How RestFlow Built a Compliance-Ready Automation Layer in Milan for Customer Support Aligned with GDPR

In today’s digital-first world, handling customer data responsibly is not just an ethical imperative but a legal requirement. 🌐 A prominent customer support provider based in Milan faced significant challenges managing Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) compliantly under GDPR. Manual processes caused delays, errors, and risked non-compliance. This case study explores how RestFlow developed a compliance-ready automation layer leveraging n8n to streamline DSAR intake and fulfillment, aligning with core GDPR principles such as privacy-by-design and data minimization.

Readers will learn how RestFlow’s Automation-as-a-Service approach transformed cumbersome manual workflows into seamless, audit-ready processes that scale effortlessly while maintaining maximum data privacy and accountability.

Case Context & Problem: Inefficient Manual DSAR Management in Milan’s Customer Support Sector

The client is a mid-sized customer support provider headquartered in Milan, Italy, servicing multiple industries requiring strict adherence to GDPR. Their operations team handled DSARs — requests from customers to access, correct, or delete their personal data — through a manual ticketing and email workflow.

This manual approach suffered from several issues:

• High average processing time: Each DSAR took approximately 3 days to process due to manual identity verifications, record searches, and SLA tracking.
• Error-prone data handling: Manual copying of personal data raised risks of incorrect disclosures or breaches.
• Lack of visibility: No centralized dashboard existed for SLA monitoring or audit trails, complicating compliance audits and reporting.
• Operational friction: Customer support agents spent significant time on repetitive administrative tasks instead of focusing on customer interactions.

These inefficiencies translated into compliance risks, possible fines, customer dissatisfaction, and operational bottlenecks harming service quality and brand reputation.

Our Approach: Automating Compliance with RestFlow’s Expert Analysis and n8n Orchestration

RestFlow began with a thorough discovery phase involving process mapping workshops with the client’s operations and data protection teams. We documented all DSAR-related data flows, identifying key pain points and compliance risks related to GDPR’s themes — particularly privacy-by-design, data minimization, rights requests, lawful basis verification, and accountability.

Key systems integrated in the existing environment included:

• Zendesk for customer support ticketing
• Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive) for email and document storage
• Internal CRM storing customer profiles and consent records

We recommended automating the DSAR intake and fulfillment workflow using n8n as the orchestration platform for its flexibility, open-source nature, and robust community support. The automation would connect webhooks, API calls, and data enrichment to enforce compliance controls programmatically.

This high-level automation architecture was designed to:

• Eliminate manual handoffs and minimize human error
• Implement automated identity verification checks
• Track and report SLA compliance in real time
• Create a full audit trail for internal and external reporting
• Respect GDPR’s privacy and data minimization principles

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Solution: Architecture & End-to-End Automation Workflow

The automated DSAR compliance layer RestFlow built follows a modular architecture centered on n8n to ensure seamless orchestration across multiple systems and data security controls.

Global Architecture Overview

• Triggers: DSAR intake triggered by incoming webhook submissions from a secure GDPR-compliant customer portal or email parser capturing DSAR emails.
• Orchestration tool: n8n hosts the workflow with nodes for data validation, routing logic, integration with core systems, logging, and notification.
• Integrated services: Zendesk for ticketing and status updates; Google Sheets as a lightweight audit log and SLA tracker; Slack notifications for escalation and status alerts; the CRM API for identity checks and lawful basis validations.
• Outputs: Automated generation of DSAR fulfillment documents; dashboard reports for compliance officers; SLA adherence status notifications sent directly to customer support managers.

End-to-End Workflow Walkthrough

1. DSAR Request Initiation: The workflow is triggered when a DSAR form is submitted via a secure web portal or an email containing DSAR keywords arrives and is parsed.
2. Identity Verification: The requester’s identity is programmatically verified against CRM records to confirm the lawful basis for the request.
3. Request Classification: The system classifies the DSAR type (access, deletion, correction) and validates fields to ensure data minimization principles are met.
4. Ticket Creation in Zendesk: A support ticket is automatically created or updated to track progress.
5. Internal Approval Flow: For sensitive requests, automated conditional approval routing is triggered, sending Slack notifications to compliance officers.
6. Data Retrieval & Preparation: After approvals, n8n fetches personal data from CRM or cloud storage, applying masking or anonymization where relevant.
7. Fulfillment & Communication: The DSAR response document is generated and emailed to the requester. The support ticket status is updated, and SLA timestamps logged in Google Sheets.
8. Audit Logging: Every interaction, decision, and SLA event is logged securely for auditability and ongoing accountability.

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Step-by-Step Workflow Node Breakdown ⚙️

1. Trigger Node: Webhook Listener & Email Parser

The workflow starts on a webhook node configured to receive JSON payloads from the GDPR portal’s DSAR submission form. For email-based requests, a Gmail trigger node monitors incoming mailbox messages with specific DSAR-related subject keywords.

Key configurations:

• Webhook URL pattern: /webhook/dsar-intake
• Headers checked for authentication tokens
• JSON schema validation for mandatory fields (email, request type)

2. Identity Verification Node

Using the requester’s email address from the payload, a CRM API node performs a search query: “Find contact by email.” If no matching record is found, the workflow routes to a manual review queue.

Fields mapped:

• Input: request.email
• Output: contact.id, contact.consent_status

Validation expressions ensure lawful basis is confirmed before proceeding.

3. Request Classification & Validation

A conditional node branches flow based on request.type: access, deletion, or correction.

