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SQM Group's Privacy Policy

Effective Date: May 30, 2023

If you have taken an SQM survey, thank you for your feedback. SQM’s clients use your feedback to improve your customer experience when contacting their company. We will never sell or trade your information to a third party for any reason.

This privacy policy covers all products, services, and websites offered by Service Quality Measurement Group, Inc. (“SQM Group”) and describes how SQM Group collects, uses and discloses information we collect about

  1. SQM Group's clients (“Clients”),
  2. Client's customers (“Customers”) and,
  3. Visitors to sqmgroup.com (“Website Visitors”).

If you have questions or complaints regarding our privacy policy or practices, please contact our Privacy and Security department at privacy@sqmgroup.com.

Choice/Opt-Out

Clients, Customers, and Website Visitors can choose to opt-out of any of our communications.

  • Telephone/Email surveys – you may opt-out through the opt-out mechanism provided in the survey or by entering your contact information at Do Not Contact (https://www.sqmgroup.com/company/do-not-contact)
  • Newsletters/Marketing Emails - you may choose to stop these emails by following the unsubscribe instructions included in the emails or you can contact us at unsubscribe@sqmgroup.com
  • If you are a Customer and would no longer like to be contacted by Clients, please contact the Client directly

Customer Information

SQM Group considers your privacy to be of the highest importance. SQM Group adheres to the Code of Conduct and Good Practices as outlined by the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA) and the Insights Association Code of Standards and Ethics for Market Research and Data Analytics. SQM Group has high standards of professional competence and ethical conduct and all employees are required to complete a background screening and security check prior to employment with SQM Group.

Our policies are constructed around the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). SQM Group will never use Customer information to attempt to solicit products or services. We only collect personal information that is needed to carry out our business and we limit unnecessary or inappropriate access to your personal information.

Customer Information Collection and Use

The use of information collected through our services is limited to the purpose of providing the service for which Clients have engaged SQM Group. We collect information under the direction of Clients and have no direct relationship with Customers whose personal data it processes. SQM Group is committed to protecting the privacy of both Clients and Customers.

If you complete a survey with SQM Group, we will use your information to help Clients serve you better. Survey results along with personally identifiable information (PII) will be disclosed only to authorized individuals at the company indicated at the beginning of the survey. Any sensitive information or protected health information (PHI), as defined by HIPAA (45 CFR 160 and 164), disclosed to us during a survey is removed from audio recordings and transcriptions of the survey and are not disclosed except as required under HIPAA. As it is not necessary to our business, we make every effort to not store any PHI in any form.

  • Examples of PII that may be collected are name, telephone number, account number
  • Examples of PHI that is not collected are diagnoses, treatment, or payment information.

When a customer completes a survey and requests that their personally identifiable information be kept anonymous, SQM Group will honor that request. A customer that requests not to be surveyed will be placed on our do not contact list within 24 hours of their request.

Individual Rights

Access and Accuracy: You have the right to access and amend your personal information. Customers who seek access, or who seek to correct, amend, or delete inaccurate data should direct his/her query to the Client. If a Client requests SQM Group to remove or update the data, we will respond to their request within 30 business days.

Disclosure Accounting: You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures of your personal information made by SQM Group. For example, a list of our clients and surveys you have completed for them. Please send a written request to our Privacy and Security Officer at the contact information provided at the end of this notice.

Right to be Forgotten: You have the right to request that SQM Group deletes all of your personal information.

Data Retention

SQM Group will retain the personal data we process on behalf of Clients for as long as needed to provide services to our Clients. SQM Group will retain and use this personal information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

Disclosure of Customer Information

SQM Group does not sell or trade any Customer information. Customer information collected by SQM Group is only disclosed to the Client whose survey you completed or to subsequent third parties under the service agreements with our Clients and the provisions in this policy regarding notice and choice.

Clients and Website Visitor Information

We share Client information with other clients only with prior written approval. If SQM Group is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, you will be notified via email and/or a prominent notice on our website of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information, as well as any choices you may have regarding your personal information.

Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies

Please note that by using this site, you consent to the use of the cookies described below.

We may use cookies to track your preferences or to collect general usage and volume statistical information that does not include personal information. We do not honor Do Not Track (DNT) requests at this time.

Our third-party service providers use cookies to provide website analytics. The use of cookies by our service providers is not covered by our privacy policy. We do not have access to or control over these cookies.

