Can Privacy-centric CX Be Funny?

  • December 8, 2020
  • Posted by: Tim Walters, Ph.D.
  • Categories: Customer Experience, Data & Privacy
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Boxes on heads

Cookie consent. It’s not the primary concern of marketers and CX teams. In fact, it’s probably not a concern at all. But that’s a big mistake.

In a previous article, I argued that boring and undifferentiated cookie consent forms – as well as required privacy notices under regulations like the CCPA in California – can actively undermine all of the hard work you’ve put into customer experience.

That’s not surprising, since it’s likely the cookie consent interaction has been dictated by lawyers in the Compliance department and the CX team has absolutely nothing to do with it.

It doesn’t have to be so. What happens if the CX team applies their skills to turn the cookie consent from a hostile barrier into an engaging, satisfying – and, I dare say, even funny – introduction into your CX.

A funny legal notice? The lawyers are appalled!

But let’s look at a real world example and explore how it can be improved. Here’s an actual cookie notice for a company based in Berlin, where I live.

Boring cookie consent

BORING. And sadly, all too common. Plus, it’s non-compliant; the radio button should say something like “Accept Choices,” not “Accept All.”

To protect the innocent, I’ll call the company AWE. They offer an online meeting platform that is a quasi-competitor with Zoom.

The first thing you think of when you hear Zoom is probably, “When can I go back to the office?” But after you stop crying, the second thought might be “security issues.”

The developers of AWE are convinced they’ve avoided any Zoomy problems. That’s a key brand and experience differentiator, and they ought to highlight it right at the beginning.

How about this? (I’m imagining the details of how the company ensures privacy and security.)

 

Funny cookie consent

That’s far from perfect, of course. But it does show that with just a few minutes’ effort you can begin to craft a cookie consent interaction that is distinctive, amusing, engaging, brand-specific, AND compliant. What more could you want from that crucial first customer experience?

 

Tim Walters, Ph.D.
Tim is a vice president and the privacy lead at The Content Advisory, as well as a member of TechGDPR, and the founder of Zero Theory Solutions. His writing, advising, and public speaking aims to help both enterprises and solution providers come to terms with customer experience management (CXM) – while also respecting the privacy and personal data of consumers. For him, this means understanding the fundamental concepts – experience, customer journeys, the jobs to be done – and then designing and implementing the engagement strategies that deliver mutual benefit for both buyers and sellers. His publications include "Promise and Permission: The Role of Trust in the New Data Economy," and "The Burdens and Benefits of the GDPR." Previously, he was a Senior Analyst and Advisor at Forrester Research, the director of international marketing and strategy for FatWire Software, and a professor at the University of Rochester and New York University.
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Author: Tim Walters, Ph.D.
Tim is a vice president and the privacy lead at The Content Advisory, as well as a member of TechGDPR, and the founder of Zero Theory Solutions. His writing, advising, and public speaking aims to help both enterprises and solution providers come to terms with customer experience management (CXM) – while also respecting the privacy and personal data of consumers. For him, this means understanding the fundamental concepts – experience, customer journeys, the jobs to be done – and then designing and implementing the engagement strategies that deliver mutual benefit for both buyers and sellers. His publications include "Promise and Permission: The Role of Trust in the New Data Economy," and "The Burdens and Benefits of the GDPR." Previously, he was a Senior Analyst and Advisor at Forrester Research, the director of international marketing and strategy for FatWire Software, and a professor at the University of Rochester and New York University.