This Privacy Policy describes how DC Bookkeeping & Payroll ("we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit our website dcbookkeepingandpayroll.ie (the "Website") and use our services.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in an open and transparent manner, in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable Irish data protection laws.
1. Data Controller
For the purpose of the GDPR, the data controller is DC Bookkeeping & Payroll. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data protection practices, please contact us:
- By email: darragh@dcbookkeepingandpayroll.ie
- By phone: 085 142 9077
2. Information We Collect
We collect information about you in the following ways:
-
Information you provide directly: When you use the contact form on our Website to request a quote or consultation, we collect the information you provide, which may include:
- Full Name
- Email Address
- Phone Number (optional)
- Company Name (optional)
- Number of Employees
- Service(s) Interested In
- Your Message
-
Information collected automatically: When you visit our Website, we may automatically collect certain technical information about your device and browsing actions. This may include:
- Internet Protocol (IP) address
- Browser type and version
- Time zone setting and location (general)
- Operating system and platform
- Information about your visit, including pages viewed, interaction information, and referring website addresses.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To respond to your inquiries: To provide you with information, quotes, or consultation details you request via our contact form.
- To provide and manage services: If you become a client, to deliver bookkeeping, payroll, or other agreed-upon services.
- To improve our Website: To understand how visitors use our Website, allowing us to improve its functionality, content, and user experience (often through aggregated or anonymized data).
- To maintain security: To protect our Website and systems from fraud or malicious activity (e.g., through analyzing server logs).
- To comply with legal obligations: To meet legal and regulatory requirements (e.g., retaining financial records if you become a client).
4. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds under GDPR:
- Consent: Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., submitting optional information via the contact form, consenting to non-essential cookies). You can withdraw your consent at any time.
- Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This includes:
- Responding to inquiries initiated by you.
- Operating and securing our Website.
- Analyzing website usage for improvements (where possible using anonymised data).
- Performance of a Contract: If you engage our services, processing necessary data to fulfil our contractual obligations to you.
- Legal Obligation: Where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject (e.g., tax laws, anti-money laundering regulations).
5. Data Sharing and Third Parties
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information with trusted third parties only when necessary, including:
- Form Submission Processor: We use Formspree (operated by 3FORM Inc.) to process submissions from our contact form. When you submit the form, your data is sent to Formspree's servers for processing and delivery to us via email. Formspree acts as a data processor on our behalf. You can review Formspree's privacy policy at https://formspree.io/legal/privacy-policy/.
- Hosting Providers: Our website hosting provider may have incidental access to data stored on their servers (e.g., server logs).
- Analytics Providers: We use Google Analytics to understand web traffic to our website
- Professional Advisors: Such as accountants or legal advisors, if necessary for business operations or legal compliance.
- Regulatory Authorities: If required by law or regulation.
International Data Transfers: Some of these third parties (like Formspree) may be based outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Where we transfer your data outside the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission or reliance on an Adequacy Decision, to protect your data.
6. Data Retention
We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
- Data submitted via the contact form will be retained for as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry and for a reasonable period thereafter for follow-up or record-keeping, unless you become a client or request deletion earlier.
- If you become a client, data related to the services provided will be retained in accordance with Irish legal requirements (e.g., typically 6 years for financial records after the end of the relevant accounting period).
- Website log data is typically retained for a shorter period necessary for security and troubleshooting purposes.
7. Data Security
We take the security of your data seriously. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data from accidental loss, unauthorized access, use, alteration, or disclosure. Our website uses HTTPS encryption (SSL/TLS) to secure data transmitted between your browser and our server. We also rely on the security practices of our chosen third-party service providers (like Formspree and our hosting provider).
However, please note that no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
8. Your Data Protection Rights
Under GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right to Access: You can request copies of your personal data that we hold.
- Right to Rectification: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to Erasure ('Right to be Forgotten'): You can request that we delete your personal data, under certain conditions.
- Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.
- Right to Data Portability: You can request that we transfer the data we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.
- Right to Object to Processing: You can object to our processing of your personal data based on legitimate interests.
- Rights related to automated decision making and profiling: We do not currently engage in automated decision-making or profiling using your personal data collected via the website.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at darragh@dcbookkeepingandpayroll.ie. We will respond to your request within one month, subject to any necessary identity verification.
9. Cookies
Our Website may use cookies to enhance user experience and analyze traffic. Cookies are small text files stored on your device. For detailed information on the cookies we use, their purpose, and how you can manage your cookie preferences, please see our separate **[Cookie Policy - Link to be added here once created]**.
10. Children's Privacy
Our Website and services are not intended for individuals under the age of 16 (or a higher age if stipulated by applicable law). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.
11. Links to Other Websites
Our Website may contain links to other websites not operated by us. If you click a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party's site. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.
13. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:
- By email: darragh@dcbookkeepingandpayroll.ie
- By phone: 085 142 9077
14. Supervisory Authority
If you are unsatisfied with our response or believe we are processing your personal data not in accordance with the law, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC).
Data Protection Commission
21 Fitzwilliam Square South
Dublin 2
D02 RD28
Website: www.dataprotection.ie