Privacy Policy

The information Tri-Cities IT collects depends on how you interact with us, the services we provide, and the relationship we have with you or your organization. We may collect the following categories of information:

We seek to collect information that is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy and for the products and services we have been asked to provide.

We may receive information from sources including:

• You, your employer, or another authorized representative;
• Customer onboarding, support, billing, and service interactions;
• Devices, systems, applications, networks, monitoring tools, and security tools that we are authorized to manage or support;
• Manufacturers, distributors, software publishers, cloud providers, telecommunications carriers, and other service providers;
• Our website, forms, portals, and communication systems; and
• Publicly available or commercially available business information where appropriate for legitimate business purposes.

We may use information to:

• Provide, administer, maintain, and support technology services;
• Respond to support requests and communicate with authorized users;
• Monitor systems, networks, backups, security services, and infrastructure;
• Procure, configure, license, renew, and support products and services;
• Prepare quotes, process orders, invoice Customers, and maintain business records;
• Investigate alerts, incidents, suspicious activity, fraud, or misuse;
• Protect Customers, users, Tri-Cities IT, and our service providers;
• Improve our services, operations, documentation, and support processes;
• Maintain audit, compliance, security, and operational records;
• Enforce applicable agreements and Terms & Conditions; and
• Comply with legal, regulatory, contractual, and governmental requirements.

As a managed technology provider, Tri-Cities IT may process information contained within Customer-controlled systems while providing support, administration, monitoring, cybersecurity, backup, cloud, telecommunications, or other technology services.

In many of these situations, the Customer determines the purposes for which its information is processed and Tri-Cities IT processes that information to provide the requested services and in accordance with applicable agreements, instructions, and law.

Customer data may be subject to additional contractual or regulatory requirements, including a Master Services Agreement, Business Associate Agreement, Data Processing Agreement, service-specific agreement, or other written terms. Where those agreements conflict with this Privacy Policy regarding Customer-controlled data, the applicable written agreement controls.

We may process contact information and communication records in order to provide support, account administration, operational notices, security alerts, billing communications, outage notifications, and other service-related communications.

For SMS communications, information may include:

• Mobile telephone number;
• Message content and support-related conversation history;
• Message delivery and status information; and
• Consent, opt-in, opt-out, and HELP/STOP records where applicable.

We do not sell or provide SMS opt-in information or SMS consent records to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

We may disclose information when reasonably necessary to operate our business or provide requested products and services. Recipients may include:

• Technology vendors, cloud providers, software publishers, distributors, telecommunications providers, and other service providers;
• Professional advisers such as accountants, auditors, insurers, and legal counsel;
• Governmental, regulatory, judicial, or law-enforcement authorities where disclosure is required or permitted by law;
• A successor organization in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, financing, or sale of all or part of our business; and
• Other parties when directed or authorized by the Customer or individual to whom the information relates.

Service providers that process information on our behalf are expected to handle that information consistently with applicable contractual and legal requirements.

Tri-Cities IT does not sell personal information for monetary consideration and does not rent or trade Customer information as a business model.

We also do not sell or share mobile telephone numbers or SMS consent information with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

Some privacy laws define a “sale” or “targeted advertising” more broadly than an ordinary sale for money. If our use of website analytics, advertising technologies, or other services constitutes a sale or targeted-advertising activity under an applicable privacy law, we will provide any disclosures and opt-out rights required by that law.

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies for functionality, security, performance, analytics, and to understand how visitors use our website.

These technologies may collect information such as browser type, device information, IP address, referring page, pages visited, and approximate interaction information.

Browser settings and other available controls may allow you to block or delete certain cookies. Disabling cookies may affect some website functionality.

We retain information for periods that are reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and for legitimate operational, security, contractual, audit, tax, legal, regulatory, and recordkeeping needs.

Retention periods may vary based on the type of information, the Customer relationship, applicable service requirements, contractual commitments, legal obligations, dispute or litigation needs, and technical or security considerations.

When information is no longer reasonably required, we may delete, anonymize, de-identify, or securely dispose of it as appropriate.

Tri-Cities IT uses administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information appropriate to the nature of the information and the services involved.

Safeguards may include, as appropriate:

• Identity and access controls;
• Role-based permissions and least-privilege practices;
• Multifactor authentication;
• Encryption in transit or at rest where appropriate;
• Endpoint, network, logging, monitoring, and security controls;
• Backup and recovery measures where applicable; and
• Administrative policies and security procedures.

No system, network, storage platform, transmission method, or security control can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Our safeguards are intended to reduce risk, not to represent a guarantee that a security incident can never occur.

Depending on your residency, our role with respect to the information, and applicable law, you may have rights concerning your personal information. These may include the right to:

• Confirm whether we process certain personal information;
• Request access to certain personal information;
• Request correction of inaccurate personal information;
• Request deletion of certain personal information;
• Request a portable copy of certain information where applicable; and
• Opt out of certain sales or targeted-advertising processing where an applicable law provides that right.

To submit a privacy request, email bailling@tricitiesit.com or call 423-484-8400.

We may need to verify your identity and authority before fulfilling a request. Certain information may be exempt from a request or may need to be retained where permitted or required by law.

If the information is controlled by one of our Customers and Tri-Cities IT processes it only on that Customer's behalf, we may direct the request to the applicable Customer or assist that Customer with its response as appropriate.

Where applicable law provides a right to appeal a decision regarding a privacy request, you may submit an appeal by emailing billing@tricitiesit.com with the subject line Privacy Request Appeal.

Please include enough information for us to identify the original request and the decision you are appealing. We will review and respond in accordance with applicable law.

Tri-Cities IT's public website and commercial technology services are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly use the website to solicit personal information from children under 13.

Information involving minors may nevertheless be processed when providing authorized technology services to a Customer, such as a school, governmental organization, healthcare organization, or other entity. In those situations, processing is governed by the applicable Customer relationship, instructions, agreements, and legal requirements.

Our website, communications, or services may contain links to or integrate with websites, applications, products, and services operated by third parties.

Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies and agreements. Tri-Cities IT does not control third-party privacy practices simply because we link to, recommend, resell, integrate, administer, or support a third-party service.

We may preserve, use, or disclose information where reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, legal process, regulatory requirements, governmental requests, or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

Information may also be transferred as part of a merger, acquisition, financing, restructuring, bankruptcy, sale of assets, or similar business transaction, subject to applicable legal requirements.

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our services, business practices, technology, or legal requirements.

The current version will identify its effective date and version at the top of this page. Material changes may be communicated through additional notice when appropriate or required by law.

Previous versions may be retained for business, compliance, and recordkeeping purposes.

Questions about this Privacy Policy or requests concerning personal information may be directed to: