Editor's note

The General Data Protection Regulations went into effect in May 2018 in an effort to unify data privacy laws across the EU, protect customer data and motivate businesses to be more transparent.

GDPR compliance requirements limit the personally identifiable information organizations are allowed to process and mandate that companies notify affected customers when a data breach occurs. Violators face potentially serious financial consequences for noncompliance.

However, GDPR is only one instance of an increasing global concern about data privacy. CRM managers, whether their organizations do business in the EU or not, must think more critically about how to process, store and disseminate customer data.

1Introduction to GDPR

Before diving into GDPR compliance strategies, familiarize yourself with the basic components of the new regulations.

2GDPR compliance requirements

Assess what operational changes your organization needs to make in order to be in compliance with GDPR, and determine what technology will support your GDPR compliance plan.

3GDPR compliance strategies

Complying with GDPR doesn't just minimize the risk of using or storing personal data, it can also benefit your organization if you choose compliance strategies that work for your organization.