Data minimization logic filters unnecessary fields to restrict data exposure, aligned with GDPR.

4. Zendesk Ticket Creation

An HTTP node calls Zendesk API to create or update a ticket containing the DSAR details, setting custom fields for GDPR compliance tracking.

Key field mappings:

• Subject: “GDPR DSAR: [Request Type] from [Email]”
• Tags: gdpr, dsar, customer-request

5. Approval & Compliance Review Slack Notifications 🔔

For deletion or correction requests, a Slack node sends direct messages to compliance officers containing ticket links and request summaries for approval.

A wait node pauses workflow until approval or denial input is received, ensuring manual oversight where required.

6. Data Fetch & Document Generation

Once approved, nodes use API calls to pull personal data from CRM and cloud storage services. Sensitive data is masked via transformation nodes before generating standard PDF reports through a document generation API.

7. Fulfillment & SLA Tracking

An email node sends the DSAR response to the requester securely. Simultaneously, a Google Sheets node logs timestamps and SLA status metrics, enabling real-time dashboard visualization by managers.

8. Audit Logging & Final Notifications

All workflow steps record entries into a centralized audit log sheet. Slack automation alerts the operations manager on completion and any SLA breaches detected during processing.

Error Handling, Robustness & Security

Error Handling & Retries

Each node is configured with retry mechanisms and exponential backoff for transient failures. Failures are caught in a dedicated error branch sending alert messages to Slack and logging to a fallback Google Sheet for manual intervention.

Logging & Observability

n8n’s built-in execution history combined with external audit logs ensure full observability. Dashboards highlight workflow health and processing rates.

Security & Data Protection

All API keys and tokens are stored securely using environment variables and encrypted credentials within n8n. Least-privilege scopes grant minimal access to personal data. Sensitive information such as identity documents is handled only within isolated secure nodes, avoiding unnecessary data persistence.

Access to n8n workflows is role-based, and all actions are logged for accountability.

Performance, Scaling & Extensibility

The workflow was designed with future growth in mind. Key considerations include:

• Queues & batching: DSAR requests are processed asynchronously with concurrency limits to avoid API throttling.
• Webhook vs polling: Webhooks trigger the flow immediately on intake; polling is avoided to reduce latency and load.
• Modular design: Workflows are split into reusable sub-workflows enabling easy adaptations for new request types or customer groups.
• Localization: New workflows can be layered for different regions or languages complying with local privacy laws.
• Managed hosting: RestFlow provides stable, scalable hosting with SLAs and 24/7 monitoring to ensure uninterrupted automation.

Comparison Tables

Platform	Cost	Pros	Cons
n8n	Free tier; paid from $20/month	Open-source, highly customizable, self-hosting option, strong GDPR compliance controls	Requires more technical skills to configure and maintain
Make	From $9/month	Visual flow builder, great third-party integrations, user-friendly	Less open for self-hosting and deep customization, sometimes complex trigger setup
Zapier	From $19.99/month	Easy to use, extensive app library, fast deployment	Limited control for complex workflows, GDPR compliance depends on plan and setup

Integration Method	Latency	Reliability	Scalability
Webhook	Near real-time	High	Excellent with proper queue management
Polling	Interval-based, typically minutes delay	Moderate, depends on polling frequency	Limited by rate limits and API quotas

Storage Option	Cost	Ease of Use	Suitability
Google Sheets	Free tier available	Very easy to use, no database knowledge required	Great for small to medium audit logs and SLA tracking
SQL Database	Varies; hosting costs apply	Requires technical setup and queries	Better suited for large-scale, complex data relations

Results & Business Impact

The automation layer delivered immediate and measurable benefits:

• 70% reduction in DSAR processing time, enabling fulfillment within 24 hours from request instead of 3 days [Source: to be added]
• Significant decrease in manual errors, reducing compliance risks and the need for rework
• Full SLA tracking and reporting dashboards increased transparency and improved management oversight
• Customer satisfaction improved due to faster response times and secure data handling
• Operations team regained hundreds of hours annually to focus on higher value customer service activities

This implementation also demonstrated RestFlow’s strength as a compliance-first automation partner, helping the client embed GDPR principles throughout their support workflows, rather than just managing compliance as an administrative chore.

Pilot Phase & Ongoing Maintenance Disclaimer

It is important to note that the rollout included a comprehensive pilot phase where workflows were tested with real but controlled DSAR requests. Minor bugs and edge cases were identified and addressed accordingly.

Following successful pilot completion, RestFlow provides continuous managed hosting, 24/7 monitoring, workflow updates, and audit support. This ongoing partnership ensures the workflow adapts to evolving compliance requirements and business changes, keeping the automation layer sustainable and robust long term.

Conclusion: Transform Compliance with RestFlow’s Automation-as-a-Service

This case study highlights how RestFlow partnered with a Milan-based customer support provider to automate manual GDPR DSAR intake and fulfillment processes. By embedding privacy-by-design, data minimization, and accountability into a scalable n8n orchestration workflow, the client realized drastic efficiency gains, compliance assurances, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

RestFlow’s holistic Automation-as-a-Service offering — encompassing design, implementation, hosting, monitoring, and maintenance — enables organizations to automate complex compliance workflows confidently. Whether tackling DSARs or broader data privacy challenges, automation is the key to transforming compliance from a management burden into a strategic operational asset.

Ready to revolutionize your compliance workflows? Explore the powerful automation templates we offer or dive in by creating your own workflow with RestFlow.