Chapter 15: Protocols for the Public Transport of Private Information

“The public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything. Except what is worth knowing. Journalism, conscious of this, and having tradesman-like habits, supplies their demands.”

—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)

Overview

The Internet and the proliferation of e-business have initiated a new era of data acquisition and personalization. While opportunities for cultivating and cementing customer relationships abound, companies are undergoing intense scrutiny to ensure that they respect and protect consumer privacy.

The ability to capture and transport vast amounts of personally identifiable data is a marketer’s dream. Yet if not handled prudently, this capability can turn into a customer’s (and a company’s) worst nightmare. Today, companies must realize that their most valuable asset is not the data—it’s the customer.

In the age of next-generation e-business, success hinges on a company’s ability to foster and sustain profitable and open relationships with its most valuable customers. Now, more than ever, any organization that fails to build consumer confidence and trust runs the risk of losing market share to competitors who do.