Competing Fairly
Our success is driven by our talented workforce and innovation –never by unethical or illegal business practices.
We compete vigorously and ethically by dealing fairly and honestly with all customers, competitors, suppliers, and business partners. We comply with antitrust laws everywhere we do business and we never misuse confidential information to gain an unfair advantage. Misusing information about AppFolio or our competitors is inconsistent with our values, prohibited by this Code, and potentially harmful to our business.
Tips:
- Always act legally, ethically, and honestly.
- Use publicly available information first.
- If you do obtain non-public information, note the source, data, and circumstances under which it was obtained.
- Be careful not to deceive or mislead anyone.
- Under no circumstances should you share Company or market-sensitive information with competitors. This includes pricing structures.
Never:
- Discuss divulge, or post proprietary information with competitors, such as prices, discounts, rebates, or other terms or conditions of sale, profits, profit margins, costs, or limitations on production or supply
- Use illegal or improper means to acquire proprietary information from others
- Enter into an unethical or illegal agreement with any competitor concerning proprietary information
- Make false or misleading statements about our competitors’ products or services
Penalties
Penalties for violating antitrust laws can have severe consequences for the Company, including long and costly investigations, lawsuits, substantial fines, and reputational damage. Understanding antitrust and unfair competition laws can be difficult. Talk to your manager or the Legal Team if you have questions.
Resources
Do
- Always use common sense and good judgment.
- Present AppFolio’s products or services in a manner consistent with our Code and policies.
- If you think you have obtained proprietary information from a competitor, consult the Compliance & Ethics Team.
Don't
- Make false or misleading statements about AppFolio or its competitors.
- Exaggerate, mislead, or fail to consider misunderstandings about our services or our terms.
- Make agreements with competitors that may limit competition in certain markets.
- Continue to contact a prospect after they have asked to not be contacted.
Key Takeaways
- Use your judgment. Never solicit or disclose confidential or proprietary information from or to customers or competitors.
- Understand the risks. To the extent that you obtain information from customers, competitors or suppliers, document all interactions, data collected and its sources.
- Speak Up. If you believe you may have obtained or disclosed proprietary information – either knowingly or by mistake – contact the Legal Team or the Compliance Team.
Frequently asked questions
A: Use caution when seeking information from current customers and when asking questions that may appear to solicit competitor information. Employees, and especially sales representatives, should never make false or misleading representations about new AppFolio products to new or existing customers. This can impact revenue recognition. If you have questions on what you can and can’t ask current or prospective customers, contact the Legal Team or the Compliance Team.
A: If you plan to talk to a competitor, disclose that you are an AppFolio employee and avoid having conversations about business that may lead to obtaining or disclosing confidential Company information. Stick to discussing only public information. If you find yourself in this situation and have additional questions, reach out to your manager or ask a question through the Helpline.
A: No. You should end this conversation and contact the Legal Team or Compliance & Ethics Team. Having a conversation about upcoming products with a competitor can give the appearance of impropriety. A general discussion about your job may be okay, but avoid discussing specific business topics like products or pricing.