirm that they have met all regulatory requirements to both hold and to provide contact information.

All individuals may opt-out of communications from Survey Solutions at any time. Mailings sent by Survey Solutions include an opt-out link, or an individual can either contact ‘support@surveysolutions.co.uk’ or use this form and request that they no longer receive communications from us.

We may pass on information relating to contacts on our company database to third parties, where we have arranged an appropriate data processing agreement with them. Any third party we utilise will only process such data as we have explicitly requested as described within this policy.