GDPR counsel on demand for Weba

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Data Protection Lab

Home furniture retailer Weba asked Ask Q’s Data Protection Lab to provide it with legal counsel on-demand-services.

Challenge

Weba has been an established name within the Belgian home furniture market for over 30 years. The company has branches in Ghent, Deinze and Mons. The online shop welcomes about 10.000 visitors per day. In 2021, the chain achieved a turnover of 110 million euros. The store chain is also known for its advertisements in which the cartoon character Arsène Weba (drawn by Marec) experiences funny adventures.

As part of its customer service, Weba wants to ensure that customer data is processed securely in line with GDPR. The company had already implemented the GDPR requirements thoroughly but wanted to make sure everything was still up to date and wanted to verify whether certain processes could be fine-tuned. That was where Ask Q came in…

Weba considered various approaches to tackle this challenge:

1. Doing it by themselves
2. Hiring a GDPR consultant
3. Asking a law firm
4. Not having a GDPR legal support function

Each of these options has its drawbacks and was therefore not ideal. The main problem when deciding was the specific nature of GDPR expertise required and the need for flexibility in terms of both the time spent on the project and finding practical solutions.

The meeting with Ask Q’s consultant, Nils, went very well! He clearly knows his stuff, is pragmatic and does not beat around the bush: many lawyers could learn something from him. We were delighted to see how Ask Q blends in and focuses on our business priorities.

Elias Couvreur

CEO Weba Systems NV

Solution

1. An on-demand GDPR specialist with clear deliverables

Ask Q recognized the need to offer a flexible solution, while simultaneously giving Weba a clear view of what to expect in terms of deliverables and costs. Thanks to our GDPR specialist’s extensive experience with GDPR implementation, we were able to quickly detect areas for improvement and shape them into clear deliverables. Whenever new issues popped up, we were able to clearly define additional deliverables. Likewise, whenever certain deliverables had already been covered sufficiently by Weba, we were happy to remove these from the work schedule. After all, our aim is to help the customer, not just ourselves.

2. Speaking the company’s language
Ask Q’s GDPR counsel also needed to be able to interact with the business directly, exactly like an in-house legal counsel would. That is how Ask Q works, and that is why Ask Q’s GDPR experts are meticulously trained and mentored to interact and blend in with the business. Using this approach enables Ask Q to focus on the company’s priorities and identify practical solutions.

3. GDPR expertise and beyond
At the same time, Weba had the assurance that Ask Q’s GDPR specialist could provide them with legally sound solutions that comply with the latest guidance and case law. Our flexible approach is also reflected here. We don’t just stick to GDPR. Ask Q is home to a wide range of legal expertise. When Weba asked us to review data processing agreements, we checked the liability clause and other general provisions while we were at it.

Impact

The GDPR Lab of Ask Q was able to create a fully customized offering for Weba, built around three pillars:

1. An on-demand GDPR specialist with clear deliverables
Ask Q recognized the need to offer a flexible solution, while simultaneously giving Weba a clear view of what to expect in terms of deliverables and costs. Thanks to our GDPR specialist’s extensive experience with GDPR implementation, we were able to quickly detect areas for improvement and shape them into clear deliverables. Whenever new issues popped up, we were able to clearly define additional deliverables. Likewise, whenever certain deliverables had already been covered sufficiently by Weba, we were happy to remove these from the work schedule. After all, our aim is to help the customer, not just ourselves.

2. Speaking the company’s language
Ask Q’s GDPR counsel also needed to be able to interact with the business directly, exactly like an in-house legal counsel would. That is how Ask Q works, and that is why Ask Q’s GDPR experts are meticulously trained and mentored to interact and blend in with the business. Using this approach enables Ask Q to focus on the company’s priorities and identify practical solutions.

3. GDPR expertise and beyond
At the same time, Weba had the assurance that Ask Q’s GDPR specialist could provide them with legally sound solutions that comply with the latest guidance and case law. Our flexible approach is also reflected here. We don’t just stick to GDPR. Ask Q is home to a wide range of legal expertise. When Weba asked us to review data processing agreements, we checked the liability clause and other general provisions while we were at it.