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Privacy Policy

Last Update: November 1, 2024

1. About This Privacy Policy

Welcome to BusinessSoftwareReports! Thank you for using our service. The BusinessSoftwareReports service is fully owned and operated by Crozdesk Ltd. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, BusinessSoftwareReports and BSR as well as Crozdesk Ltd and Crozdesk will be used interchangeably. Additionally, the business and all employees will be referred to as ”we" or "us" as well as the “team” or "company". Furthermore, the “user” and “you” will be used interchangeably and both refer to any person or entity using the BSR service or any of it’s subsites, subdomains, and/or product components.

The following Privacy Policy applies to any interactions a user has with https://businesssoftwarereports.com and any sub-sites thereof, including, but not limited to, any service components, web resources, and/or content found on our sites (referred to as the "website") and governs the privacy of its users who choose to use it.

The Privacy Policy sets out the different areas where user privacy is concerned and outlines the obligations and requirements of the user, the website, and the website owners. The ways that this website processes, stores, and protects user data and information will also be detailed within this policy.

By using the site, filling in a contact form, downloading a white paper document, or engaging with the website in any other way, users explicitly accept this Privacy Policy.

This website and its owners take a proactive approach to user privacy and ensure the necessary steps are taken to protect the privacy of its users throughout their visiting experience. This website complies with all UK national laws and GDPR requirements for user privacy.

2. The Ways That We Use Personal Data

2.1 What Personal Data Do We Collect?

This Privacy Policy provides information about the types of personal data that we collect. Personal data refers to any information that can be used to identify the users providing it.

Whenever a user visits the website, we receive the following information:

  • Technical information regarding the ways in which users interact with the website. This includes the IP (internet protocol) address used to connect to the user’s computer to the internet, the operating system used by the user’s computer, the type and version of browser used to access the BSR website, browser plug-ins and extensions present on the browser, and time zone settings.
  • Interaction information regarding a user’s actions when on the BSR website, as well as how they got to the website and where they go after leaving the website.
  • Personalization information collected both from our website and based upon the existing cookies a user has stored in their internet browser.

If a user would like to download one of our white paper documents, they must first provide a subset of the following professional information via our webforms:

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Job title
  • Company name
  • Company website
  • Professional email address
  • Work phone number

These forms contain fields specified with an asterisk (*) that must be filled in, as they are mandatory and necessary. Failing to submit this information will result in not being able to download the desired document and benefit from the requested BSR services. Users are also advised that any inaccuracy, falsity, mistake, or error in any submitted data and information is their exclusive responsibility. We also advise users to inform BSR of any change in their data so as to keep up-to-date, error-free profiles.

2.2 How Do We Collect Personal Data?

Data is collected in a range of ways, both by us and our partners.

The data collected directly from users includes information submitted by the user when downloading one of our white paper documents.

The data collected from the user’s device and browser used to access the Crozdesk website includes general information that is gathered from most browsers and devices, such as user IP addresses and cookies. Please see the cookie policy for more information on this.

The data collected from other sources includes personal data that is generated through the distribution of software buyer guides, our research reports, and other white paper documents across our partner network. The information we receive includes the user’s name, email address, phone number, company name, and the topics they are interested in, depending on which document is downloaded. In some cases, additional user-provided information may be passed on to us.

2.3 How Do We Use Personal Data and Why?

Personal data is used for various reasons relating to the Crozdesk software comparison and lead-generation services we provide. The following core reasons set out what we do with user data:

Business relationships:

  • For the purpose of providing lead generation campaigns to our clients, we may supply user information that is gathered on download of our white papers, reports, or buyer guides, as long as legitimate interest for the client’s software can be assumed. All users are made aware that they may be contacted by sales representatives of the companies we work with should this be the case. Additionally, for those that opt-in, we may also contact users via phone to offer software selection advice.
  • When a user on our website or on one of our resources follows a hyperlink to a partner website, their browser may indicate this journey to both sites.

Marketing:

  • Internally, personal data is used and shared between our team to measure the effectiveness of our marketing and lead-generation campaigns. This allows us to know what users respond positively to and allows us to place more focus on that particular vertical.

Administration:

  • Ensures that website content is delivered and presented in the most efficient way for each user’s specific device and it’s settings.
  • To manage, monitor, and improve the website, as well as for internal operations. This includes troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, research, and statistical evaluation. Thereafter, the insights can be used for internal business applications, including analysing and managing our business processes and performance, conducting audits, developing new services, improving our current services, improving the website, and identifying usage trends.

Security and legal compliance:

  • To help keep the website safe and secure.
  • To detect and prevent fraud and other illegal activities.
  • To ensure full compliance with the legal infrastructure of a range of countries, both domestically and internationally.

