Dartford Flowers Customer Privacy Policy

Introduction

Dartford Flowers is committed to ensuring the privacy and protection of all personal data collected from customers who place orders with us within Dartford and the surrounding districts. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard your data, our lawful basis for doing so, the role of data processors, how long we retain information, and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Scope of This Policy

This policy applies to all individuals placing flower orders with Dartford Flowers, whether online, over the phone, or in person, within Dartford and neighboring areas. By interacting with us and providing your personal information, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

Personal Data We Collect

In order to process your orders and provide our services, Dartford Flowers collects the following categories of personal data:

• Identity Data: Name, and in certain cases the name of the recipient.
• Contact Details: Delivery address, billing address, and postcode; telephone number where provided; and any other contact information required for fulfilling an order.
• Transaction Data: Details about the products and services you purchase, including delivery and payment details. Payment card and financial information is processed securely by our payment service providers (we do not store card numbers ourselves).
• Correspondence: Records of your communications with us, including notes about your preferences, comments, feedback, or complaints received through forms or over the phone.
• Technical Data: IP addresses, browser types, and usage information for visitors engaging with our website, collected via cookies and other tracking technologies to facilitate site performance and functionality.

Lawful Bases for Processing Your Data

Our data processing complies with the GDPR and is based on the following lawful grounds:

• Contractual Necessity: We process your personal information to fulfil our contract with you – primarily, to process, manage, and deliver your order as requested.
• Legal Obligation: Dartford Flowers may process certain data to comply with relevant legal requirements, such as record-keeping for tax and accounting purposes.
• Legitimate Interests: Where necessary, we may process your data to improve our services, manage our business operations, or communicate with you regarding your order, provided these interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms.
• Consent: In situations where we require your explicit permission (such as direct marketing or optional promotional messaging), we will seek your clear and informed consent.

How We Use Your Data

Your personal data is used exclusively for purposes related to the ordering and delivery of flowers and associated services, including:

• Processing your order, including confirming and fulfilling delivery instructions.
• Providing customer support and responding to inquiries or complaints.
• Administering billing, payments, and refunds (where applicable).
• Communicating important information related to your order or our services.
• Maintaining records for financial, legal, or regulatory compliance.
• Improving our website, products, and customer experience (using anonymized or aggregated data wherever possible).

Data Retention

Dartford Flowers retains your personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. In general:

• Order and transaction data is held for a minimum of six years to comply with tax and accounting legislation.
• Contact and correspondence data is maintained as long as needed to resolve customer support queries, but no longer than one year after closure.
• Mailing list and marketing data (if consent has been given) will be kept until you withdraw your consent.
• Technical and analytical data is retained according to cookie and analytics policy, typically no longer than two years.

After the relevant retention period, your personal data will be securely deleted or anonymized.

Data Processors and Third Parties

We occasionally use trusted third-party service providers (data processors) to help deliver our services, which may include:

• Payment processing providers, to securely manage your payment information.
• Delivery partners, to ensure your flowers are delivered to the correct address.
• IT and cloud storage providers, to securely host our systems and data.
• Accountants and auditors, for the purposes of finance and legal compliance.

All data processors are contractually required to process your data in accordance with GDPR and only for the purposes we specify. Your data will not be transferred outside the European Economic Area (EEA) unless adequate safeguards are in place to protect your rights.

Dartford Flowers does not sell or rent your personal data to any third party.

Your Rights Under GDPR

Under the General Data Protection Regulation, you have a range of rights regarding your personal data. These include:

• Right of Access: You may request confirmation of what data we hold about you and obtain a copy.
• Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to Erasure: In some cases, you may request the deletion of your data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can request the restriction of how your information is used in certain circumstances.
• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format and share it with others.
• Right to Object: You can object to certain types of processing, including automated decision-making.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where you have given consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights or have concerns about how your data is handled, please contact us using the details provided in your order confirmation or via our website contact form.

Data Security

Dartford Flowers takes the security of your personal information seriously. We implement appropriate organisational and technical measures to protect your data from loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, or alteration. Our staff are trained in data protection, and we regularly review our procedures to safeguard your privacy.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. The current version will always be available on our website. Where significant changes are made, we will notify customers where appropriate.

Contacting Dartford Flowers

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your GDPR rights, please reach out using the details provided when you placed your order or visit our website’s contact section for further assistance.