Asking for personal data
At what point should we ask for personal data in a multi-step form?
There are a few key considerations to be made when answering this question.
1. Is the user sold on the benefit in providing this data?
2. Who initiated the approach? Did you approach the user with this form, or was it the other way around?
3. What level of commitment has the user made to you already?
4. How is the relationship between you and your user?
We will look at the first consideration mentioned above, in this paper. Lets start off by saying that we as humans are selfish beings by nature, this is how we were made and there is absolutely no changing it. We want something in exchange of the thing that we are parting with. If we give someone our time, we expect money in return; also known as "having a job". We like to exchange gifts and expect our favours to be returned. The same thing applies to information. "What is in it for me"? That what the user wants to know.
I want to make a bit fo a fuss about websites and apps asking for personal data. It is an important piece of information that's being asked here. I would even go on to say that personal information like email address, postcode and phone numbers are a part of our identity. Exposure to it can reveal our whereabouts, makes us accessible and reachable - and there are a lot of us who think that this makes us vulnerable. But then again we like to exchange and barter - so if something of an equal importance is being given to us in return I am sure we may not mind so much sharing our personal information. Plus if there is a benefit involved you may want to punch in your contact information so that they can get in touch to deliver this benefit?
I am going to assume that you really need to ask for personal data for practical reasons. We’re talking common fields like name, email address, phone, and date of birth. I will exclude the really intrusive questions e.g. Are you married or divorced, reasons for the divorce? Questions regarding sexual orientation and race are also out of this discussion; I believe these deserve a separate study.
Is the user is sold on the benefit of providing the data.
Bottom line first: Show users their benefit first and earn their data.
Backing psychology: Indebtedness and Reciprocity.
If you give someone something, they are obligated to return the favour.
Psychological Study:
Compared to the waiters who did not - a higher number of waiters who did offer their guests an additional mint candy with their bill received tips and a larger amount in tips per waiter too.
Example:
Scenario A: Ever been to a restaurant that gives you a feedback form to fill at the end of the meal to rate your experience. To the places I’ve been, these forms ask for personal information. I am mostly hesitant; I automatically assume that the restaurant will spam me. I usually put down a fake email address. Plus it is an unwanted effort for me to put all this information down on paper.
Scenario B: Now imagine that the restaurant has ruined a very special dinner date that was very important to me. I am very upset. I am now going to give them my feedback whether they want it or not - I will take it a step further and take to social media with it. Not only am I going to give them a piece of my mind, but also leave my correct email address, mobile number and name so that somebody can call me back with an apology and an attempt to make up for the poor experience they’ve delivered.
Why do you think that in the second scenario, I was so keen on leaving my personal information behind? It’s obvious; it was in my benefit to do so. I was going to get something I wanted, in exchange of my personal details.
Lets take another situation. How many times have you jubilantly handed over your personal and contact information to roadside petitioners; even if you believed in their cause? Now, how about to a person of your romantic interest?
Let’s look at a couple of examples from industry leading websites:
Naukri.com
The picture above shows the registration page for one of the largest job sites in Asia. They starts with collecting the user’s data first, this practice is used by a multitude of other resume builders/ jobsites and dating sites. “Why do you think these website can afford to ask for personal data first”? One of the reasons is that people who visit to job portals and the other types of such websites mention above, are already solidly sold on the benefit of the website or such type of websites.
Barclays.co.uk
Below you will see the first couple steps in the current account opening page on the Barclays website.
In the first step itself, Barclays presents a long form requesting personal information. General UX research indicates that such approach would incline users to abandon the form immediately. Instead of the personal information, the bank could have asked for various other things like:
• Type of account, the user wants to open
• Do they want an ISA attached to the account
• Purpose of the account, etc.
Though all the things in the list above relate directly to the product, instead of knowing them the bank has chosen to dive straight into asking for personal data. One of the things that the screenshot above does not capture is that on the same pages, the bank has asked users if they wanted to receive marketing material. “Shouldn’t something like that be left to the last page or after sign up? What do you think it is that makes the bank this confident - almost presumptuous?" Here is my reasoning: Getting a bank account can be a big deal, especially your first one. Getting a bank account is important to the user and that in itself becomes the benefit of going through this process - the user sees a bank account at the end of it. And in order to get that benefit, users are happy to follow almost any process that the bank requests. Imagine a situation where you are a migrant worker and need this bank account, simply so that you can get paid. Won't you jump through (these) hoops to get it?
Data is the new gold
Organizations across the globe are pouring a lot of money into acquiring, curating and analyzing data. Media giants like Mediacom and Havas see their future not just in selling advertising spaces but becoming data repositories that can sell advice to governments and large corporations on customer behavior and global trends.
“But isn’t the user getting the short end of the stick? In the above example what if the users’ve have filled in their personal details only to realize that banking with Barclays is not for them?”
In the long run the customer wins. Data gathered from customers can be used to understand them, and the same data can provide insights to help provide better value to the customer by improving existing services, developing new products as well as launching new initiatives.
Further reading: Asking for personal data isn’t a problem. The problem is when you ask for it without giving them an explanation: http://uxmovement.com/forms/how-to-get-personal-data-from-users-on-forms-easier
Social Login
Social login has become one of the most popular user login and registration mechanisms on the Internet. When people use social login, they share a lot of their personal information and yet social logins have become one of the most widely accepted means of user authentication.
Why? I think the reason is because it is easier for the user to simply click a button versus filling out a form - choosing and confirming their new password and verifying their email address. And then remembering the login credentials when they are trying to log back in. Social login on the other hand is just convenient. Convenience itself is a benefit. People do see a pop-up message warning them about sharing their personal data. Most users continue anyway.
Janrain.com, a customer identity management solutions provider insists in their study that: “77% of consumers want social login as an option to register.”
One can make an argument that perhaps users are only logging in via social login into websites they trust. This still does not change the fact that users are okay with giving up their personal data upfront, so long as they see the benefit in it.
Conclusion: Show the user their benefit first an then reap their data. You can show them this benefit when they land on your app or website or before they do so, through marketing, PR or any other such means. The bottomline still stays the same: "Show users their benefit first and earn their data".