1. Introduction
Maine Couriers Ltd ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you use our website (mainecouriers.com), our courier services, or communicate with us.
We are the data controller for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Company details:
Maine Couriers Ltd
Suite 18 Whaleys Croft
Coventry, CV6 3BD
Company Number: 10070780
Email: info@mainecouriers.com
Phone: 0330 113 2825
2. What Personal Data We Collect
We may collect and process the following personal data:
- Identity data: your name, job title, and company name.
- Contact data: your email address, telephone number, and postal address.
- Collection and delivery data: addresses, delivery instructions, and details of items being shipped.
- Account data: login credentials if you hold a credit account with us.
- Financial data: payment card details and billing information (processed securely via our payment provider).
- Communication data: records of correspondence with us via email, phone, WhatsApp, or our website contact forms.
- Technical data: your IP address, browser type and version, device information, operating system, time zone, and browsing behaviour on our website.
3. How We Collect Your Data
We collect personal data through the following means:
- Directly from you: when you request a quote, book a delivery, open a credit account, contact us by phone, email, or WhatsApp, or fill out a form on our website.
- Our website forms: we use FormSubmit (formsubmit.co) to process contact form submissions. When you submit a form, your data is sent to FormSubmit's servers and forwarded to our email. FormSubmit processes data in accordance with their own privacy policy.
- WhatsApp: if you contact us via WhatsApp, your messages and phone number are processed by WhatsApp (Meta Platforms). Please refer to WhatsApp's privacy policy for details on how they handle your data.
- Automatically: through cookies, Google Analytics, and similar technologies when you browse our website (see Section 6 below).
4. How We Use Your Data
We use your personal data for the following purposes and on the following legal bases:
- To provide our courier services (legal basis: performance of a contract) — processing your bookings, arranging collections and deliveries, providing proof of delivery, and managing your account.
- To communicate with you (legal basis: legitimate interest) — responding to your enquiries, providing quotes, and sending service updates.
- To process payments (legal basis: performance of a contract) — processing invoices and payments for our services.
- To improve our website and services (legal basis: legitimate interest) — analysing website usage through Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our site and improve their experience.
- To comply with legal obligations (legal basis: legal obligation) — meeting our tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements.
- To send marketing communications (legal basis: consent) — only where you have opted in to receive marketing from us. You can unsubscribe at any time.
5. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We may share your data with:
- Our drivers and subcontractors: to fulfil your delivery (collection/delivery addresses and contact details only).
- Payment processors: to process your payments securely.
- Google: through Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for website analytics (see Section 6).
- FormSubmit: for processing website contact form submissions.
- Professional advisors: our accountants, lawyers, or insurers where necessary.
- Law enforcement or regulatory bodies: where we are legally required to do so.
6. Cookies and Google Analytics
Cookies
Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your experience. We use the following types of cookies:
- Essential cookies: required for the website to function correctly (e.g., cookie consent preference).
- Analytics cookies: used by Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
We use Google Analytics 4 (measurement ID: G-0E1HCGGVQ0) to collect anonymised data about how visitors use our website. GA4 collects information such as:
- Pages visited and time spent on each page
- How you arrived at our website (e.g., search engine, direct link)
- Your approximate geographic location (city level)
- Device type, browser, and operating system
Google Analytics uses cookies to distinguish unique users. The data collected is processed by Google in accordance with their privacy policy. We have configured GA4 with IP anonymisation enabled. We do not use Google Analytics data to identify individual visitors.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected:
- Customer and delivery records: 6 years from the date of the last transaction (for tax and legal compliance).
- Website enquiries: 2 years from the date of your enquiry.
- Website analytics data: 14 months (Google Analytics default retention period).
- Marketing consent records: until you withdraw your consent.
8. Data Security
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, or alteration. These measures include:
- Secure HTTPS encryption on our website
- Restricted access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
- Regular review of our data protection practices
- Secure password policies for all systems containing personal data
9. Your Rights Under UK GDPR
Under the UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right of access: you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to erasure: you can ask us to delete your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements).
- Right to restrict processing: you can ask us to limit how we use your data.
- Right to data portability: you can request your data in a structured, commonly used format.
- Right to object: you can object to our processing of your data based on legitimate interests.
- Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@mainecouriers.com. We will respond to your request within one month.
10. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., social media platforms, payment providers). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any website you visit.
11. Children's Data
Our services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
13. Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Website: ico.org.uk
Phone: 0303 123 1113
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:
Maine Couriers Ltd
Suite 18 Whaleys Croft
Coventry, CV6 3BD
Email: info@mainecouriers.com
Phone: 0330 113 2825