Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 8, 2026

AnswerBay is operated by Anthony M. Emberley (“we,” “us,” “our”). We provide an automated phone-answering and messaging service to independent auto repair shops. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.

We keep this short on purpose. If something here is unclear, email tony@emberleyresearch.com and a person will answer you.

The short version We collect only what is needed to answer a shop’s phone and text its customers back. We do not sell personal information. We do not run marketing lists. No mobile information is shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

1. Who this policy covers

Shop customers — people who call a repair shop that uses AnswerBay.
Shop owners and staff — our direct customers.
Website visitors — anyone browsing this site or calling our demo line.

2. Information we collect

Call information: the caller’s phone number, the date and time of the call, a recording and/or transcript of the call, and details the caller provides — such as a name, vehicle, and the service they are asking about.
Message information: the mobile number a text is sent to or received from, message content, and delivery status.
Shop account information: business name, address, hours, services, pricing policy, and the contact details of the owner and staff.
Basic technical information from this website, such as pages requested and general server logs.

We do not intentionally collect payment card numbers, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, or health information, and callers should not provide them. Payments for our own service are handled by Stripe; we never see full card details.

3. How we use it

To answer calls on a shop’s behalf, take a message, and schedule or request an appointment.
To send transactional text messages — appointment confirmations, callback confirmations, status updates, and a daily summary to the shop owner.
To show the shop owner a record of what was said and what needs their attention.
To review quality, correct mistakes, and improve the accuracy of the service.
To meet legal obligations and enforce our terms.

4. SMS messaging, consent, and opt-out

AnswerBay sends transactional (non-marketing) text messages only.

Callers receive a text after they call a participating shop and provide their mobile number for a callback or confirmation. Providing the number during the call is the opt-in. Messages relate only to that request.
Shop owners and staff opt in during onboarding to receive operational notifications about their own shop.
We do not use pre-checked boxes anywhere, and we do not buy, rent, or import phone number lists.
Message frequency varies based on call and appointment activity. Message and data rates may apply.
Reply STOP at any time to stop messages from that number. Reply HELP for help, or email tony@emberleyresearch.com.
Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Mobile information is never shared for marketing No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent are not shared with any third party except the service providers strictly necessary to transmit the messages.

5. Call recording

Calls answered by AnswerBay may be recorded and transcribed so the shop has an accurate record and so we can check quality. Where the law requires notice or consent, callers are notified at the start of the call. In states that require all-party consent, a caller who does not wish to be recorded may say so or hang up and contact the shop directly.

6. Who we share information with

We do not sell personal information, and we do not share it for anyone else’s marketing. We share it only with:

The shop you called. That is the point of the service.
Service providers who make the product work — our telephony and messaging provider, speech and language processing providers, and cloud hosting and storage. They may process this information only to provide services to us.
Legal authorities, when required by law or to protect someone’s safety or our legal rights.

7. How long we keep it

Call records, transcripts, and message logs are retained while the shop is a customer and for a reasonable period afterward for support, quality, and legal purposes. A shop owner may request deletion of their shop’s records at any time. Recordings are kept no longer than needed for the purposes described above.

8. Security

We use access controls, encryption in transit, and reputable infrastructure providers to protect information. No system is perfectly secure, and we do not claim otherwise.

9. Your choices and rights

Reply STOP to any text to opt out of messages.
Ask us what information we hold about you, ask for a copy, or ask us to correct or delete it.
Residents of California and other states with privacy laws have additional rights, including the right not to be discriminated against for exercising them. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.

To make a request, email tony@emberleyresearch.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting.

10. Children

Our service is for businesses and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children.

11. Changes

If we change this policy we will update the date at the top. Material changes affecting how we use personal information will be communicated to shop owners directly.

12. Contact

Anthony M. Emberley (AnswerBay)
Email: tony@emberleyresearch.com
Phone: [ADD YOUR BUSINESS PHONE]
Mailing address: [ADD YOUR BUSINESS MAILING ADDRESS]