Beyond Encryption

Struggling to build digital tools that get used? 🤔 A lot of companies want to provide self-service options, but optimising them for the needs of a broad audience can be a challenge. “Using tools like heatmaps, journey analytics, and customer feedback allowed us to make targeted improvements that made the journey much smoother.” — Kevin Hollister, Founder of Guiide In this episode of Digital Customer Communications, Kevin shares how understanding user needs, simplifying processes, and focusing on clear guidance are essential to building effective self-serve digital tools. Guiide is a self-serve pension planning tool, but the principles Kevin shares are valuable for any type of self-service product. Want to learn more about building digital tools that users actually love? Watch the full interview with Kevin. 👇 (link in comments)

Misdirected emails are the leading cause of data loss incidents reported to regulators. 📩 In fact - ICO findings show that 'data emailed to the incorrect recipient' has been the highest reported incident type for four years in a row. Authenticating email recipients is the only way to ensure that sensitive data reaches the correct person, every time. ✅

A huge thank you to Red Watch Cosham for hosting us yesterday and presenting us with these special mementos. We've absolutely loved supporting you on your journey to the US for the 9/11 memorial stair climb. 🤝 Giving back to the community is a huge part of our business commitment to working towards a better future, as well as contributing to our B Corp status.

The ICO recently updated their insights with data from Q2 of 2024. Here’s everything you need to know: 📈 The number of data incidents continues to rise compared to previous quarters, following an upward trajectory. 🚨 With 6,034 cases already reported this year, the UK is set to potentially see a higher number of overall incidents compared to last year. 📧 Email-related incidents are still the biggest issue, with ‘data emailed to the incorrect recipient’ (17%) keeping its spot at number 1 and ‘Phishing’ falling not far behind (12%). 🏢 The top 5 most affected industries are Health, Education, Retail, Government, and Finance. ⏱ 4 in 10 cases were reported after the 72-hour window set out by the ICO. The takeaway? Cybersecurity month isn't just for October - it's an issue that needs to be talked about all year round, especially when the stats keep on rising.

Our favourite member of the Beyond Encryption team had her Annual Ap-paw-sal 🐾 From the guilty look on Zula's face to the fact Adam Byford has his head in his hands, we're not convinced it went too well.

Did that email seem a little off? Don’t ignore your instincts 🛡️ Human error is still the number one cause of cybersecurity incidents. Often, it’s as simple as failing to verify your suspicions. Before you click on that link or respond to a questionable message, always double-check with the person who sent it. “You can have all the tech in the world, but if people don’t take a second to ask, ‘Did you really send this?’, that’s where things go wrong.” — Lee Curtis, CEO of Seguro Want more insights on safeguarding your business from cyber threats? Check out the full podcast episode with Lee. 👇 Link in the comments. 🔗

🤝 Our partnership with Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) underscores a critical lesson for financial organisations: consumer needs must always take centre stage. In a changing regulatory landscape, MAB’s integration of Mailock is a game-changer for client-facing comms (especially when it comes to fulfilling Consumer Duty). ⚖️ But embedding Mailock into their processes isn’t just another tick in the compliance box for MAB - they’re actively protecting sensitive data, ensuring every interaction is secure while maintaining peace of mind for their clients. Head to the comments to read Adam Byford’s chat with Graham Bennett, Head of InfoSec at MAB ⬇⬇

How do you rally change in customer communications? 🥁 In the latest episode of our podcast, we sit down with Poppy Achilles, Co-Founder of Accelerator Labs, to explore how to lead change. Tune in to learn how to: - Champion new digital initiatives 🌐 - Overcome resistance to change 📲 - Manage and measure transformation ⚖️ Link in the comments 🔗

According to our latest research, people are increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer number of login details and passwords they have to manage daily. 🔑 In case you missed it, we had an insightful conversation with psychologist Paul Davies MBPsS FRSA on our podcast, who highlighted the pitfalls companies face when they rely too heavily on customer portals for communication.

At the Consumer Duty Alliance event last week, a number of Mailock user made a point of visiting Adam Byford and I to share how much they rely on our product, specifically calling out how it helps them maintain professionalism by keeping their customers' data secure. It's incredibly rewarding when I hear how much our work makes a difference in people’s daily lives particularly as, in two instances, they mentioned particular team members by name that had gone ‘above and beyond’, proof of the positive impact our team has. After years of design and development, moments like these really do make you stop and appreciate what we’ve achieved. So good to be a part of so many advisers data security systems, championing the cause of Consumer Duty.