In 2025, consumers are rather sceptical of how businesses handle their information — and that’s putting it mildly. According to the Global Consumer State of Mind Report, 76%  believe companies must do more to protect their data online. Even more revealing, though, is that 60% believe companies routinely misuse their data. 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, these figures probably won’t come as much of a surprise. This is, after all, the age of the VPN, decentralized currency, and biometric logins. Digital privacy isn’t just for IT whizzkids or shady web users with, ahem, something to hide anymore. 

More than ever, people are keenly aware of just how valuable their data is — as well as the lengths bad actors will go to intercept it. So, if you’re collecting survey data, you’d better make sure you’re handling your respondents’ information responsibly. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to do so, provided you follow some simple best practices. 

In the following article, we’ll explore how to approach survey design, storage, consent, and compliance, all without compromising your customers’ sensitive information. 

Start with privacy by design

“Privacy by design” means embedding safeguards into every layer of your process, from question selection to data storage. Step one concerns your questions; the safest way to collect data is to never collect more than you need. So, before launching, ask yourself: What information is truly necessary?

If your survey doesn’t absolutely need a name, email address, or location — don’t ask for it. Stick to questions that directly support your goal. For example, if you’re trying to improve a product feature, focus on feedback related to that. Skip the unrelated demographic questions unless they’re essential for analysis.

In short: Collect less, store less, risk less. Keeping your data lean not only protects your customers but also minimizes your exposure in the event of a breach.

Use secure survey tools and infrastructure

Not all tools are equally safe. Some offer beautiful survey templates but have weak data protection policies behind the scenes. If you’re collecting sensitive feedback — even something as simple as user satisfaction — the platform you use needs to be airtight.

At the very least, look for tools that offer:

• End-to-end encryption (data is protected from the moment it’s entered)
• Two-factor authentication for admin accounts,
• Compliance with major privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA, or others relevant to your audience

Also, make sure the survey is hosted on an HTTPS domain — that little padlock in the URL isn’t just decoration. It’s what keeps your respondent’s answers from being intercepted.

If you’re using a shared inbox tool like Gmelius (or an AI-powered Gmelius alternative such as Crisp) to collect feedback, the same standards apply. Choose a platform that clearly outlines how they store data, who has access, and how they handle consent. Don’t assume a solid trust rating automatically means the platform handles data responsibly. 

Be upfront and always get consent

One of the fastest ways to lose trust is to surprise people with what you’re doing with their data. People are done blindly accepting vague privacy statements. They want to know exactly what’s being collected, why, how it will be used, and who’s going to see it.

So tell them — clearly, and in plain language. Essentially, take the exact opposite approach from these 20 websites. 

Right at the start of your survey, explain what the data is for and get their explicit consent. Not a buried disclaimer. Not a rushed checkbox after the final question. Be clear, and let them opt out if they’re not comfortable.

Something simple like:

“We’re collecting this feedback to improve our onboarding experience. Your responses are anonymous and will only be used by our internal product team.”

However you word it, make sure it’s straightforward and understandable. Respecting your users’ right to understand what’s happening to their data is not only ethical; it’s also legally required in many parts of the world.

Control who has access, and set an expiration date for your data

Once you’ve got the survey responses, don’t just dump them into a shared drive and forget about them. Good data protection continues after the survey ends, so start by limiting access to only the people who actually need to see the results. How you do this will depend on the software you use, but here’s a quick start guide for Google Drive

Be strict about who gets access to what. If your marketing team only needs general trends, give them aggregated data — not raw files with potentially sensitive info. And definitely don’t email spreadsheets around or store responses in unsecured folders.

Also: have a plan for when the data’s no longer needed. Keeping it “just in case” is risky. Set a clear timeline for when survey data will be reviewed, used, and deleted. Whether it’s six months or two years, the key is to be intentional. If someone ever asks you how long you keep their data, you should have a solid answer. 

Plan for the worst-case scenario

No system is flawless. Even with the best intentions, mistakes happen — maybe someone exports a file to the wrong place, or a platform bug exposes more than it should. The important part is having a plan.

Regularly test your systems. Make sure your chatbot or survey form behaves as expected, and that the data flows securely to wherever it’s stored. Regularly audit who has access to what, and continually monitor for unusual activity.

And if something does go wrong, act fast. Be ready to notify users if their data is compromised, secure your systems, and inform relevant authorities if required. And whatever happens, don’t panic. Even the most dire catastrophes can be turned around — responding quickly and transparently might not wipe the issue away altogether, but it can minimise the trust lost. 
As Uncle Ben once told a young Peter Parker: “With great power comes great responsibility.” By collecting customers’ data, you’re agreeing to respect their trust and protect their information. So, keep it lean, use secure tools, and follow the best practices outlined above. In a nutshell: apply the same care and diligence you would with any other part of your business!