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This Privacy Policy replaces all previous privacy policies published by us and is a policy document only and does not form any part of any contract. 

Welcome.  This document sets out our privacy policy in relation to our processing and use of customer data.  In this policy you and your refer to the person, data relating to whom we may process from time to time, being our customer or any representative of our customer, or being a visitor to the website.  If you are a representative of a customer or visitor of ours then we may treat your data as data of the customer you are representing and process it accordingly.  We aim to make this privacy policy simple to understand so that you know exactly what happens with your personal data.

About The Essex Group.  The Essex Group is a trading name of The School Furniture Company, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 4075550.  Our registered office is at Michael House, Castle Street, Exeter EX4 3LQ.  Our postal address is Unit B, 1 Battle Road, Heathfield Industrial Estate, Newton Abbot, Devon  TQ12 6RY.  We are the data controller for the purposes of GDPR.

Our Commitment.  We are committed to processing your data in accordance with this privacy policy.  We are committed to processing your data in accordance with the GDPR 2018 regulations.

Contacting Us.  If you have any questions about our processing of your data please contact us using our postal address set out above or by using any of the contact methods listed on our website.

Lawful Basis for Processing Data.  We only process your data for two reasons;-

1. If you place an order with us we process your data under the following GDPR guideline – “CONTRACT” – the processing is necessary for a contract you have with an individual, or because they have asked you to take specific steps before entering into a contract. 

2. If you sign up to receive our newsletter we process your data under the following GDPR guideline - “CONSENT” – the individual had given clear consent for you to process their personal data for a specific purpose.

How we obtain your data and what we do with it.  We may obtain your data in the following ways;-

  1. Account Set-Up - When you set up an account on our website to shop online
  2. Newsletter Registration – If you provide us with your email address to receive newsletters and offers from us.
  3. Orders and Enquiries – When you place orders with us, pay for your orders or make enquiries with us.
  4. Telephone Calls – When you place orders with us, pay for your orders or make enquiries with us.
  5. Website Browsing – When you browse our site, during which time we may collect information about you, your computer and your use of our website.  Like most websites we use cookies and other methods to track the way our websites are used.  We only collect data that is directly related to your use of our websites, so for example we do not record any other websites you may visit or have visited.
  6. Credit References – To help us decide whether to accept orders from you or (where applicable) allow you payment credit terms, we may undertake searches and enquiries and obtain whatever references or other information we consider necessary including searches with credit reference agencies.  We use Credit Safe for our credit references and they are compliant with the GDPR guidelines.  Credit reference agencies  may add to their records details of our search which will then be seen by other organisations making searches, and may be linked to records of others associated with you, including any person with whom you are linked financially and members of your household.
  7. Self-Generated Data – We may generate data in relation to you in the course of performing your orders and dealing with any payments, enquiries or problems with your orders.

What data do we hold.  In order for us to provide the best possible service to you we gather and hold the following types of information in relation to you;-

  1. Contact Information - Contact details relating to you, including your postal, invoicing, and delivery addresses, your telephone, mobile, and fax numbers, and your e-mail addresses. If an account is registered we will also keep on record details of the business or other organisation, including name and contact details of the business, and contact details of its representatives.
  2. Credit Information – Information obtained through searches and enquiries carried out and references or other information obtained by us concerning your credit worthiness.
  3. Payment Information – We only hold information about payments made.  We never hold any credit card information or bank account details for customers placing orders.  We do hold supplier bank account details for the purposes of running the business.
  4. Order Information – We generate and hold information that is relevant to your order or enquiry.  We retain historical order information, delivery details, returns, refunds and any correspondence specifically relevant to an order.
  5. Web Site Usage Information – We may record your usage of our website including the products you browse and any pages you visit.  As part of this we may also collect information about your computer including where available your IP address, location, operating system and browser information.
  6. Relationship Information – We record any information relating to any communications and dealings with you which includes, enquiries, complaints and credit checks.

 What we use your data for.   

  1. Customer relationship management - We use your data to support and manage your customer relationship with us, including to maintain your account, inform you of changes and general news in relation to us and to deal with your enquiries and complaints.
  2. Searches and Assessments - We use your data to help us decide whether to accept orders from you, trace you, verify your ID and address, and (where applicable) to allow you payment credit terms. We may use a credit scoring or other automated decision making system.
  3. Performing Contracts – We use your data for the purposes of performing, administering, enforcing and managing your orders and their subsequent fulfilment, maintaining a purchase history and handling complaints or claims.
  4. Evidence, Security, Quality, Fraud Prevention and Training – We use your data along with other data we hold for the purposes of evidence, security, quality control and training.
  5. Marketing – If you have consented we may use your data to send marketing communications to you from time to time.  You can opt out of receiving these emails at any time by contacting us or changing your setting on our website if you have registered.
  6. Business and Service Improvement - We use your data along with other data we hold, to carry out assessment, analysis and research in relation to our business, products, services, websites and customers, including: to assist in the provision of services and products to you; to facilitate reviews, developments, personalisation and improvements of the services and products offered to you; to improve our websites, including to improve the layout and design of our site, and to ensure that that content from our website is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer; and to enhance your user, browsing and purchasing experience, including to provide you with a more personalised service which is tailored to suit your needs.
  7. Legal – We may use your data for the purpose of enforcing any orders from you, and for the purposes of dealing with fraud and complying with any legal obligations applicable to us.

Who do we disclose your data to?

We NEVER disclose any of your data to any third parties who are not directly involved with the processing of your order.  We never disclose or sell your data to any third parties for marketing purposes.

  1. Order Performance – We disclose your data to third parties such as debit and credit card processing companies, outside suppliers and delivery companies in order to fulfil your orders.
  2. Searches – We disclose your information to credit reference agencies (if you have applied for a credit account with us) to help us to decide whether to accept orders from you, trace you and verify your ID and address.  Where business references have been supplies we will disclose your information to these for the same purpose as above.
  3. Legal – We may use and disclose to third parties any data we hold about you and your payment record for the purposes of administration and enforcement of any sale contracts with you and for other related purposes. We may also supply your data to relevant authorities and other third parties where legally required or reasonably required in connection with any legal process, or any legal obligations binding on us.
  4. Companies we share your data with include;- Payment and Credit Companies - SagePay, PayPal, Worldpay & CreditSafe as well as Courier Companies – Tuffnells, I-Post Parcels, Evans Transport (courier companies may change) and Mailchimp and Google Analytics. 

Data Security

We are firmly committed to data security and we aim to follow good industry practices where possible.  All of our computer systems have relevant security software installed and up to date to prevent unauthorised access and any physical files we hold for historic order information are locked in filing systems within our offices.

Your Rights as an Individual

By law individuals have the following rights in relation to their personal data.  If you need to exercise any of these rights please contact us by post at our postal address or via the contact us page on our website.  You have the right to ask for any of the following:-

  1. Access to your Data – If you request it we must supply you with details of any data we hold about you.
  2. Stopping Marketing – If we are sending you marketing information you can request that this stops at any time by contacting us or by updating your preferences if you are registered on our website or use the Unsubscribe button which is included in every mailshot we send.
  3. Rectification of Data – If the information we hold about you is wrong you can ask us to correct it.
  4. Data Erasure – If the information we hold about you is causing you undue distress or detriment you can ask us to erase your data.
  5. Right to Restrict Data Processing – If we hold your data you can request us to restrict the processing of the data.

If you would like to contact us about your rights as an individual please write to us at;-

The Space Center, Porte Marsh Road, Calne, Witshire, SN11 9BW, UK

OR you can contact us via the Contact Us page on the website.