Now that we are a year on from the introduction of GDPR, most clubs and membership organisations will have replaced their old systems with newer ones to ensure that they are compliant with the requirements of the legislation.
Contrary to what you may think, you are not exempt from following GDPR rules even if your records are kept on paper. Indeed, keeping paper records can introduce some unique risks. You still need to be able to find information, for example, and that is much easier with digital systems.
Going Paperless
Switching to a paperless system can also make life much easier for your membership. In the past when a new member has signed up it’s been necessary to fill in forms, get them signed and give the member a paper copy which is likely to get mislaid or damaged.
Using membership management software from somewhere such as https://www.ofec.co.uk/web-and-software-development-services/membership-management-systems.aspx means that details can be collected via an online registration process or through a terminal on-site. Instead of issuing paperwork you can send all of the details straight to their email inbox. You also ensure you remain compliant with all of the appropriate data protection legislation.
There is of course a cost involved in digitising your existing paper records, but this is offset by the convenience of making everything searchable and easily accessible when you need it in future. You will of course need to ensure that your old records are safely destroyed. There are commercial organisations that can shred documents and provide you with a destruction certificate to prove compliance.
Environmental Considerations
As well as security and convenience, there are other advantages to going over to a paperless system. It’s better for the environment because you are using less paper and less energy to print material out. You will also save on office space because you don’t need such an extensive filing system to keep all of your records. By delivering documents to members electronically, you are also going to save on postage costs when it comes to renewals and other communications.
With all of these factors to take into account, it should be clear that if you haven’t already switched to a paperless administration system for your membership, then you should seriously be considering doing so before too much longer.
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