Company Policy &
Terms of Service

This document outlines the official terms, conditions, and operating policies of Empress Solutions, a Durban-based technology services company operating under the LOWKII brand umbrella, including its creative media division LOWKII Productions and social media management service Rendezvous.

By engaging our services, signing a project agreement, paying a deposit or setup fee, or subscribing to any Empress Solutions service, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to all terms in this Policy.

Key Definitions

Empress Solutions provides services across six integrated pillars:

Pillar 1 — Managed Subscription Websites (WaaS)

Website design, development, hosting, management, and ongoing maintenance via a monthly subscription. The Client subscribes; Empress Solutions builds, hosts, and controls the infrastructure.

Pillar 2 — Website Ownership Buyout

Full handover of website codebase, design assets, documentation, and intellectual property for clients who prefer complete ownership. Once-off project fee.

Pillar 3 — Custom Development Projects

Bespoke web applications, mobile apps, UI/UX design, database architecture, API integrations, and code consultation on a project basis.

Pillar 4 — Technical Repairs & Upgrades

Device repairs including screen replacements, battery replacements, RAM/SSD upgrades, software installations, laptop diagnostics, and software troubleshooting.

Pillar 5 — Technology Retail

Sale of technology accessories including phone covers, screen protectors, headphones, cables, chargers, ring lights, capture cards, and photography accessories — available in-store and online.

Pillar 6 — LOWKII Productions (Creative Media)

Photography (studio and on-location), videography, drone/aerial photography, studio space rental, brand content packages, and event coverage.

Rendezvous — Social Media Management

Monthly social media management packages including content creation, scheduling, calendar management, reporting, and account growth strategy.

All services rendered will be specified in a Project Scope Document, Quotation, or Subscription Agreement provided to the Client before commencement.

3.1 Engagement Process

• Initial Consultation — Free discovery call or in-person meeting at our Florida Road location.
• Quotation / Proposal — A detailed written quotation or subscription package recommendation is provided.
• Agreement & Payment — Client accepts the quotation in writing and pays the applicable deposit or setup fee.
• Onboarding — Client provides all required materials, credentials, and information.
• Execution — Work begins according to the agreed scope and timeline.

3.2 No Verbal Agreements

All service agreements must be confirmed in writing (email, signed quotation, or digital acknowledgement). Verbal discussions, WhatsApp messages, or informal conversations do not constitute binding agreements unless followed up with written confirmation.

3.3 Client Eligibility

By engaging Empress Solutions, you confirm that you are at least 18 years of age or have authority to enter into a business agreement, have the legal right to provide all content and materials submitted, and are the authorised representative of the business you are acting on behalf of.

4.1 Subscription Services (WaaS & Rendezvous)

4.2 Project-Based Services (Custom Dev, Buyouts)

4.3 Repair Services & Retail

• Repair services require full payment upon completion before the device is returned.
• Devices left uncollected for 30 days after repair completion will incur a storage fee of R50/week.
• Devices uncollected for 90 days will be considered abandoned and may be disposed of or recycled.
• Retail purchases are final sale. No returns on accessories unless defective.

4.4 LOWKII Productions (Creative Media)

• 50% deposit required to secure a booking date. Non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours of the shoot.
• Remaining 50% due on the day of the shoot, before delivery of edited content.
• Studio rental requires full payment before or at the time of the session.

4.5 Currency & Invoicing

All prices are quoted in South African Rand (ZAR) unless otherwise stated. International clients may be invoiced in USD or GBP at the applicable exchange rate. All invoices are due within 7 business days of invoice date. Work on subsequent milestones will not commence until prior invoices are settled.

5.1 How It Works

Empress Solutions builds, hosts, and manages your website on the Empress Platform (Vercel infrastructure). The Client subscribes monthly. The Client owns their domain name only — all website code, design, hosting, and infrastructure remain the property of Empress Solutions.

5.2 Subscription Packages

Portfolio Websites

E-Commerce Websites

5.3 What's Included

• Website hosting on Vercel (global CDN, SSL included)
• Domain DNS configuration via Cloudflare
• Monthly security updates and platform maintenance
• Email setup (number of accounts per package tier)
• Two (2) minor content updates per month (text/image swaps)
• 99.5% uptime SLA

5.4 What's NOT Included

• New pages or features beyond the original scope (quoted separately)
• Content writing or copywriting (Client provides content)
• Stock photography or licensed images (Client provides or purchases)
• Third-party plugin/tool subscription fees
• Major redesigns (quoted as a new project)

5.5 Subscription Cancellation

• The Client may cancel with 30 days' written notice via email.
• The website will be taken offline at the end of the paid billing period.
• No website files, code, or data will be transferred unless a Buyout is purchased.
• Setup fees are non-refundable upon cancellation.
• The Client retains ownership of their domain and can point it elsewhere.

5.6 Annual Subscription

Clients may opt for annual billing at 10 months for the price of 12 (2 months free). Annual subscriptions are billed upfront and are non-refundable once the billing period has commenced.

6.1 Buyout Option

6.2 Buyout Includes

• Full source code
• Design files and assets
• Database schema (where applicable)
• Payment integration setup documentation
• Domain transfer guidance
• Hosting setup guidance (Client arranges own hosting post-handover)
• Post-handover support for the specified period (bug fixes only)

6.3 Buyout Excludes

• Ongoing hosting (Client must arrange independently)
• Future feature development (quoted separately)
• Third-party service subscriptions (Paystack, Vercel, etc.)
• Content updates or management after handover

6.4 Buyout Payment Terms

50% deposit to initiate the buyout process. 50% balance due upon delivery of the complete package. No files or code will be transferred until full payment is received.

7.1 Services & Pricing

7.2 Payment & Scope

All custom projects follow the 4-milestone payment structure outlined in Section 4.2. Every custom project requires a signed Project Scope Document before work begins, defining exact deliverables, features, timeline, total cost, payment schedule, and revision rounds.

Any work requested outside this document constitutes a scope change (see Section 15).

8.1 Services & Pricing

8.2 Booking & Cancellation

• All bookings require a 50% non-refundable deposit to secure the date.
• Remaining 50% is due on the day of the shoot, before delivery of edited content.
• Cancellations more than 48 hours before: deposit may be transferred to a new date (one reschedule only).
• Cancellations within 48 hours: deposit is forfeited.
• No-shows: deposit is forfeited and the booking is cancelled.
• LOWKII Productions may reschedule due to weather or equipment issues at no extra cost to the Client.

8.3 Deliverables & Turnaround

• Photoshoot deliverables: 5–10 business days after the shoot date.
• Video deliverables: 7–14 business days depending on complexity.
• Rush delivery (within 48 hours): available at an additional 30% surcharge.

8.4 Usage Rights

The Client receives full usage rights for all delivered content for personal and commercial use. LOWKII Productions retains the right to use delivered content in its portfolio, social media, and marketing materials unless agreed otherwise in writing prior to the shoot. Raw/unedited files are not included and may be purchased separately at R500 per shoot.

8.5 Studio Rental

• External photographers must provide their own equipment unless otherwise arranged.
• Studio rental does not include LOWKII Productions staff, editing, or post-production.
• Damage to studio equipment or property will be charged to the renter at replacement cost.

9.1 Services & Pricing

9.2 Warranty & