Self service user policy
Terms and Conditions for Self Service Use
The Self Service System has been developed by the Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) to allow manufacturers and suppliers to amend, add and remove product and supplier information to DLF’s database, DLF Data.
DLF has a set of criteria that products and suppliers/manufacturers must meet in order for them to be included in DLF Data and any services derived from it e.g. ‘Living made easy’, AskSARA. These are Inclusion Policies and are detailed below.
Product Inclusion Policy
DLF Data includes equipment that might help a person with a disability or an older person to carry out a task, improve comfort and support, or increase mobility. However, equipment seen to be readily available from high street shops, or no longer specialised, may not be included.
DLF Data does not include the following types of equipment…
• Therapy
• Medical
• Prosthetics
• Continence
…unless there is a specific reason. For example, blood pressure monitors are classed as medical equipment, but a talking blood pressure monitor designed for personal use would be included, as this could be useful for a person who is blind or partially sighted. Bed and chair pads, and collection devices (for example urinals and bed pans) are also relevant even though they are essentially continence products.
DLF actively maintains all products that meet the following criteria:
A maximum of one supplier per product is updated. This will be:
- The manufacturer if they are also listed as a supplier of the product
- If that information is not available/the manufacturer is not also a supplier of the product, one of the suppliers who meets our standards will be chosen at random
- If there are no suppliers who meet our standards listed as selling the product, and there is no manufacturer information available/the manufacturer is not also listed as a supplier, the product will have to be maintained by the supplier(s) through Self Service.
Any products that do not meet DLF’s standards may eventually be removed from DLF Data if the supplier does not update their details via self service for more than two years.
However, DLF will act upon any issues or updates that are brought to its attention, regardless of whether it classes them as DLF-maintained products.
New Products
All new products must have the following entered on their product record:
• Product name
• Product price (it is preferable that price information is entered, but add POA if this is not possible)
• At least one supplier
• At least one classification
• An appropriate image
• The product manufacturer name
If this information is not supplied, the product will not be added.
It is preferable that all new products also have the following information added:
• A web link to the specific product (or general web address if the former is not known)
• Product codes where appropriate
• Product video link
DLF requires some sort of visual product information in order for a product to be added, so if you are unable to provide a web link to the product, please email or send product details to:
Data Services
Disabled Living Foundation, Unit 1, 34 Chatfield Road, Wandsworth, London SW11 3SE
Data.services@dlf.org.uk
If the required information above is not supplied within one month of the new product being submitted by you, the product will not be added.
New Product Manufacturer Information
It is DLF’s policy to include manufacturer information for any product added to the database as new so that information on the product’s origin is provided for the end user. This information can potentially help the end user by providing a further point of contact regarding product information and/or spare parts.
Manufacturer information is listed separately to supplier information on DLF Data and Living Made Easy, unless the manufacturer is also a supplier of the product, in which case they will have a supplier entry as well.
DLF’s policy states the following:
- If a product is manufactured by the company we have listed as selling it, that company is listed as manufacturer and supplier
- If a product is not manufactured by the company we have listed as selling it, the seller must provide a manufacturer name and country of manufacture for that product. This includes cases when a product is manufactured for the company.
Manufacturer's Rights
The manufacturer of a product has the right to request removal of any supplier listed as supplying the product(s) they manufacture. DLF reserves the right to investigate further any request by a company to remove supplier(s) attached to the product(s) in question.
Sole distributors can also request the removal of other suppliers listed as supplying the product(s) they have sole distributor rights for but DLF expects to receive written confirmation from the manufacturer that they have given the distributor sole distribution rights.
Only the manufacturer/sole UK distributor of the product in question can request removal of a supplier from the product, and any company found abusing this system (i.e. claiming to be the manufacturer/sole UK distributor when they are not) can be removed from DLF’s websites permanently.
To request removal of a supplier(s) from a product(s), the manufacturer/sole UK distributor must:
• Provide DLF with a list of products they would like the supplier(s) to be removed from, the name(s) of the suppliers they wish to be removed and the reason/s. This has to be a list of individual product names written exactly as they are in DLF Data/Living Made Easy
• Confirm that they are the manufacturer/sole UK distributor of the product (their company name will be added to the manufacturer field of the database, which will be viewable by users, and/or the supplier will be flagged as being the sole UK distributor). If there are other current suppliers attached to the record, the sole UK distributor box will not be ticked.
The above must be in the form of a letter or email.
Data Services will then process the request in the following way:
• Make reasonable checks to ensure the company claiming to be the manufacturer/sole UK distributor is the manufacturer/sole UK distributor. Any doubts over this must be investigated.
• If Data Services are satisfied that the company is the manufacturer/sole UK distributor of the product(s), they will remove the supplier(s) from the product(s) in question and let them know. If the supplier wishes to appeal/contest their removal they must provide written evidence from the manufacturer that they have the right/s to distribute the product/s.
• If the supplier to be removed is the only one listed, the product record and supplier to be removed must be archived and the following note added:
They will then contact the manufacturer to let them know the changes have been made. If the product has been archived as a result of the action taken, Data Services will ask the manufacturer for an approved supplier the DLF can contact to add as a supplier of the product (subject to DLF's supplier inclusion policy checks)
DLF's Rights
The DLF reserve the right to remove or suspend suppliers or manufacturers from DLF Data if the DLF believe the supplier or manufacturer has behaved in a way that could potentially damage the DLF in any way.
Supplier Inclusion Policy
New suppliers can be added to the database if they:
• Supply their products directly to the public, and/or to a public sector body*
• Supply their products nationally **
• Supply their products on a one-off basis (or in packs appropriate to the product)
• Have a UK base
• Supply products relevant to DLF Data
• Provide DLF with adequate literature/information for the products they would like listed
* Public sector body includes to a charity, non-profit organisation, hospital authority
** The UK includes:
- England (including Isle of Wight)
- Scotland
- Wales
- Northern Ireland
The Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm), and The Isle of Man are not classed as part of the UK.
Updating supplier information is prioritised in the following way:
• Suppliers who meet DLF’s Supplier Standards – if a supplier is a member of an OFT or UKAS trade body recognised by DLF (ie, BHTA, TSA) and/or are a charity their address and contact details will be checked regularly by Data Services as long as they are a supplier whose product(s) has been randomly chosen to be updated. Suppliers who are also listed as manufacturing their product(s) will be maintained by DLF.
• Suppliers who do not meet DLF’s supplier standards must update their address and contact information via Self Service.
DLF’s Style Rules
DLF follows style rules so that information is presented in a consistent manner. DLF accepts that suppliers and manufacturers cannot be expected to know and adhere to all of these rules. However, the following rules must be followed by users of the Self Service System:
Suppliers and manufacturers:
• Must not re-add videos to products unless there is a change to the product which warrants a change to the video
• Must not add new products without searching for them on the database first
• Must not over-write existing product information with details of a different product
• Must not add products not relevant to DLF Data and/or ‘Living made easy’ – for further information, see the Product Inclusion Policy
• Must not add manufacturer descriptions to existing or new products unless they are the manufacturer
• Must not add images with logos or any promotional material that is clearly visible
Suppliers and manufacturers:
• Must adhere to the following rules:
Price:
- Do not add decimal points after the price
- Do round all prices up to the nearest pound
- Do write price variants as a range rather than separate (for example 10-20, not 10; 12; 14; 16; 18; 20)
- Do include retail prices only
- Where it is not practical to have a price for a product type, write POA.
- Non Vat prices should be included, but if prices do include VAT, choose ‘Yes’ for the Includes VAT question
- If the price is for more than one of the product, write how many in the Quantity field.
Product Name
- Do not add colour options unless integral to the use of the product (for example where colour contrast is important)
- Do not add options and accessories as these will be included in the description
- Do add a brief description before each code saying what the variant is
DLF's Rights
DLF reserves the right to remove or suspend suppliers or manufacturers from DLF Data if the DLF believe the supplier or manufacturer has behaved in a way that could potentially damage DLF in any way.
DLF reserves the right to remove or suspend suppliers or manufacturers from using the Self Service System if they persistently misuse it.
DLF reserves the right to change these terms and conditions whenever necessary.
