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Dealers protect customer information - Dec 08, 07
Sometime in October, the British government lost two computer discs containing highly personal data of its citizens. This was no small-scale security breach ? 25 million Brits were affected.
The colossal scale of this security blunder begs the question: Could it happen here in Canada? My IT friends say yes.
When it comes to the protection of customers' personal information at new-car dealerships, consumers should know there are policies and laws in place to reduce the risk of their personal information ever becoming compromised.
All automakers have strict privacy policies governing the collection, usage, storage and retrieval of its customers' data. Those policies are outlined in detail on most manufacturers' websites.
Years before the Canadian government introduced the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act in 2005, automakers and dealerships initiated their own privacy policies.
The law now states that companies can only collect personal information with consent, and for a reasonable purpose. That information must be used and disclosed for the limited purpose for which it was collected; it must also be accurate, accessible for inspection and correction and stored securely.
The Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council has its own privacy policy. As a self-managed body that monitors the activities of 8,800 registered dealers and 22,000 registered salespersons in Ontario, OMVIC does have access to customers' personal information, when investigating dealership-related issues.
The information dealerships collect about their customers usually falls into two camps: implied consent and express consent.
Implied consent is when buyers apply for financing or credit checks. They're giving the dealership permission to conduct a credit check on them.
Express consent is different. If a customer allows a dealership to contact him with service specials or for marketing purposes, that's considered express consent.
Although manufacturers and dealerships are committed to protecting your personal information against loss, theft and exploitation, they recognize that certain information can be used for legitimate marketing purposes.
For instance, all dealerships have databases that include customers' names, model types, vehicle purchase dates, service histories, and so forth. Dealerships often review their data to produce customized marketing materials in promoting select products and services.
Let's say you drive a two-year-old sedan and the vehicle is due for a 30,000 km inspection. A customized marketing message could offer a 30,000 km inspection.
If you prefer not to be contacted about special offers and promotions, it is within your right to refuse. If you do not want a dealership to disclose your personal information, contact them to discuss it.
What about when a dealership closes down? Is the personal information of its customers sold or destroyed? Neither. That information is retained by the manufacturer and can by accessed by another dealership within that nameplate, at the customer's request. When you bring your vehicle to a new dealership, your vehicle's service history can be easily accessed.
Whether you've bought or serviced a vehicle, auto dealerships and manufacturers consider your private information a high priority. They aren't going to compromise good relationships by selling that information to third parties (telemarketers or suppliers). They go to great lengths to store and protect your information in accordance with their policies and with the law.
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