ATA Professional Ethics & Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A customer wants to purchase an arrow spine that you know is mismatched to their setup. What is the ethical course of action?
- Sell what they want without comment since it is their money
- Inform the customer of the mismatch, explain potential consequences, and let them make an informed decision (Correct answer)
- Refuse the sale entirely
- Sell the arrow and charge for a future tune-up visit
Correct answer: Inform the customer of the mismatch, explain potential consequences, and let them make an informed decision
Ethical standards require technicians to give customers accurate information so they can make informed choices, while still respecting customer autonomy.
Question 2: Which of the following constitutes a conflict of interest for an ATA bow technician?
- Recommending a product line you carry in your shop
- Recommending only the brand that pays you a kickback without disclosing that relationship (Correct answer)
- Selling accessories alongside bow services
- Offering package pricing on multiple services
Correct answer: Recommending only the brand that pays you a kickback without disclosing that relationship
Undisclosed financial incentives tied to product recommendations violate the ethical duty of honest, unbiased advice.
Question 3: Under ATA professional standards, how should a technician handle a recall notice for a bow model currently in a customer's possession?
- Post the recall notice on the shop bulletin board only
- Proactively contact the affected customer and explain the recall and next steps (Correct answer)
- Wait for the customer to come in for their next service
- Handle recalls only if the manufacturer provides financial compensation for the outreach
Correct answer: Proactively contact the affected customer and explain the recall and next steps
Proactive customer notification about safety recalls is a professional and ethical obligation that protects public safety.
Question 4: A customer leaves their bow for a tune and you discover the previous shop installed a non-spec cam system. You should:
- Tune around the non-spec parts without mentioning the issue
- Document the non-spec components, inform the customer before proceeding, and recommend correction (Correct answer)
- Remove the non-spec parts immediately and charge for the correction
- Refuse any service and send the customer back to the previous shop
Correct answer: Document the non-spec components, inform the customer before proceeding, and recommend correction
Disclosing pre-existing non-spec conditions to the customer before performing work protects the technician from liability and upholds ethical transparency.
Question 5: How should a certified bow technician respond when they encounter a procedure outside their current competency?
- Attempt the procedure anyway to avoid admitting a knowledge gap
- Refer the customer to a qualified technician and communicate the limitation honestly (Correct answer)
- Charge the customer and research the procedure after the bow is left
- Decline all future bow services until fully retrained
Correct answer: Refer the customer to a qualified technician and communicate the limitation honestly
Recognizing and communicating the limits of one's competency is a hallmark of professional ethics and protects customer safety.
Question 6: Which behavior best illustrates the ATA ethical principle of customer confidentiality?
- Sharing a customer's contact information with a hunting guide service they might enjoy
- Discussing a high-profile customer's bow setup on social media to attract business
- Keeping customer equipment details, personal information, and service history private (Correct answer)
- Posting before-and-after photos of bow repairs without asking permission
Correct answer: Keeping customer equipment details, personal information, and service history private
Customer data — including contact information and equipment details — must be kept confidential unless the customer explicitly consents to its disclosure.
Question 7: An ATA-certified technician who knowingly sells a bow with a known defect without disclosure is most likely violating:
- Only the ATA code of ethics
- Only state consumer protection law
- Both ATA ethical standards and potentially consumer protection statutes (Correct answer)
- No standard, since archery equipment is buyer-beware
Correct answer: Both ATA ethical standards and potentially consumer protection statutes
Selling defective goods without disclosure breaches ATA ethical obligations and typically violates state consumer protection laws simultaneously.
ATA Professional Ethics & Standards 3
A customer wants to purchase an arrow spine that you know is mismatched to their setup.
What is the ethical course of action?