Regarding confidentiality of customer information

I thought it prudent to write about an issue that has been in my thoughts a lot lately.

As many of you are aware, I also own a Lawn Maintenance and Handyman business. Copper and I quite frequently purchase materials for business related projects at the Lowe's store in Fayetteville, GA. 

Lowe's has recently partnered with Porch.com. Porch.com is a marketing service. The electronic service that they provide is intended to match homeowners that are looking for home improvement contractors with contractors in the area that can do the work. It is similar to Yelp.com. 

I found some of their marketing material at the Lowe's contractor desk and decided to create a profile on Porch.com for the Handyman business.

I like some things about Porch.com. The contractor can put up pictures of projects and provide a lot of information on the type of services that they provide.

However, there is one thing for which my gut feel, so to speak, was not good at all:

Porch provides a mechanism for new homeowners to discover who has worked at the address of their home. Part of this information is obtained by Porch through public record searches (i.e. building permits, etc.) I do not really have a problem with this because this is public information and can be obtained by anyone. However, Porch, very strongly encourages contractors to give them lots of information about jobs they have done, Much of the information they request is customer information that I consider confidential. They want to know how much I charged a customer for a particular job (like the projects that I post). They want to know the exact street address of the job (supposedly for the address search feature I mentioned). They do not want the customer name ( if they have the other information, I maintain that the name is easy to obtain).

In his gospel, Luke records the words of Jesus, " Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Sometimes we call this the golden rule. Treat others the way you would want to be treated. Well, friends, I have to tell you, if I do business with you, I really do not want you telling strangers where I live and how much I paid you for the job. As the old folks that I grew up around used to say, "It just ain't none of their business".

It might be kind of cool to find out who, in the past, did work at a house I just bought. It might be cool to find out how much the previous owners paid for a repair. However, if they wanted me to know they would have told me. I could have asked before I bought the house. And, just because a particular contractor worked at an address in the past, does not really mean that this contractor will be a good choice for a future job. It does not even mean that the contractor did the work properly the first time.

A Porch representative contacted me by phone and very strongly suggested that I disclose this sort of information about my customers. I never intended to disclose any of this information. I have a very strong information security background from my previous career as a computer network security consultant, I was curious, so I asked for documentation detailing the internal controls, if any, that Porch implements to secure the potential vulnerability of this sensitive data. This should be in their internal data security policies and procedures. I was promised this information. What I got was names of contractors who have disclosed customer information to Porch. Porch wants me to contact these contractors for testimonials regarding how great it is to disclose sensitive customer information to a marketing company like Porch. Well.... No Thanks.

So, I strongly suggest that you, as a consumer, insist that personally identifiable information about your deal with your contractor remain confidential. I often use pictures and/or descriptions of the work that I do for customers as a marketing tool. Sometimes, I will give a broad description of the geographical area of the work, i.e. North Fayette County, GA.  However, I never disclose the customers name, address, nor any details of the deal (i.e. cost, time to complete, etc.) I am proud of my work but, your confidentiality is important to me as well!

I realize that this does not really apply directly to Dog Training. However, it does give you some idea of my position regarding business ethics and I thought it important to include here.

-Till Next Time

William

Advice regarding stores that suddenly deny access to your dog.

Copper Whopper helping me in the shop.

As many of my readers know, I also own and operate a Lawn Maintenance/Handyman business.By the way, we provide the best and most reliable service available anywhere.

I often take one or two of the pack to work with me when weather conditions are mild.

Recently Copper and I went to work together. We were purchasing material an tools for a custom shelving job. Copper has done this with me many times before. We were in Harbor Freight Tools in Fayetteville, GA. This is one of our frequent stops. Copper was on leash (as he always is when we are out) and we were approached by an associate of the store who asked that I put Copper in a shopping cart or remove him. Well, as you can imagine, a shopping cart, for many reasons, is not an option for Copper. So, I did not cause a scene. We simply went to the check-out, paid for our stuff, and departed for our next stop.

I never suggest that you start an argument with anyone who ask you to remove your pet dog. Please comply with a business owner's ( or in this case their representative's) request. It is, after all, their property and this is a free country. They have the absolute right to deny service or access to anyone at anytime and I would not have it any other way.

I was however, confused. Copper had been welcome in that establishment for a long time. So, I contacted Harbor Freight Tools through their website. I sent them an email in which I respectfully requested clarification on their policies and explained my concerns regarding the safety of pet dogs in shopping carts.

I learned that this was simply an encounter with an employee who did not understand the policy.

This is an except from the email I got from Harbor Freight:

Good Afternoon Mr. Moore,

I am sorry to hear that you had a bad experience in our store.
I know who you are because I see you in the store with your dog.
It is not a policy nor is there a law that should keep you from bringing your dog into our store.
You and your dog is more than welcome in our store at any time. The only time that we may<sic> band a dog if customer’s felt threaten by a dog and I would confer with my boss and the office before making that decision.
If you will let me know who told you not to bring your dog back into the store, I will correct the situation.
The small business owner is the meat and potatoes of our business. We too are a small one owner company.
I am looking forward to hearing from you and seeing you and Copper in the store soon.
Thanks,
Bill

Bill Tesney
Store Manager
HFT352
1415 HWY 85 North
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Store Phone: 770-461-5521
HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS
Quality Tools at Ridiculously Low Prices


I responded with a description of the employee whom I encountered along with further clarification of my concerns:

Hello Mr. Tensey-

Thank you for your response.

I was never told to not bring Copper back into the store. I was told to put him into a shopping cart.

My experience and observations of canine behavior, in my work as a professional dog trainer, has influenced my belief that a shopping cart can be a very dangerous place for a dog. The issue is two-fold. If a dog is stressed, for any reason, being confined is not a good thing. This makes the effects of the anxiety much stronger for the dog. It has been my experience that a confined dog is exponentially more likely to bite. The other issue with confinement to something like a shopping cart is that shopping carts were not really designed with our canine buddies in mind. The large openings between the mesh on the bottom can lead to injury. It is also difficult to get a dog larger than medium size in and out of a shopping cart.

The above is my concern. I simply want to know if dogs are allowed to walk on the floor, on a leash  in your store. The representative who asked me to put Copper in a shopping cart was a white lady I believe she had brunette or dark color hair. Probably about 5'6" - 5'9" in height (if I remember correctly). I was a little rushed on the day of the incident so, I did not really discuss it with her. I simply told her that we were on our way out and went to the register.

I work with many customers who are interested in pet friendly places to bring their dogs. I maintain an Internet Blog at http://fayettedogtrainer.blogspot.com. I would like to accurately indicate your policy to my customers. Are dogs required to be in shopping carts?

By the way, I completely understand and agree that you absolutely have the right to ban any dog that you consider to be a threat to safety. In fact, other that the case of service dogs, you, as a business, can ban dogs altogether. That is your company's decision and I respect that right. I am not upset, I simply want to understand Harbor Freight Tools' position and policy on pet dogs in your stores.

Thank you again, and Copper and I look forward to seeing you soon. We are in there quite frequently to pick up tools that we need for the Handyman business.

Have a good day!


-William Moore

This is the response I got back:

Good Morning Mr Moore,
Thank you for your response.
On a leash in the store is fine.
We have numerous dogs that come in our store all the time.
The managers that I spoke all know who you are and have no problem.
Let me know if you need anything else.
I will speak to <name censored> about the incident from the other day.
Thanks,
Bill

Bill Tesney
Store Manager
HFT352
1415 HWY 85 North
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Store Phone: 770-461-5521
Cell Phone: 770-359-8112
HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS
Quality Tools at Ridiculously Low Prices

This, my friends, is the way that professionals handle this sort of situation. I asked for clarification and Bill Tensey provided the clarification I requested. I was never mad, simply concerned and a bit confused.

Now I can report that Harbor Freight Tools is a pet friendly business. Please be respectful of Harbor Freight Tools, or any other business, and do not bring your dog in unless they are properly housebroken and behave well on leash.

If you need assistance in training your dog to be a polite little guy or girl in public, or anywhere else, please contact me.

Till Next Time

-William-

In memory of Sir Charles the Duke of Fayette County, our beloved foster beagle.

The Lovely and Awesome Shane with Charlie shortly after he came into our home as a foster.

It is with great sadness and indeed many tears that The Lovely Shane and I report to you the death of our foster beagle, Charlie.

Charlie left this life at around 11:30am on May 12, 2014.