Widgets

Our website includes social media features, such as the Facebook “Like” button, and widgets, such as the “Share” button or interactive mini-programs that run on our site. These features may collect your IP address, which page you are visiting on our site, and may set a cookie to enable the feature to function properly. Social media features and widgets are either hosted by a third party or hosted directly on our site. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing it.

Data Retention

We will retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. We will retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. If you wish to cancel your account or request that we no longer use your information to provide you services, contact us at privacy@sqmgroup.com.

Client Testimonials

We post customer testimonials/comments/reviews on our website which may contain personally identifiable information. We obtain the customer's consent via email to post their name along with their testimonial prior to posting the testimonial. To request removal of your personal information from Testimonials or comments, please contact us at privacy@sqmgroup.com.

Website Surveys

If you participate in the website survey at sqmgroup.com, we will request certain personally identifiable information from you. Participation in these surveys is completely voluntary and you have the choice whether or not to disclose this information. The requested information typically includes contact information (such as name and shipping address), and demographic information (such as zip/postal code).

Links to Other Websites

Our site includes links to other websites whose privacy practices may differ from those of SQM Group. If you submit personal information to any of those sites, your information is governed by their privacy statements. We encourage you to carefully read the privacy statement of any website you visit.

Website User Consent Policy

  1. Introduction: Service Quality Measurent (Also Known as SQM or SQM Group) is committed to protecting the privacy of its users. This policy explains how we collect, use, and disclose personal information obtained through our website. By using our website, you consent to the practices described in this policy.
  2. Information Collection: We may collect various types of information, including personal information (such as name, email address, etc.) and non-personal information (such as IP address, browser type, etc.). The consent information may be collected through forms, cookies, log files, or other automated means.
  3. Use of Information: We use the collected information to provide and improve our services, personalize user experience, communicate with users, analyze website usage, and comply with legal obligations. We may also use the information to send promotional emails or newsletters, but users can opt out of receiving such communications.
  4. Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience, analyze website usage, and personalize content. By using our website, you consent to the use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy.
  5. Information Sharing: We may share personal information with third parties for specific purposes such as providing services, conducting data analysis, or complying with legal requirements. We take reasonable steps to ensure that these third parties protect the confidentiality and security of the information.
  6. Data Security: We implement appropriate security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, please note that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure.
  7. Third-Party Websites: Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those websites. We encourage users to review the privacy policies of such websites before providing any personal information.
  8. Children's Privacy: Our website is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover that we have collected personal information from a child, we will promptly delete it.
  9. Changes to the Policy: We may update this policy from time to time. The updated policy will be posted on our website, and the revised date will be indicated. By continuing to use our website after any changes, you acknowledge and accept the updated policy.
  10. Contact Information: If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy practices, please contact us.

Security

SQM Group follows generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. If you have any questions about the security of our systems, you can contact us at privacy@sqmgroup.com.

Physical Security

SQM Group’s data center is SOC-2 certified. Physical security controls at our data centers include 24x7 camera monitoring, visitor logs, entry requirements, and dedicated secure storage rooms for hardware.

Access Control

Access to SQM’s networks is only permitted through VPN or SSH and requires multi-factor authentication.

Security Policies

SQM Group maintains and updates its information security policies on an annual basis. Employees must acknowledge policies on an annual basis and undergo annual training such as HIPAA Privacy and Security training; General Compliance Training; and Anti-Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Training.

Encryption and Vulnerability Testing

Sensitive information is encrypted during the transmission of that information and at rest using secure socket layer technology (SSL). All of SQM Group’s servers are regularly tested for penetration vulnerabilities.

Breach Notification

No method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. In the event of a breach of unprotected data, we will notify the appropriate supervisory authority within 72 hours of discovery of the breach, where feasible, and individually communicate the breach to the affected people.

Notification of Privacy Policy Changes

We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes to our information practices. If we make any material changes in how we use personal information we will notify Clients by email or through a notice on this site prior to the change becoming effective. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.

Questions and Complaints

If you want more information, have questions, concerns, or believe we have violated your privacy rights, please contact our Data Protection Officers using the information below. We support your right to protect the privacy of your personal information.

SQM Group Privacy and Security Officer
200 – 3126 31st Avenue
Vernon, BC V1T 2H1
Canada
privacy@sqmgroup.com