Data transfer:

  • Whenever we send (or permit a third-party to send) personal data outside of the UK, we will make sure that we take necessary steps to protect the user as required by domestic UK laws and GDPR compliance.
  • Certain personal data may be shared with third-party service providers, which may be located outside of the EU where data protection laws are different. As such, BSR has implemented appropriate safeguards in this process for your personal data.
  • Where the user has provided consent, we may share personal data with third-party software providers, as well as by extension with their third-party data controllers. This is generally related to user-vendor introduction campaigns, where users consent to receive introductory pitches connecting them with software providers.
  • We may also contact users with additional resources on behalf of our partners and share their data with our partners should the user opt-in to receive marketing communications from that partner.

Third-party links and sponsored advertising:

  • The website or its resources may contain links to other third-party sites that are not covered by this Privacy Policy. We do not own and have no responsibility for these sites. Any data that is submitted to other third-party sites should only be submitted after the user has checked each sites’ individual policy.
  • Although this website only intends to include quality, safe, and relevant external links, users are advised to adopt a policy of caution before clicking any external web links mentioned throughout this website (including clickable text, banners, and image links to other websites). The owners of this website cannot verify or give any guarantees in relation to the content of any externally linked website despite their best efforts. Users should therefore note that clicking on external links is done at their own risk. This website and its owners cannot be held liable for any damages or implications caused by visiting any external links.

2.4 How Do We Share Personal Data

Internally:

  • Personal data may be shared with any member of our team, as long as it is related to the business relationship we possess with the affected user.

      • Externally:

      • In order to deliver our services at optimal efficiency to users, this data may be communicated with our partners where necessary to help fulfil their obligations to aid our services. In the case we do share data, we will ensure that it is handled in accordance with the domestic legislation of both the UK and the host country of the third-party, as well as being GDPR compliant. Furthermore, we will make sure that these third-party entities only utilise user personal data for the purpose of providing the agreed relevant services to us. As such, this will only be to confer the benefits of doing so to the end user and is only where we are not able to either commercially or capably provide such services ourselves.
      • As part of software advisory services or software marketing programs it is sometimes necessary to collect express user permission for their professional and/or personal data to be shared with relevant third-parties, especially (but not exclusively) in cases where users are requesting software vendor introductions or further information from vendors to aid during their research process. BSR provides opt-out facilities from any associated marketing communications, but third parties that data has been shared with prior to the user opting-out may require additional opt-out notifications as well.
      • In the event that we are subject to legal obligations, including but not limited to the detection and prevention of crime, we may need to disclose requested personal data to either law enforcement agencies or other public authorities.
      • Should we ever sell or attempt to sell the Crozdesk business, or any component thereof, personal data may need to be disclosed to prospective buyers.

      3. Cookies

      Cookies are small files that are saved to the user's computer hard drive. They track, save, and store information about the user's interactions and usage of the website. Please see our cookie policy for information on the types of cookies we set and how we handle cookies.

      4. Social Media

      Communication, engagement, and actions taken through external social media platforms that this website and its owners participate on are circumscribed to the terms and conditions as well as the privacy policies held with each social media platform. Users are advised to use social media platforms wisely and communicate/engage with them with due care and caution in regards to their own privacy and personal details. This website and its owners will never ask for personal or sensitive information through social media platforms. We always encourage primary communication channels such as telephone or email to discuss sensitive details with users.

      This website may use social sharing buttons which help share web content directly from web pages to any social media platform. Users are advised that the use of such buttons is done at their own discretion. They should also note that social media platforms may track and save their request to share a web page through their own social media accounts.

      Additionally, this website and its owners may share web links to any relevant web pages through any of their social media platform accounts. Despite the best efforts to ensure only genuine URLs are published, many social media platforms are prone to spam and hacking and, by default, some of them shorten lengthy URLs (web addresses). This website and its owners cannot be held liable for any damages or implications caused by visiting any shortened links. Users are therefore advised to take caution and good judgement before clicking any shortened URLs published on social media platforms by this website and its owners.

      5. Contact Us

      Each user has the right to contact us regarding our handling of personal data. Users contacting this website and/or its owners do so at their own discretion and provide any personal details at their own risk. Their personal information is kept private and stored securely until a time when it is no longer required or has no use, as detailed in the Data Protection Act 1998. Every effort has been made to ensure a safe and secure form for the email submission process. However, Crozdesk reminds users using such form that they do so at their own risk.

      Users can submit any queries via Crozdesk’s contact us page. Each user has the right to:

      • Request that personal data is not used for direct marketing purposes or any other reason that concerns the user.
      • Request to receive all personal data that we hold about the relevant user, as well as what we do with such data.
      • Provide amendments to any incorrect personal data.
      • Request that we stop using the personal data of the affected user.
      • Be excluded from automated processing services (e.g. computers running algorithms).

      If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us at privacy@businesssoftwarereviews.com.