Privacy Notice
We ask that you read this privacy notice carefully as it contains important information on who we are, how and why we collect, store, use and share personal information, your rights in relation to your personal information and on how to contact us and supervisory authorities in the event you have a complaint.
Summary
We use your data to provide the Michanic platform service to you and for the purposes of running our marketplace platform business.
We delete your data when it is no longer needed for these things.
Generally, we do not give your information to third parties other than mechanics (if you are looking for auto services) or your customer and potential customers looking for auto services (if you are a mechanic), but there are some exceptions where we use external service providers to power our operations – some of these are outside Europe.
We are happy to answer your questions about any of this – email us at [email protected]
Who we are
Michanic 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 (POPI Act) and we are responsible as ‘controller’ of that personal information for the purposes of those laws.
This Privacy Notice is directed to you if you are either someone who works for a business that has enquired about or been contacted about registration as a mechanic on the platform (referred to as a “mechanic” in this notice), or someone looking to connect with a mechanic for the provision of auto services (referred to as a “vehicle owner” in this notice).
The personal information we collect from you
We collect the following personal information when you provide it to us.
- Registration Information (mechanics): If you are a mechanic, we collect information provided when your business applies to register as a mechanic on the platform, or enquires about registering, and further information you provide to us in ‘on-boarding’ emails and phone calls with you following your business having submitted its application. This includes your name, full address of your business, telephone number, email address, and further details of your business.
- Registration Information (vehicle owners): If you are a vehicle owner, we collect information provided when you register on the platform or make a booking request for services to be provided by a mechanic registered on our platform. This includes your name and address, details about your vehicle, and payment card information.
- Usage Data: Details of your usage of the Michanic platform, including auto services bookings you have placed or accepted by means of the platform, auto services you have searched for, and quotes you have received.
- Technical Data: Technical data obtained from your use of our platform, including your IP address, browser or device information.
- Marketing and Communication Preferences: Your preferences as to whether we contact you with briefs, or promotional with information about Michanic. We use this to make sure we don’t send you anything you have asked not to receive. Legal basis: Consent; Legitimate Interest
- Communications: If you choose to communicate with us (for example, through the Platform, email, telephone, SMS, or social media) we will record the fact that you have contacted us and may retain the content of your communication, together with your contact details and our responses.
We will use your information in the event that we need to enforce our terms of use with mechanics or vehicle owners, or defend any legal claims against us. Basis: Legitimate Interest.
We may also need to process your data for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject.
Information collected from other sources
We also obtain personal information from other sources as follows:
Feedback: We receive feedback from users of our platform on their experiences in working with you.
How we use that information
We use your personal information as follows.
To allow us to operate the Michanic platform, and the business operations we engage in to that end, including facilitating bookings, facilitating payments, communicating with you about bookings, and related tax and accounting purposes. Data used: Registration Data; Usage Data. Basis: Performance of Contract; Legitimate Interests; Legal Obligation.
To manage our relationship with you, which will include notifying you about changes to our terms or privacy notice, or asking you to leave a review or take a survey. Data used: Technical Data; Usage Data; Registration Information; Marketing and Communication Preferences. Basis: Legitimate Interests, Legal Obligation
To use data analytics to improve our website, products/services, marketing, user relationships and experiences. Basis: Legitimate Interests (to define types of customers for our products and services, to keep our website updated and relevant, to develop our business and to inform our marketing strategy).
We also use the extended functions of Google Analytics (Google Analytics Advertising Features) in addition to the standard functions. The Google Analytics Advertising Features implemented on this website include Google Display Network Impression Reporting, Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting, integrated services that require Google Analytics to collect data for advertising purposes, including the collection of data via advertising cookies and identifiers.
To administer and protect our business and this website and our newsletter service (including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, system maintenance, support, reporting and hosting of data). Data used: Registration Data; Technical Data; Feedback. Basis: Legitimate Interest (for running our business, provision of administration and IT services, network security, to prevent fraud and in the context of a business reorganisation or group restructuring exercise).
To deliver relevant website content and advertisements to you and measure or understand the effectiveness of the advertising we serve to you. Data used: Registration Data; Technical Data. Basis: Legitimate Interests (to study how mechanics and vehicle owners use our platform services, to develop them, to grow our business and to inform our marketing strategy).
We use your Marketing and Communication Preferences to make sure we don’t send you anything you have asked not to receive. Legal basis: Consent; Legitimate Interest
We may also need to process your data for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject. Data used: All data. Basis: Legal Obligation
If you get in touch with us, we will record the fact that you have contacted us and may retain the content of your communication, together with your contact details and our responses. We use this to help us to deliver the Michanic service to you and answer your questions. Data used: Communications. Basis: Legitimate Interest.
Who we share your personal information with
We routinely share your personal information with a range of third party service providers who help us provide, analyse and promote the Michanic services and engage with vehicle owners and mechanics.
If you are a mechanic, we will share information (including your name, email address, address and telephone number) with a vehicle owner in respect of a booking they wish to make.
If you are a vehicle owner, we will share relevant information about you and your booking (including your name, address, telephone number, vehicle registration number, and the nature of the auto services you require) with mechanics we consider suitable for your booking.
We will share personal information with law enforcement or other authorities if required by applicable law.
We will not share your personal information with any other third party. For marketing and advertising purposes, certain information will also be collected from you by third parties such as advertisers, marketing networks of affiliates using cookies or similar technologies. Information collected this way will never include any personal information that would enable you to be identified in the offline world.
We will not share your personal information with any other third party.
How long your personal information will be kept
- Data about vehicle owners: we will keep this for the duration of your relationship with us, then:
- if you have made a request for a mechanic to provide auto services for 6 years after that; or
- otherwise, for 6 months after that.
- Data about mechanics: we will keep this for the duration of your relationship with us, then for 6 years after that
- Data about mechanics whose business has not registered and been approved to use Michanic: 2 years.
Keeping your personal information secure
We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost, or used or accessed in an unauthorised way. We limit access to your personal information to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality.
We also have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach. We will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected data security breach where we are legally required to do so.
If you want detailed information from Get Safe Online on how to protect your information and your computers and devices against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many other online problems, please visit https://www.getsafeonline.org.
Changes to this privacy notice
This privacy notice was last updated on 01/07/2021.