RANT: Personal Info Collected by Companies

[NSFL]

Originally Posted by BuzzardsWife

NO you do NOT have to put your sin number on a job app.

Sweet, thanks. I guess just leave it blank?

[habernac]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Going by the reaction you get when you say "why do you need my phone number" or "I'm not telling you my address", pretty much everyone just gives it up without a second thought.

Some poor kid at Radio Shack got so flustered about it once and couldn't answer why my phone number was required to make some piddling little purchase that he looked nervously over both shoulders and said "I just put my own phone number in there" and away I went.

It's not like I was pressing him or being aggressive or trying to prove some point, I just asked.

It's just one of those things that the poor guy behind the till is required by his boss to ask. I usually tell them I don't have a phone. Mass confusion commences.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Hate to derail, but I actually liked that a bit. Walking on was so easy because of that. Now it's impossible to get a tee time or to walk on.

Meh. Last summer anytime i tried to play Mapleridge i usually had to wait about an hour on their waiting list. Get there early in the morning and chances are excellent you get a golf game in that day.

[CalgaryGirl4Evr]

Originally Posted by NSFL

I completely agree. I don't know why they need my number or address to make a simple purchase.

I completely understand, as a consumer, where you are coming from...

My husband and I own/operate a local Franchise in which we use people's phone numbers to keep track of our 'Rewards Program' as well as a 'Frequent Buyer Program'. For every $15 a customer spends (not cumulative), they earn one point. Once the customer reaches 30 points we give a $15 store credit back. It is about 3% savings over time... Some customers, and I certainly don't blame them, get frustrated or even angry when we ask for a phone number for this.

As a consumer, I feel inundated with giving out information. Whether it's my phone number, postal code or one of any number of 'club' cards.

With our business on the other hand, it is an important part of our customer service - tough call

[NSFL]

Originally Posted by CalgaryGirl4Evr

I completely understand, as a consumer, where you are coming from...

My husband and I own/operate a local Franchise in which we use people's phone numbers to keep track of our 'Rewards Program' as well as a 'Frequent Buyer Program'. For every $15 a customer spends (not cumulative), they earn one point. Once the customer reaches 30 points we give a $15 store credit back. It is about 3% savings over time... Some customers, and I certainly don't blame them, get frustrated or even angry when we ask for a phone number for this.

As a consumer, I feel inundated with giving out information. Whether it's my phone number, postal code or one of any number of 'club' cards.

With our business on the other hand, it is an important part of our customer service - tough call

Now I would completely understand that. It's for a points, and such. But I wasn't even getting points, just buying a $15 tshirt. It's things like that which make me wonder why. At safeway, for the safeway club thing, I give out my number instead of having them swipe a card, I don't mind there.

[CalgaryGirl4Evr]

Originally Posted by NSFL

But I wasn't even getting points, just buying a $15 tshirt. It's things like that which make me wonder why.

Yeah, that makes sense. Sorry I missed your point there .

[Dion]

I think consumers would be more understand if companies give a clear explanation to their customers as to why they collect their personal info. Maybe a sign at each till or something. Leaving the poor clerk to deal with this issue is a cop out.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by fotze

I just give them habernac's number. Anyone want it, just pm me.

I'll save them the trouble. It's 1800 Eat

[Russic]

Originally Posted by 4X4

N.S. Seriously, think about how easy it would be for one of those Telus employees to seriously wreck a person's life. They have your SIN, your DL, your DOB, your address, your credit card... Just keep that in mind the next time you want to fly off the handle with one of them.

And it's Telus, so you will fly off the handle with them.

This may be a bit of a derail, but I also can't stand how Linens and Things prints your full credit card # and expiration date on all receipts. I remember when my wife (then girlfriend) moved in together we kept having to make trips over to buy little items and constantly forgot to use debit. I do find it funny that as you leave the store in a fit of rage as you look at your receipt there is a giant wall of shredders for sale. punks.

[fatso]

Originally Posted by 4X4

It really ruffles my feathers that companies like Telus do this. I'm not applying for a credit card or a mortgage. It's $100 per month for what you're going to give me. Charge in advance or something, but forget about taking all those numbers. I guess I remain with Shaw.

Along the same lines, what's with businesses asking for my address? I'm buying a slurpee and they're asking for my family tree. You go to visions or something and drop a couple grand on some equipment and the weasly kid is asking for your address. Great, so that you can come and break into my house tonight? The oil change places are asking for addresses. As you're leaving they're thinking "nice car"... Give it up. It does not help your business at all to collect my personal info. You want to figure out where to open another branch? Ask for my postal code. That I'll give you. No more addresses, phone numbers (I bought something at Guess once and they called me two months later to tell me they were having a sale...) no DL# no SIN# no AHC.

Ya man, I agree. It's gotten really out of control. I hate giving up that personal information. There is absolutely NO need for them to be collecting that stuff just to make a sale.

