Polai Digital Hub — Universal Policy Page
Overview — our promise to clients
Polai Digital Hub delivers professional digital products and services with clarity, speed and respect. These policies explain how we work, how we protect your data, what you pay, and what both parties can expect during a project. We write them to build trust — clear terms equal better outcomes.
This page combines public-facing terms and contract-ready operational rules. It is written in a persuasive, client-focused tone but is legally informed. For contract-level customisation, consult legal counsel.
Who this applies to
These terms apply to engagements between Polai Digital Hub (the Company) and any business or individual client (the Client) for services such as website design, hosting, SaaS configuration (PolaiRun, PolaiRetail), marketing automation, content production, and managed services.
How to use this page
- Read the overview and definitions to familiarise yourself with terms we use.
- Review Payment Terms and the SOW section before signing any quotation.
- Open the cookie preferences to control analytics and marketing cookies.
- Contact us via email or WhatsApp for contract or legal negotiation.
Definitions (click to expand)
Short glossary used across this page.
- Client / You: Business or individual engaging Polai Digital Hub.
- Company / We: Polai Digital Hub (and its products like PolaiRun, PolaiRetail).
- Services: Design, development, SaaS configuration, hosting, marketing automation and related services.
- Deliverables: Completed files, code, content, staging access and final assets agreed in the SOW.
- Statement of Work (SOW): Detailed document specifying tasks, timelines, deliverables, payment schedule and acceptance criteria.
- Effective Date: Date the SOW/contract is signed and deposit received.
- Milestone: A measurable deliverable, event or handover point referenced in the SOW used to trigger invoices or reviews.
Payment Terms — 50% deposit, 50% on completion
To start work we require an upfront investment to secure resources. Our standard financial structure for project work is:
- 50% deposit (upfront) — payable before work begins. This covers planning, research, initial design and resource allocation.
- 50% final payment — due on delivery and acceptance of the final Deliverables, or within 7 days where no acceptance window is specified.
Invoice & payment mechanics
We issue electronic invoices tied to SOW milestones. Standard invoice terms are 7 days unless the SOW states otherwise. Invoices include itemised descriptions so clients can clearly understand billed work and linked milestones.
- Accepted payment methods: EFT / bank transfer, card payments via secure gateways, approved processors (Stripe, PayFast, etc.).
- We provide written payment instructions and bank details on each invoice. International payments may incur conversion fees which are the client's responsibility.
- Prices exclude VAT unless otherwise stated. Taxes are client responsibility unless Polai Digital Hub agrees to withhold.
Late payment & suspension
Invoices unpaid after 14 days may result in service suspension and interest charges. Suspension does not waive payment obligations. Reconnection may require a reconnection fee and updated timelines.
- Interest: overdue invoices may incur interest at an annualised rate specified in the SOW (commonly 8% above prime).
- Collections: prolonged non-payment may be escalated to collections; client remains liable for collection fees and legal costs.
Deposit refund policy
Deposits are generally non-refundable because they reserve time and resources. In exceptional circumstances (e.g., we cannot start within agreed window), a discretionary refund may be issued or deposit applied to alternate services. Specific exceptions will be recorded in the SOW.
Chargebacks & disputes
Clients should contact us before initiating bank or card chargebacks. Unauthorised chargebacks may lead to account suspension and recovery of costs; we will provide evidence of delivery to contest illegitimate claims.
Payment best-practices checklist (for clients)
- Review the SOW and invoice line items before payment.
- Use the invoice reference when making payments to avoid delays.
- Notify us if a payment will be late — proactive communication prevents suspension.
Pre-Project: Discovery, Proposal, SOW & Contract
We use a clear onboarding sequence to remove ambiguity and ensure we can start work immediately once the deposit clears.
- Discovery: Intake forms, interviews and workshops to capture goals, KPIs, branding and constraints. We document user personas, core flows, and data dependencies.
- Proposal: A recommended scope, timeline and price estimate based on discovery, including a clear statement of assumptions.
- SOW: A binding document detailing deliverables, milestones, payment schedule (50/50), timelines, revision counts, acceptance criteria, assumptions and exclusions.
- Contract & Sign-off: The SOW is integrated into a service agreement. Work begins only after the contract is signed and the deposit cleared.
Why this matters
The SOW reduces scope creep, sets measurable acceptance criteria, and ensures both parties understand dependencies (e.g., client content deadlines, third-party integrations). Typical SOW appendices include:
- Milestone schedule with deliverable dates
- Revisions matrix (what counts as a revision vs new scope)
- Third-party licence responsibilities
- Escalation and change-order process
Scope of Work — what every SOW contains (detailed)
Each SOW will include granular detail appropriate to the project size. Core sections commonly include:
Project overview & objectives
Clear business goals and KPIs (e.g., increase leads by X%, migrate to a stable platform, launch e-commerce with N products). We map deliverables to these KPIs.
Functional requirements
- Site architecture (pages & templates)
- Required integrations (payment gateways, CRMs, APIs)
- Platform decisions (WordPress, static build, or SaaS configuration)
Design & user experience
- Wireframes for key pages
- High-fidelity mockups (desktop + mobile)
- Branding deliverables (if included)
Content & SEO
- Copywriting scope (pages, blog posts, localized content)
- On-page SEO (meta tags, schema, alt text)
- Content handover: how and when editable content will be provided
Development, QA & Security
- Responsive front-end build, accessibility checks, cross-browser QA
- Security hardening recommendations (SSL, plugin vetting)
- Performance baseline & optimisation tasks
Launch & handover
- Staging environment for review
- Acceptance testing window (standard 7 business days)
- Final handover: credentials, admin guide, 14–30 days of post-launch support (if included)
Assumptions, dependencies & exclusions
Clear statements (e.g., client provides images within X days; 3rd-party API availability) prevent misunderstandings and scope creep. Exclusions are explicitly documented.
