Although this blog is focused on Official Information Act requests this post is an example of working with a private sector organisation to share their data. The OIA obviously does not apply but it is interesting how easy it can be.
I contacted the Mainstreet Wanganui Marketing Manager Louise Martin about putting their database of local businesses, as currently listed on their website, onto Zenbu as a way to grow the number of channels where those businesses can be found. The emailed reply was instant and so very refreshing:
Of course we would like our members to have a broader search-base. How would we proceed from here?
Ah the joy of working with smart people.
Louise did have some follow-up questions,
Will our members be contacted or chased up for advertising contracts?
No. Zenbu does not have any “premium listings” or other such advertising to offer. Zenbu does not list emails, faxes or postal addresses as these are primarily Business-To-Business (bulk advertising) mediums. We simply list the address, phone, website & hours – the Consumer-To-Business contact channels.
There was also a momentary concern that the copyright to the members contact details belongs to the members themselves and maybe individual permission would be requested. Actually the publisher, Mainstreet Wanganui, owns the information which is completely factual and available to anybody walking down the street. It was quickly agreed that adding the information to Zenbu would be positive for all involved and 295 entries submitted (of which only 123 were already in Zenbu).
We’ve worked with a number of business associations to ensure all their members are added to Zenbu, Remuera Business Association, Parnell Mainstreet, Newmarket Business Association, Mangere Bridge Village to name a few. There have also been a few organisations who just wouldn’t talk to us at all and thought that the information should only be available on their website, which is unfortunate and rather sad. We’re always interested to hear from progressive organisations with geographical or industry vertical members who see the value in making it as easy as possible for consumers to find them or their (paying) members.
If you’re contacting private organisations about sharing their data try to cover off the obvious possible objections and make sure it really is win-win for everybody.
hi zenbu, interesting that some orgs are reticent to share their members’ contact info; perhaps contacting a few of the members directly, and explaining what the organisation representing them was doing, would help move things along?
I think it’s just a result of the “Default to No!” culture that is cultivated in any organisation where people are made to worry about having to answer for any decision. This is most extreme in government organisations because they truly do have to answer for every decision, everybody is out to cover their arse and progress is stunted as a result. On the other hand private organisations are more able to make executive decisions based on what is sensible.
The whole point of working with organisations is to gather data in bulk. If we have to contact each member directly it negates the whole exercise as we could just enter that data directly.
The only business that doesn’t want to be found is one that is closing down for good, or soon will be.