The Lovely Shane and I went to a gathering on the evening of May 10, 2014. When we returned after being away for about three hours, we noticed that Charlie was limping on one of his hind legs. We suspected that he had injured himself in an altercation with one of the other pack members. Sadly, our suspensions were invalid.

Charlie on one of his favorite beds

The next morning he was not limping as badly and we thought that he was recovering. We were, once again, mistaken.

By the evening of May 11, 2014 he could hardly move at all. He was in severe pain. At around 10:30 PM, I contacted the Southern Crescent Emergency Clinic in Fayetteville. I explained my concern for Charlie and the staff at the clinic suggested rushing him there right away. I was planning on doing just that and had contacted the clinic to let them know my intentions so that they could be prepared for his arrival.

The veterinarian on call, a lady whose name I can not recall, examined Charlie and told me that he very likely had a ruptured disc. She did not have any good news for me. Initially, surgery and/or steroid treatment seemed to be an option but neither would likely provide immediate relief to Charlie.

Michelle Crampo of BullyWag, Inc. ( The rescue who saved Charlie earlier in his life) was out of town. Since Charlie technically was only our foster, we contacted Michelle in the middle of the night while she was on vacation to inform her of the situation.  Upon discussion with Michelle and the veterinarian, we decided to give Charlie an injection to ease his pain. It worked. Almost immediately, he fell asleep and slept well for a few hours. However, around 2:00 am, he was in severe pain again. The plan was to take Charlie to his regular veterinarian on the morning of May 12 to get a more detailed assessment of his condition and our options for most effective treatment.

After staying up most of the night with Charlie, I contacted Jonnie Craig of BullyWag, Inc. She aided me in making arrangements for an veterinary examination of Charlie on the morning of May 12.

Charlie being visited by his buddy, Sammy. This was taken while
Charlie was recovering from a bout with pneumonia.

Dr. Chris Schwenk and the entire team at The Animal Medical Clinic in Peachtree City, Georgia are wonderful, caring, and compassionate people. I have been around dogs most of my life. I have to report that this is absolutely one of the most professional and caring groups of animal health professionals that I have ever encountered!

After the initial examination, an x-ray was done to aid in diagnosis. By the time we got to the clinic, sadly, Charlie had lost all feeling in his back legs. He was paralyzed and in tremendous pain.

The x-ray image confirmed our fears. Charlie had at least two ruptured discs. I am not a veterinarian, so, I will attempt to convey this as it was explained to me. The material that was ejected from the ruptured disc was pressing against the spinal cord. This was restricting the cord. This is why he was paralyzed. It is also why he was in so much pain. The nerves were being pinched.

It was explained to me that in cases of paralysis caused by a ruptured disc there is only about a 10% chance of ever recovering from the paralysis after surgery. There is also likely no relief from the pain.

A painful and distressing decision had to be made. Charlie's only sure relief from the almost unbearable pain was humane euthanasia. However, since Charlie was a foster, it was not my decision alone to make. I contacted Jonnie Craig. Along with the veterinarian, we decided that we really had no option here. Charlie had to relieved of the tremendous pain. It was extremely unlikely that he would ever walk again. Fighting back the tears Jonnie and I knew what had to be done.

There were tears in the eyes of the veterinary technicians and everyone who worked with Charlie that morning, including your dog trainer buddy here.

I was with Charlie throughout the process. I petted him and told him he was a good dog. Even after I knew he could no longer hear my voice.

Charlie was a joy to have in our pack here at the Dog Training/Foster Shack. We will miss him. However, we know he is in a much better place and no longer feels any pain. I firmly believe that he is likely chasing rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels and having a great time in heaven right now.

For those of you who do not believe this in a theological sense. I used to agree with you. I no longer agree. Dogs will be in heaven and I am convinced I will see Charlie again one day. Even Billy Graham seems to believe this as well. I leave you with these quotes:

“God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there.” –Billy Graham

“The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.”
― Martin Luther

“There is no faith which has never yet been broken, except that of a truly faithful dog”
― Konrad Lorenz

I Have Done Something

I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society.

I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness, and betrayal. And I was angry.

"God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"

God was silent for a moment, and then He spoke softly, "I have done something," he replied. "I created you."

-- Author Unknown

Goodbye my friend , Charlie!

-William