Deliverables, revisions & acceptance
Formats & source files
Deliverables will be supplied in agreed formats (Figma, HTML, ZIP, PDF). Source files may be retained until final payment is received unless the SOW states otherwise.
Revisions policy
Each proposal will state included revisions (commonly 2 rounds of design). Additional revision rounds are billed at the agreed hourly rate. Major scope changes require a change order and revised SOW.
Acceptance criteria
Deliverables are accepted when the client signs off in writing or fails to provide feedback within the defined acceptance window (commonly 7 business days). Acceptance for websites requires verification on the staging environment and test of core flows.
Handover checklist (example)
- Admin credentials delivered
- Documentation: admin guide, maintenance tasks
- SEO basics: sitemap, robots.txt, analytics installed
- Final backup of site & project archive
Cancellation & Refund Policy (detailed)
We aim to be fair and transparent. Cancellation events trigger different outcomes depending on project stage:
| Stage | Typical Client Liability |
|---|---|
| Before work begins | Deposit retained (non-refundable) — no further fees |
| During active work (design / development) | Deposit + reasonable compensation for hours spent and third-party fees incurred |
| After deliverables accepted | No refund for completed work; full fee may be due per contract terms |
Company-initiated cancellation
We may suspend or cancel services for material client breach (non-payment, abusive behaviour) or force majeure. If we cancel due to our failure to perform, we will offer a remedy which may include pro-rata refunds for unperformed services.
Refund process & timelines
Requests must be made in writing to the contact address below. We acknowledge within 5 business days and aim to resolve within 30 calendar days. Refunds are paid to the original payment method; provider processing times (5–15 business days) apply.
Chargebacks
Chargebacks initiated without prior contact may delay resolution and lead to service suspension. We reserve the right to contest illegitimate chargebacks with delivery evidence.
Service Level Agreement (SLA) — availability & support
For hosting, SaaS and managed services, we define SLAs in the SOW. Example SLA elements:
- Availability: Target uptime of 99.5% per calendar month for hosted services (subject to maintenance windows).
- Support response times: 1 business day for standard support; faster for paid priority plans.
- Backups & restores: Regular backups per plan; restores may incur fees depending on time window and complexity.
- Maintenance windows: Scheduled maintenance will be communicated with reasonable notice.
SLAs are contractual and will be specified per product (PolaiRun, PolaiRetail) or project in the SOW.
AI & Automation Transparency
Polai Digital Hub uses AI responsibly to accelerate content creation, marketing automation and analytics. Typical uses:
- Generating draft copy and social captions
- Automating campaign scheduling and performance analysis
- Assisting in image variations and simple creative tasks
Human oversight & quality control
All AI-generated outputs are reviewed by trained staff before client delivery. You retain editorial control and final sign-off rights for creative outputs. Where applicable we include an explicit clause in the SOW describing permitted AI usage and approvals.
Data use & model privacy
We avoid sending sensitive client data to public AI endpoints unless explicitly authorised in writing. Where we use third-party AI services, we evaluate data handling practices and use privacy-preserving settings where possible. For sensitive tasks we may propose on-premise or private model options — quoted separately.
Opt-out
If you prefer us not to use AI for your project, tell us during discovery and we'll adapt processes accordingly (this may affect timelines and pricing).
Privacy, Data Protection & Security
We comply with POPIA and applicable data protection frameworks. We collect personal data required to deliver services and manage relationships.
What we collect
- Contact & company details
- Billing & payment info (via secure processors)
- Project content (images, copy, files you upload)
- Usage data for SaaS (IP, logs, performance metrics)
How we use & share data
Data is used for service delivery, billing, support and improvement. We may share with processors (hosting, payment gateways) under data processing agreements. We never sell personal data.
Storage, retention & deletion
Data is stored securely, sometimes in cloud providers outside South Africa. Default retention: 90 days after account closure unless otherwise agreed. You can request access, correction, portability or deletion (subject to legal obligations).
Security measures
- Role-based access controls
- Encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest where supported
- Regular updates, vulnerability management and backups
Intellectual Property & Licensing
We distinguish pre-existing proprietary materials (templates, libraries, frameworks) from final client deliverables. Typical rules:
- On full payment, you receive a non-exclusive licence to use final deliverables for agreed purposes.
- Polai Digital Hub retains ownership of proprietary code, frameworks and tools unless transfer is explicitly documented in the SOW and agreed fees are paid.
- Third-party assets (stock images, fonts, plugins) are governed by their licenses; clients are responsible for any additional licence fees for extended use.
Liability, Warranty & Dispute Resolution
Warranty
We warrant services will be provided with reasonable skill and care. Other implied warranties are disclaimed to the extent permitted by law.
Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, our aggregate liability is limited to amounts paid by you to us in the 12 months preceding the claim. We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses (loss of profit, business interruption).
Indemnity
You agree to indemnify us for claims arising from your content, illegal actions, or breach of the SOW.
Dispute resolution
We prefer amicable resolution and mediation. If unresolved, disputes fall under the courts of the Republic of South Africa unless otherwise agreed.
Contact & Notices
For contracts, refunds, cancellations or data requests contact us:
- Email: polaidigitalhub@gmail.com
- WhatsApp / Quick contact: +27 72 014 3374
- Postal: As specified in your SOW
Typical response times
We aim to acknowledge requests within 3 business days and resolve most matters within 30 calendar days. For urgent contract or security incidents, use the WhatsApp quick contact above and include "URGENT" in the message.
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