Business Resources

Educating at Events

APRO provides members with professional speakers for industry events –  we can give a presentation or lead a breakout session on the following topics:

• Introduction to RTO
• Legal Issues in RTO
• RTO Legislative Update
• Future of RTO

Invite an APRO speaker to your next event or request additional information, please contact APRO at info@rtohq.com, or call us at (800) 204-2776.

Glossary of Terms

Rent-to-Own Glossary of Terms

The APRO Code of Ethics

APRO created the following ethics guidelines for its members and their businesses:

1. Members shall abide by the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the Association.
2. Members shall develop and encourage the practice of high standards of personal and professional conduct among themselves.
3. Members shall provide high-quality rental goods and services to their customers and to the community in which they live.
4. Members shall respect the privacy of their customers.
5. Members shall uphold and improve the integrity of the industry by affirmations of truth and fairness, by building good will, and by providing beneficial goods and services to customers and others concerned with the industry.
6. Members shall provide opportunities for the interchange of experiences, opinions, and knowledge through meetings, discussions, and publications, for the improvement of the industry, and for the benefit of customers, suppliers, and the community.
7. Members shall provide and maintain a clean and orderly place of business that is inviting to their customers.
8. Members shall maintain their inventory in a clean, safe, and operating condition, and furnish the best products available for customer rental.
9. Members shall establish and maintain prices of their products and services for economy, convenience, and maximum benefit to their customers, and to obtain a reasonable profit for themselves.
10. Members shall promote the use of rental goods and services, and shall educate members and the public in the advancement, improvement, and uses of the rental industry.
11. Members shall recruit employees of other members only during an employee’s personal time, and never on or about the premises of other members.
12. Members who successfully recruit the employee[s] of another member shall insist that the employee[s] return all confidential and proprietary information, including customer lists, to the former employer without making use of any such information.
13. Members shall promote the purpose and effectiveness of the rental industry by any and all means consistent with the public interest.
14. Members shall adhere to the Collection Practices Policy of the Association.

You can also download a printable PDF of APRO’s Code of Ethics to display in your stores.

Collection Practices

The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations developed the following collection guidelines for its members and their businesses:

• The objective of the relationship between a customer or potential customer and any APRO member – including each employee of the member company – is a continuing mutually beneficial relationship.
• All contracts with customers shall be conducted in an honest, courteous, and professional manner in conformance with all pertinent laws.
• Each and every customer shall be treated with respect.
• There is no place for profane or obscene language in any communication with or about a customer or potential customer.
• Under no circumstances is there a reason for violence or threat of violence to the customer or his or her property.
• A customer shall be contacted regarding his or her account only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. (local time), unless he or she provides prior consent to be contacted at other times.
• Contacts with a customer at his or her place of work shall not in any way jeopardize the customer’s status with his or her employer.
• In contacting a customer, members of APRO shall represent openly and honestly the identity of the contacting person and the reason for making the contact.
• There is never any justification for use of force or unusual or illegal entry to any place where the member’s property is believed to be.
• APRO, by this policy statement, expresses no opinion as to the legality of the various collection practices that may be employed by different member-dealers.
• APRO is concerned with enhancing the image of the rent-to-own industry in the eyes of the public; APRO is not organized to tell member rental dealers how to conduct their businesses.

You can also download a printable PDF of APRO’s Collection Practices display in your stores.