Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to SmartBiz Directory, a platform operated by SmartBiz Directory PTY LTD, a company incorporated in South Africa.

Registered office: Pretoria, South Africa

Email: info@smartbizdirectory.co.za

Phone: 081 252 8070

We are the responsible party for the purposes of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), and we are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with POPIA and other applicable data protection laws.

We collect only the personal information necessary to provide our services:

• Business owner data: name, email address, phone number, and password (hashed) when you register or sign in. Business information such as business name, description, address, operating hours, contact details, logo, images, and service categories when you list or claim a business.
• Customer data: we only collect the customer's name and phone number when they contact a business through our platform or interact with our AI assistants. No additional personal information is requested or stored.
• Payment information: billing details, subscription plan, and transaction records processed via our payment partners. We do not store full card numbers.
• Usage data: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, search queries, and interaction patterns to improve our services.
• Cookies and tracking: data collected via cookies and similar technologies as described in Section 7 below.

Our AI Voice Assistant, Aisha, handles incoming phone calls on behalf of listed businesses.

• Aisha identifies herself as an AI assistant at the beginning of every call.
• Calls are not recorded. No audio recordings are stored or retained.
• Only the caller's name and phone number are collected to create a lead record for the business.
• No other personal information is requested or stored during the call.

Our AI Chatbot assists website visitors with business enquiries and booking requests.

• The chatbot identifies itself as an AI during interactions.
• Only the user's name and phone number are collected when they submit an enquiry or booking request.
• Chat transcripts are processed in real-time and are not retained beyond what is necessary to generate the lead or booking record.

We use your personal information for the following lawful purposes under POPIA:

• Business listings: to create, display, and manage business directory listings on our platform.
• AI features: to power AI-driven voice assistance, chat-based enquiries, and automated booking services.
• Billing and subscriptions: to process payments, manage subscription plans, and maintain financial records.
• Notifications: to send you service updates, lead notifications, booking confirmations, and marketing communications (where you have consented).
• Platform improvement: to analyse usage patterns, troubleshoot issues, and enhance the functionality and security of our services.
• Legal compliance: to comply with legal obligations, enforce our terms, and protect the rights and safety of our users and the public.

We will only process your personal information with a valid legal basis, such as your consent, the performance of a contract, a legal obligation, or our legitimate interests.

We do not sell your personal information. We only share data with trusted service providers who help us operate our platform, and only to the extent necessary for their services:

All third-party providers are bound by data processing agreements that require them to handle your information in accordance with POPIA and our privacy standards.

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience, understand usage, and deliver relevant functionality. The types of cookies we use include:

• Essential cookies: required for the platform to function, such as authentication sessions and security tokens. These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies: help us understand how visitors interact with the platform so we can improve performance and content.
• Preference cookies: remember your settings and choices (such as cookie consent preferences) to provide a more personalised experience.

When you first visit our site, you will see a cookie consent banner allowing you to accept or learn more about our use of cookies. You can manage your preferences at any time by clearing your browser cookies, which will reset the consent banner.

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:

• HTTPS encryption: all data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using industry-standard SSL/TLS protocols.
• Hashed passwords: user account passwords are hashed and never stored in plain text.
• Supabase Row Level Security (RLS): our database enforces strict access controls so users can only access data they are explicitly authorised to view.
• Encrypted API keys: service credentials and integration keys are stored securely and never exposed in client-side code.
• Regular security reviews: we periodically review our systems, dependencies, and access controls to identify and address vulnerabilities.

While we take these precautions, no internet-based service is completely secure. We encourage you to use strong, unique passwords and to keep your account credentials confidential.

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of access: you may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to correction: you may request that we correct or update any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Right to deletion: you may request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal retention obligations.
• Right to object: you may object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable grounds.
• Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@smartbizdirectory.co.za. We will respond within a reasonable time and in accordance with POPIA requirements.

If you believe we have not adequately addressed your concern, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law:

• Account information: retained while your account is active and for 12 months after closure, unless you request earlier deletion.
• Business listings: retained while the listing is published or claimed; deleted upon your request or if the listing is removed for policy violations.
• Payment records: retained for 7 years in accordance with South African tax and accounting laws.
• Lead and enquiry data: retained for 24 months to allow businesses to manage their customer relationships, after which it is securely deleted.

Once the retention period expires, we securely delete or anonymise your personal information so that it can no longer be associated with you.

SmartBiz Directory is not intended for use by children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you are under 18, please do not register for an account, submit business information, or use our AI features.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18 without verified parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information as soon as possible. If you believe we may have information from a minor, please contact us immediately.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or the functionality of our platform. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
• Notify registered users via email where the changes are material.
• Display a prominent notice on the platform where required by law.

Your continued use of SmartBiz Directory after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact us:

If you believe we have not adequately addressed your concern, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.