1. Introduction

Find a Professional NZ ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our platform.

This policy complies with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 and applies to all users of our platform, including customers seeking services and service providers offering their expertise.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information:

• Name: Your full name for identification and communication
• Email Address: For account creation, notifications, and communication
• Phone Number: To enable service providers to contact you directly
• Location Information: Your address, city, and region to match you with local service providers
• Service Preferences: The types of services you're looking for or offering

For Service Providers, we also collect:

• Business name and description
• Professional qualifications and certifications
• Service areas and availability
• Pricing information
• Profile photos and portfolio images

Automatically Collected Information:

• IP address and device information
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited and time spent on the platform
• Referring website addresses

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To connect you with service providers and facilitate service requests
• Communication: To send you service updates, confirmations, and platform notifications
• Account Management: To create and maintain your user account
• Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve our services
• Customer Support: To respond to your inquiries and resolve issues
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Fraud Prevention: To detect and prevent fraudulent activities

4. Information Sharing with Service Providers

For more detailed information about what data is shared, please see our Information Disclosure page.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encrypted data transmission using SSL/TLS protocols
• Secure server infrastructure with regular security updates
• Access controls limiting who can view your information
• Regular security audits and monitoring
• Employee training on data protection practices

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Privacy Rights

Under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, you have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
• Objection: Object to certain processing of your information
• Data Portability: Request your data in a portable format
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing where applicable

To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@findaprofessional.co.nz. We will respond to your request within 20 working days.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations. Specifically:

• Active Accounts: Information is retained while your account is active
• Inactive Accounts: Deleted after 2 years of inactivity (unless required by law)
• Service Records: Retained for 7 years for legal and tax purposes
• Marketing Data: Deleted upon unsubscribe or account deletion

8. Third-Party Services

Our platform may use third-party services for analytics, payment processing, and other functionalities. These services may collect information as governed by their own privacy policies. We do not share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes.

9. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our platform. You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Note that disabling cookies may affect platform functionality.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or platform notification. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was last revised.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: info@findaprofessional.co.nz

If you believe we have not handled your personal information properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner at www.privacy.org.nz