With tighter regulation looming, it’s time to get the house in order when it comes to data.

Data and how to manage it has been top of the mind over recent months. Some would argue that it has been at the heart of a lot of criticism that charities, and fundraising in particular, have been facing of late.

A flood of potentially high-profile PR disasters come in the wake of bad or irresponsible data management. Poor data cleansing; sloppy attention to donor preferences; careless data sharing; loss of information; lax security. The list goes on and the potential damage to trust, reputation and ultimately income is huge. And with a fervent redtop press hungry for a juicy “Charity bombards grieving family with direct mail” or “Personal information of donors leaked online” headline, organisations need to be extra vigilant with protecting the data they have and making sure the processes in place to use that data are fit for purpose.

Overhauling your CRM can be expensive and is undeniably time-consuming. These factors shouldn’t be underestimated. But the cost to your charity’s reputation (and the sector in general) of not keeping it up-todate and running smoothly could be a lot more. Our 2016 CRM survey looks specifically at the systems and suppliers in the market that can help with the nuts and bolts of having a functioning, sophisticated management tool to help you communicate with your supporters in an appropriate and timely manner.

With the likelihood of the Fundraising Preference Service coming in before the end of the year, coupled with the existing Telephone Preference Service, donors are getting more say in how they want to be contacted. With opt-in also gaining traction, the shift of power is definitely towards the supporter. But gestures such as going optin will appear insincere if charities don’t record data correctly and put in place systems that prevent its erroneous use.

Moreover, the data question is bigger than just the upkeep of systems. There are moral and trust issues involved when you take and store someone’s personal data and as a sector we have to reflect on whether we have adhered to the highest standards in those areas. If we are found wanting, then now is the time to put our house in order.

@stevejcotterill @celina_ribeiro_