Privacy Policy & POPIA Notice

Policy overview

Smart-AI / Smart-AI Solutions (“Smart-AI”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) operates the website smart-ai.co.za. We provide diagnostic-first, page-first digital services designed to help service businesses improve authority, reduce operational leaks, and streamline lead handling.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you visit our website, submit a form, use our calculator, contact us, or engage with our services.

1. Who we are

Smart-AI is built as a live case study and blueprint for a lean, AI-ready business system. Our website is used to showcase services, route enquiries, capture intake information, and support client delivery.

2. Scope of this policy

This policy applies to personal information collected through:

• our website pages
• our contact forms
• our intake forms
• the Free Admin Leak Calculator
• the Social Authority Overhaul page and intake flow
• the Business Leak Diagnostic intake flow
• the L2A Audit intake flow
• email correspondence
• uploaded files and supporting assets
• booking, payment, or workflow tools linked from our website
• analytics, cookies, and related technical tracking

3. Information we collect

3.1 Contact and identity information

• full name
• email address
• phone number / WhatsApp number
• business name
• website URL
• social media handles
• job title or role

3.2 Business and project information

• industry or business type
• current digital setup
• service offerings
• target audience
• brand tone and positioning
• business challenges
• pricing or budget range
• delivery preferences
• region or market location
• project goals and notes

3.3 Intake and diagnostic information

When you complete our forms or calculator, we may collect:

• your selected service or package
• region selection
• delivery mode
• diagnostic inputs
• workflow details
• brand pillars
• current issues or “leaks”
• page, product, or service preferences
• any information you provide to help us prepare a quote or delivery plan

3.4 Uploaded files and assets

You may choose to send or upload:

• logos
• profile photos or headshots
• banners
• screenshots
• documents
• brand copy
• supporting reference files

3.5 Technical information

We may automatically collect technical information such as:

• IP address
• browser type
• device type
• operating system
• pages visited
• time and date of visits
• referring URLs
• cookie and session data
• basic analytics and performance data

4. How we collect information

We may collect information when you:

• fill in a form on our website
• use the Free Admin Leak Calculator
• submit an intake form
• email us directly
• upload files or supporting assets
• click through to a payment, booking, or workflow step
• browse the website
• interact with embedded content or third-party tools

5. Why we collect your information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

• to respond to enquiries
• to assess whether we can help you
• to prepare quotes and proposals
• to deliver the service you requested
• to route you to the correct product or intake path
• to create and refine branded assets
• to diagnose business leaks and workflow issues
• to manage client communication and support
• to process payments or handoffs where applicable
• to improve the website, tools, and user experience
• to comply with legal, accounting, and operational obligations

6. POPIA compliance

Smart-AI processes personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and any other applicable South African privacy requirements.

We aim to ensure that personal information is:

• collected lawfully and fairly
• collected for a specific, defined purpose
• limited to what is necessary
• kept accurate and up to date where possible
• stored securely
• retained only for as long as needed
• processed responsibly and with appropriate safeguards

We do not sell personal information.

7. Lawful basis for processing

Depending on the context, we may process personal information on one or more of the following bases:

• your consent
• pre-contract or contract-related steps
• legitimate business interests
• legal or regulatory obligations
• service delivery and support requirements

8. How we use and share information

We may share information only where necessary with trusted service providers and tools used to operate the website and deliver our services, such as:

• hosting providers
• email providers
• form or intake tools
• analytics tools
• automation tools
• payment processors
• booking or scheduling tools
• file storage or document delivery tools

These service providers may process your information only to the extent needed to provide their services to us, and they should not use your information for unrelated purposes.

We may also disclose personal information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or to protect our rights, users, systems, or property.

9. Retention of personal information

We keep personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law, tax, accounting, legal, or operational obligations.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the context in which it was provided. For example:

• enquiry and intake data may be kept for follow-up, quoting, and project history
• payment or invoicing records may be kept for accounting and legal compliance
• communication history may be kept for continuity and support
• technical logs may be kept for security, troubleshooting, and performance analysis

10. Security of personal information

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

These measures may include:

• secure hosting
• access controls
• password protection
• limited internal access
• operational separation of data
• reasonable monitoring and maintenance
• careful handling of uploaded files and intake data

No method of transmission or storage is completely risk-free, but we work to keep your information protected.

11. Cookies and tracking

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies for:

• essential website functionality
• form and session handling
• analytics and performance measurement
• user experience improvements
• remembering preferences where applicable

You can usually control cookies through your browser settings. If you disable certain cookies, some features of the website may not function properly.

12. Embedded content and third-party links

Pages on our website may contain links to external websites or embedded content such as videos, images, maps, or other third-party resources.

When you visit a third-party website or use embedded third-party content, that third party may collect information about you in accordance with its own privacy policy and terms. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites.

13. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

• request access to the personal information we hold about you
• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• request deletion of personal information where lawful and appropriate
• object to certain types of processing
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
• ask questions about how your information is used

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details on our Contact page.

14. Children’s information

Our website and services are intended primarily for business users and service businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children unless this is necessary and lawful in the context of a specific engagement.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or operational practices. The latest version will always be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

16. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, POPIA, or how we handle personal information, please contact us through the details provided on our website’s Contact page.