Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Word of Mouth (Pty) Ltd ("we," "us," "our," or "Word of Mouth") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our referral platform and related services (the "Services").

This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and forms part of our Terms and Conditions. By using our Services, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Legal Framework and Our Role

We process personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA") and other applicable South African laws. Word of Mouth acts as both a Responsible Party and Operator under POPIA, depending on the specific processing activity.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Personal Information from Service Providers

  • Full name, ID number, and contact details
  • Professional registration details and credentials
  • Business information and registration documents
  • Banking details for commission payments
  • Communication preferences and platform usage data

3.2 Personal Information from Lead Generators

  • Full name, ID number, and contact details
  • Subscription package selection and payment information
  • Banking details for referral fee payments
  • Lead submission history and performance metrics
  • Platform usage and communication data

3.3 Personal Information from Leads/Clients

  • Contact details (name, phone, email)
  • Property preferences and requirements
  • Location and timing preferences
  • Communication history through our platform

3.4 Technical Information

  • IP addresses, device information, and browser data
  • Platform usage analytics and performance metrics
  • Login credentials and security information
  • Communication logs and timestamps

4. How We Use Your Personal Information

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

4.1 Contract Performance

  • Facilitating referrals between Lead Generators and Service Providers
  • Processing membership fees and commission payments
  • Providing platform access and functionality
  • Managing account relationships and subscriptions

4.2 Legitimate Business Interests

  • Improving platform functionality and user experience
  • Analysing platform usage and performance
  • Preventing fraud and ensuring platform security
  • Resolving disputes and providing customer support

4.3 Legal Compliance

  • Meeting record-keeping requirements (minimum 5 years)
  • Complying with tax and financial reporting obligations
  • Responding to lawful requests from authorities
  • Enforcing our Terms and Conditions

4.4 Consent-Based Processing

  • Marketing communications (where you have opted in)
  • Sharing information beyond core platform functionality
  • Processing special personal information (if applicable)

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

5.1 Core Platform Functionality

With your consent and as necessary for platform operation, we share:

  • Lead information from Lead Generators to matched Service Providers
  • Contact details to facilitate referral communications
  • Transaction history for commission calculation and payment

5.2 Service Providers and Third Parties

  • Payment processors (for secure payment processing)
  • Cloud hosting providers (for data storage and platform operation)
  • Legal and professional advisors (for compliance and dispute resolution)
  • Technology service providers (for platform maintenance and security)

5.3 Legal Requirements

  • Comply with legal process or government requests
  • Protect our rights, property, or safety
  • Investigate fraud or security incidents
  • Enforce our Terms and Conditions

6. Data Security and Protection

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including:

  • Encryption of data in transit and at rest
  • Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
  • Access controls and user authentication systems
  • Staff training on data protection principles
  • Incident response procedures

Despite these measures, no internet transmission is completely secure. While we implement reasonable security measures as required by POPIA, you acknowledge that there are inherent risks in transmitting information via the internet. We will notify you of any security compromise involving your personal information as required by law and will take reasonable steps to mitigate any harm.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, subject to:

  • Minimum retention period of 5 years for lead records from the last transaction or communication
  • Longer retention where required by law
  • Deletion or anonymisation when retention is no longer necessary

8. Your Rights Under POPIA

  • Access: Request access to your personal information
  • Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
  • Deletion: Request deletion (subject to legal obligations)
  • Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Restriction: Request restriction of processing
  • Data Portability: Receive your personal information in a portable format
  • Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent where applicable

To exercise these rights, contact us at services@wordofmouth.co.za. We will respond within 30 days, extendable by another 30 for complex requests.

9. International Transfers

We primarily process personal information within South Africa. However, some providers may process or store data outside the country. Before transferring personal information, we will ensure compliance with POPIA section 72 by:

  • Ensuring the receiving country has adequate data protection laws
  • Implementing standard contractual clauses
  • Obtaining your consent where required

10. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child, we will delete it promptly.

11. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, applicable law, or operations. We will notify you of any material changes at least 30 days before they take effect (unless required sooner by law) through:

  • Email notification to your registered address
  • Prominent notice on our platform
  • Updated "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy

12. Contact Information

For questions or assistance, contact us at: services@wordofmouth.co.za