How to Manage Consumer Privacy Complaints in the Philippines

Does your business handle customer data? Odds are you’ve received complaints somewhere down the line.

You’re not alone. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) revealed 28,824 consumer complaints in the Philippines in 2023—a considerable jump from 2022. This figure highlights the growing concern among Filipinos regarding consumer data privacy on social media, e-commerce, and other online services.

As data breaches and unauthorized access become more prevalent, businesses like yours must handle complaints effectively. Otherwise, you could lose customer trust, suffer from potentially irreversible reputational damage, and receive severe penalties. With that, let’s discuss rising concerns surrounding data privacy in the Philippines and how to address them successfully.

Understanding Consumer Privacy Complaints in the Philippines

A consumer privacy complaint is a formal grievance filed against an organization regarding the mishandling or unauthorized use of personal information. According to the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10173), people often file complaints when they believe their privacy rights have been violated.

Any company must know how to mitigate privacy violations. However, to do so, you must first understand why people file them in the first place.

Unauthorized use of personal information

Consumers usually file complaints when their data is used without consent, typically in cases of identity theft. Scammers might use a victim’s identity to request money from their loved ones or to take out loans in the victim’s name.

Misuse of personal information

Complaints arise when companies use consumer information for purposes other than what they initially agreed to, like when businesses use customer details for marketing purposes without consent.

Data breaches and security incidents

Consumers may be concerned about recent data breaches and leaks exposing their personal information online or to unauthorized parties, such as the recent Jollibee leak.

5 Ways for Effective Complaints-Handling Process

The following steps can help you resolve issues swiftly and with better results. They also help maintain consumer trust in your company and compliance with legal requirements.  

1. Creating a dedicated handling team

Your team should consist of professionals with experience in customer service and thorough training in data protection regulations. They should be well-versed in implementing the Data Privacy Act, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and ordinances from the DTI and the National Privacy Commission (NPC).

2. Implementing clear procedures and channels

Developing a proper protocol, such as making your contact information accessible and detailing complaint submission guidelines, helps streamline your complaints process. It enables you to treat every ticket effectively and prevent bottlenecks.

3. Ensuring transparency and communication

Privacy violation victims have become untrusting due to their situation, so be honest throughout the complaints process. Keep them informed at every stage, from acknowledging their complaint to your final resolution. Also, be honest about your company’s limitations and what actions you can realistically take to help them manage their expectations.

4. Addressing complaints promptly

Prioritize complaints to hasten the entire process. For example, address those related to privacy breaches first before attending to minor issues, ensuring that the most critical cases are resolved as quickly as possible. Establishing clear timelines for each stage of the process helps your internal team stay on schedule and avoid prolonging the victims’ situations.

5. Using prior complaints to streamline the process

As always, learn from past mistakes. Review each complaint and assess them for issues that might’ve created bottlenecks during the process and other areas for improvement. At the same time, use them for analytics by tracking complainant trends and implementing your findings to prevent similar data-related problems.

Resolving and Mitigating Consumer Privacy Complaints

Let’s put the above points into practice. Follow these strategies to efficiently handle consumer privacy complaints and prevent them from happening again.

1. Investigate complaints thoroughly

Resolving a complaint requires identifying its origin. When you receive a complaint, carefully examine it to understand its nature and extent. For instance, you could interview victims for their side of the story and review your records and logs. Once you’ve identified the root of the problem, you can finally start making better-informed decisions.

2. Take corrective actions

It’s time to improve your operations using the findings from your investigation. Implement changes to how you handle data by updating your security measures and privacy policies to prevent future occurrences. Following a protocol at this stage helps, but remember that each case is unique. So, consider tailoring every action to every complaint to develop a more precise solution.

3. Constantly communicate updates

Open communication is crucial when addressing data privacy concerns. Keep complainants regularly informed of your progress, starting with acknowledging receipt of their complaint. Provide updates on the investigation’s progress and inform them of any actions taken. This approach helps manage their expectations and reassures them that their concerns are being taken seriously.

4. Provide remedies and compensation

Consider offering compensation in cases where the problem has harmed or inconvenienced the consumer. For instance, you could assist them in escalating their complaint to DTI, NPC, or the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG). You may also provide compensation for lost funds due to a data breach if you can afford it. Regardless, ensure your remedy is fair and proportionate to the complaint’s harm.

5. Offer ongoing support

Even after resolving a complaint, it might still have a lingering effect on the consumer in the form of distrust of your company. In such cases, offering support may help them recover.

A common way to do it is to provide feedback channels for customers to voice any additional concerns or suggestions. It helps settle some nerves, but it’s also an opportunity to gather more insights to enhance your privacy practices and complaint-handling processes further.

Reassure Customers During Trying Times

Privacy is important to anyone, especially for consumers who willingly surrender their personal information to support your products and services. Handling their data with care must be your top priority. Treat their concerns and complaints earnestly and reassure them that your business is trustworthy, rain or shine.

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