Michanic is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled in a safe and responsible manner. This privacy notice explains how and why we collect, store, use, and share personal information, and outlines your rights in relation to your personal information. This notice also explains how to contact us and supervisory authorities in case you have a complaint.
Please read this privacy notice carefully.
1. Who We Are
Michanic (referred to as “we”, “our”, or “us”) collects, uses, and is responsible for certain personal information about you. When we do so, we are regulated under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and are responsible as ‘controller’ of that personal information for the purposes of those laws.
2. What Personal Information We Collect
We collect personal information from you when you interact with our platform or services. This includes:
Registration Information (Mechanics): For mechanics applying to register on our platform, we collect your business name, business address, telephone number, email address, and further business details provided during the registration and onboarding process.
Registration Information (Vehicle Owners): For vehicle owners, we collect your name, contact details (such as phone number and address), vehicle details (including registration number, make, model, and year), and payment card information when you register for services or make a booking request.
Usage Data: Details of your use of the platform, including services you have requested or quotes you have received.
Technical Data: Information from your use of our platform such as your IP address, device information, and browser details.
Marketing and Communication Preferences: Your preferences for receiving promotional communications from Michanic and its affiliates, including insurance and warranty offers.
Communications: Records of any communications you have with us, such as emails, phone calls, or social media messages.
3. How We Use Your Personal Information
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
To provide Michanic services: This includes facilitating bookings, processing payments, managing customer relationships, and ensuring smooth operations for vehicle owners and mechanics. (Basis: Performance of Contract; Legitimate Interest)
To manage our relationship: This includes notifying you about updates to our terms, privacy notice, or marketing surveys. (Basis: Legitimate Interest; Legal Obligation)
To improve our services: This involves using analytics to enhance the user experience, improve our platform, and develop new products or services. (Basis: Legitimate Interest)
To communicate with you: If you have opted in to receive marketing or promotional materials, we may send you updates, offers, or communications from our affiliate partners (e.g., insurance and warranty providers). (Basis: Consent; Legitimate Interest)
To comply with legal obligations: We may need to process your data for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject. (Basis: Legal Obligation)
4. Sharing Your Personal Information
We may share your personal information with the following third parties:
Mechanics: If you are a vehicle owner, we may share relevant information about your booking (including your name, contact details, and vehicle information) with mechanics registered on our platform who are best suited to fulfill your booking.
Affiliate Partners: If you opt to receive offers from third-party affiliates (such as insurance and warranty providers), we will share relevant information with these partners. This information includes your name, contact details, and vehicle details to facilitate their offers.
Service Providers: We use third-party service providers (e.g., for payment processing, website hosting, etc.) to support our operations. These service providers may have access to your personal information, but only to the extent necessary to perform their services.
Law Enforcement and Legal Compliance: We may disclose your personal information to law enforcement or regulatory authorities if required by applicable law or regulation.
We will not share your personal information with any other third parties except for the purposes mentioned above.
5. Retention of Your Personal Information
We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Notice, and to comply with legal obligations. For example:
Vehicle Owners: We retain your information for the duration of your relationship with us, and for a period of 6 years after our relationship ends (e.g., after a booking has been completed).
Mechanics: We retain your information for the duration of your relationship with us, and for 6 years after our relationship ends.
Data about mechanics whose business has not been registered: We will retain your information for 2 years if your application is not approved.
6. Keeping Your Personal Information Secure
We take the security of your personal information seriously. We have implemented appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. These measures include encryption, access controls, and secure storage.
We also ensure that third-party service providers we work with have adequate security measures in place to protect your personal information.
If we become aware of a security breach, we will notify you and the relevant regulatory authorities, if necessary, in accordance with applicable laws.
7. Your Rights Under POPIA
Under POPIA, you have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:
The right to access: You have the right to request copies of your personal information held by us.
The right to correct: If any of your personal information is inaccurate or incomplete, you can request that we correct it.
The right to deletion: You can request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances.
The right to object: You can object to the processing of your personal information, particularly for direct marketing purposes.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request in accordance with the law.
8. Changes to This Privacy Notice
We may update this privacy notice from time to time. If we make any material changes, we will notify you by posting the updated notice on our website or through other appropriate communication channels.
This privacy notice was last updated on [Insert date].
9. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this privacy notice or how we process your personal information, please contact us at:
Michanic
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 087 803 9000
Last Update: 17 March 2025
