Automated Learning Corporation® Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy was last updated effective May 25, 2018. It describes how ALC protects your information as it applies to ALC websites, on-line e-learning sites, e-mailings, and payment transactions. All references to "we", "us", or "our" shall be construed to mean Automated Learning Corporation.
Introduction
Automated Learning Corporation® (“ALC”) maintains offices at 308 Sandhill Road, Kanata, Ontario and is a federally registered corporation under the laws of Canada, doing business worldwide. We understand that privacy and the protection of your personal information are important to you.
When We Act as Controller and Processor
ALC acts as the "Controller" of personal data you provide directly to us via a “Contact Us” form, email, or other contact methods including information from our dealers and partners. You are not required to provide personal information for purposes of navigating through our website.
If you are an employee or an authorized user of one of our clients who has entered into an agreement with us for the provision of our products or services, we act as the "Processor" of your personal data transmitted by our client. Our client will be acting as Controller of your information. As processor, we do not own, control, or direct the use of any data provided to us by our clients who act as Controllers.
Collection of your information
ALC explicitly asks when it needs information that personally identifies you. We collect such information when you request information about ALC products and services, ask for a quote, respond to a survey, or request access to certain resources. Personal information that you are asked to provide can include your e-mail address, name, job title, department, company, address, and telephone number.
ALC might also collect information about your computer hardware and software. This information can include: IP address, browser type, domain names, access times and referring Web site addresses. This information is used by ALC for the operation of its sites and services, to maintain quality, and to provide statistics on use. This conforms to industry standard practice for most Internet sites.
Use and sharing of your information
ALC uses your information to provide products, services, and access to resources that you have requested. The information is also used to communicate with you regarding your ALC accounts by sending out periodic communications necessary for maintaining the commercial relationship.
When acting as Controllers, ALC does not share your information without your express consent, unless required by law, or as required for fulfillment of specific services for which you, as a client, have contracted as specified in the following paragraphs.
When providing a product or service, which involves a third party, or partner, to facilitate the service, we share information only to the extent necessary to fulfill the requirement for the product or service.
Computer hardware and software information is not used other than in aggregate form, unless we are specifically requested by you to provide technical support that requires such hardware and software information to be linked to personally identifiable information.
We also may use your e-mail address to respond to incoming service and support requests from you, to collect customer feedback, and to send notices and other service or informational mailings. You can opt-out of informational mailings by requesting removal from that list at any time. Effective this date, users in the European Union who wish to remain on the information mailings list will specifically be required to “opt in”.
If we are acting as a Processor of your information for purposes of providing individual services to you, whether as an individual or as an employee of a client company, we may share your information with our service providers or partners directly associated with the service to be provided.
So, for example, if you are an identified trainee, either contracting us individually or having been included by a client company in a list of trainees, that information may be loaded by us onto a third-party website (service provider) that is under contract to us to host the training courses, provide the specific training, and record course progress and scores. That additional information, either directly or through us, may be reported back to you or to your employer for purposes of providing evidence of progress in the course or courses. At the present time, our service provider for this Learning Management function is Remote-Learner, and their privacy policy can be viewed here:
https://www.remote-learner.com/privacy-policy
Information on student progress will normally remain on our system or in backup files until we are requested by the client to remove same.
Some services are provided by external companies with whom we have partnered to allow us to provide a more comprehensive service (partners). These might be local dealers for our products, partners providing specific consulting or higher-level training (e.g. Black Belts). We will respond to your email requests for such services by introducing you to the service provider who can directly address your requirement. The only information shared will be your name, email address, and specific request. This will be transparent via an email reply to you with a cc to the partner contact.
We ask for your postal address when delivery of products or services requires a mailing address, and also for billing purposes. We may also use this information for credit card validation. (see following section).
We occasionally hire other companies to provide limited services on our behalf, such as packaging and delivery, other mailings, providing customer service, or performing statistical analysis of our services. We provide those companies only the information they need to deliver the product or service. They are required to maintain the confidentiality of that information and are prohibited from using that information for any other purpose.
Credit card information
We do not request or accept credit card information directly on our ALC website. Our website does include links to Paypal, which is a third party credit card processor. Users should exercise caution in using this service, as Paypal, as of this date, has yet to declare compliance with the information requirements of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
If you choose to use Paypal for ordering and payment processing, be assured that ALC does NOT receive or record any credit card information. We receive only your contact data and the information necessary for order fulfillment.
Alternatives to PayPal:
We accept purchase orders, cheques, and direct deposit from companies. We also process credit card orders placed over the phone. We strongly advise against the inclusion of credit card information in emails sent to us, since the security and privacy of emails cannot be assured.
No credit card information is retained or included in our client database, nor are your transaction details accessible on-line. We use a third-party merchant services company to process the transaction. Once this transaction is approved on-line, we destroy (shred) any paper copy created for purposes of processing the transaction.
Credit card information is used only for single purchase transactions, and must be re-supplied by you for future transactions. Paper records of transactions from our merchant services company are retained only as required by law, and are not accessible outside of the accounting function.
Information communication
ALC sends two types of communication:
1. Customer account specific communication
Account specific communications include initial response to requests for information or quotes, follow-up information, status inquiry, account and billing information, and response to service requests. It also includes communications describing changes or updates to a particular product or service, or billing schedule. Because account-specific communications are essential to providing the customer with the most current information, these types of communications are sent when appropriate. These types of communications are considered essential and necessary while you maintain an account, and we are required by tax law to retain records of financial transactions pertaining to provision of such services.
2. Informational, news, and promotional communication
This can include Press Releases, News Letters, Articles related to Customer Topics of Interest, White Papers, and Product Announcements. We intend this type of information to be of value to our customers and potential customers, and it is provided without charge. You can opt-in or opt-out from receiving this type of communication. You can also change your contact preferences at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in each mailing.
Access to your information
We store the personal information you provide on computer systems with limited access, located in controlled facilities, not on an accessible web server. ALC, acting as controller, takes the security and confidentially of your information seriously. We use up to date email and browser programs, and reputable security programs to keep these sites clean.
Links to ALC partners and other sites
ALC sites contain links to other web sites. You should carefully check the privacy policy of any site, whether linked from our sites or not, before providing any information. Information that you choose to provide to another web site is subject to the privacy policy of that specific web site.
Contact information
If you have any questions about this privacy policy, or your dealings with Automated Learning Corporation®, please contact us at info@automatedlearning.com.
Last updated
May 2018
