Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1005965
W EEKLY EDITION JULY 18, 2018 What PSAI Does – and Doesn't Do -- with Member Information KOS QUESTION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 All Members have access to the publicly - shared contact information of ot her Members from the day they join the Association. This allows the PSAI to post the Member's company information in the PSAI's search tools for customers (PRO Finder for Operators, the Supplier Directory for suppliers), to publish the information in the I ndustry Resource Directory, to share the contact information with callers seeking a referral for the company's services, and to share it with other Members who may wi sh to contact them. To ensure maximum privacy control over this, all Members are asked a t the time they join, and annually when they renew, if they want to allow their contact information to be shared publicly. The PSAI office gets written confirmation of those wishes , and we only share the contact info we are allowed to share. We also ask Members for permission to share with "selected partners." These are other organizations that help the PSAI provide Members with benefits. The American Rental Association is a good example of a "selected partner." These groups are limited, and Members can o pt out of that sharing as well. Beyond these scenarios, the PSAI does not share the list nor do we sell it. In general, most suppliers who obtain access to the PSAI's Member list don't use a blast email of this variety. Most supplier s use a blast email service that hides the list of recipients. Many also contact their customers and prospects one at a time. In closing, I am not sure how the PSAI could create and/or enforce a policy that attempted to prevent Members from contacting other Members. I am als o not aware of any associations that have tried it since would be in opposition to the purpose of an association's mission. I urge all Members to handle their concerns actively by (1) sharing what they think of various marketing/communication tactics with the Member involved, (2) carefully considering the pros and cons of having their company information shared publicly, and (3) making use of the "delete" button. P AGE 6