Conversely, I also hate all the security now to purchase things with credit cards, particularly online. I mean, I'm glad for any safe purchase measures, but it's getting to be too much. Al these passwords, codes, pins/e-mail logins/passwords, etc.

Geez... It's just such a hassle now. I try to buy as much stuff with cash as I can, and try to hold back my info as much as they'll let me.

[flip]

Just an FYI. The reason MOST business ask for Postal Codes (and some ask for more like addresses and Ph #s) is for the purpose of studying the demographics of who shops for them.

So lets say I have a store in Tuscany and I'm thinking of building a new store. If I know the Postal Codes of all my customers it'll be easier for me to tell where I should build my new store so that I don't take business away from the orig store. It can sometimes even be handy to know who should be getting flyers in the mail.

[Ford Prefect]

I'm totally with you with regards to businesses wanting my phone number, mailing address, etc., so they can sell my info to telemarketers or use it to send me junk mail. I just tell them it's confidential and I'd rather take my business elsewhere than give out personal information. Nobody has refused my business yet on this point.

[St Loomis]

Originally Posted by flip

Just an FYI. The reason MOST business ask for Postal Codes (and some ask for more like addresses and Ph #s) is for the purpose of studying the demographics of who shops for them.

So lets say I have a store in Tuscany and I'm thinking of building a new store. If I know the Postal Codes of all my customers it'll be easier for me to tell where I should build my new store so that I don't take business away from the orig store. It can sometimes even be handy to know who should be getting flyers in the mail.

I realize this is the reason for asking for the P/C. Personally it just really annoys me that they ask for this. I'm no expert but I am sure there are alternative ways to study the demographics of a community as opposed to asking for a customers personal info (or marginally personal info as a postal code is).

The annoyance factor is why I always give them a postal code starting with X0N, hopefully I can help get some stores opened up in the NWT.

[Flashpoint]

I just say "No, I don't give out personal information".

I have never had a problem with it - the person behind the counter always meekly submits. If I pay cash, they don't need to even know my name. If I pay with a credit card, they only need to see my signature matches. Nothing else. I get enough spam and junk mail addressed to "resident" as it is. I wish there was a "do not mail" list like there is a "do not call list".

If anyone ever protested about my not giving them my info, I would simply take my business elsewhere - after I had spoken with the manager about it. $$$ rules everything, and every business will take yours if you want to give it to them. If you remember that is their priority you can make them do your bidding.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Kryzsky

And then there are the stupid promo clubs at every store, what's more annoying than giving out your phone number everytime you stop at Safeway for groceries.

I was at Professional Skate for a sharpening, walked up to the counter to pay and they ask; "What's your phone number?"

What does that have to do with anything? Just take my money and stop asking me so many questions, I'm just paying for a simple service, you don't need my phone number.

Memory Express does the same thing and it drives me crazy, why the hell do you need anything, i have cash, just give me my damn DVD Burner.

[ken0042]

The big thing with Memory Express doing that is I never need my invoice if I have a warranty issue later on.

Especially with them now offerring over the counter exchange- got a dead 9 month old burner; let's just swap that out for you right now.

I think that's the thing though; I don't mind giving my info out if I know it's being used to help me down the road.

[Isbrant]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

I get enough spam and junk mail addressed to "resident" as it is.

If you really hate the junk mail, make sure you mail any of the prepaid envelopes. My understanding is the company is only charged if the envelope is mailed. If everyone sent the envelope back to them (instead of just those who become customers), it would be too costly for that type of advertising. I am thinking specifically the credit cards and pre approved loans.

[driveway]

In defense of the companies:

I work for a company that sells tickets to live events. We are required to take down people's names, addresses, and phone numbers ideally whenever they make a purchase and absolutely always if they make a credit card purchase.

We do this for a few reasons:
1) We are a non-profit that gets audited every year and need to account for where all our money comes from.
2) Tickets to live events are a common purchase with stolen credit cards, this is why we ALWAYS require full disclosure when making a CC purchase. If you don't want to give us your info, you can't use a credit card.
3) If there are problems with your order, it allows us to find that order in the database a heck of a lot faster. Also, we need phone numbers so we can contact people if shows are canceled/changed.


The live even industry is a little different than Visions or Shaw, but sometimes there are valid reasons why companies ask for that kind of info.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

I just say "No, I don't give out personal information".

I have never had a problem with it - the person behind the counter always meekly submits. If I pay cash, they don't need to even know my name. If I pay with a credit card, they only need to see my signature matches. Nothing else. I get enough spam and junk mail addressed to "resident" as it is. I wish there was a "do not mail" list like there is a "do not call list".

If anyone ever protested about my not giving them my info, I would simply take my business elsewhere - after I had spoken with the manager about it. $$$ rules everything, and every business will take yours if you want to give it to them. If you remember that is their priority you can make them do your bidding.

There is a do not call list in Canada??

[GrrlGoalie33]

When shopping at Home Depot, use cash whenever possible. They actually track purchases made with debit and credit cards and can trace it back to you. I found this out when I did a return on a part not that long ago...that really bugs me.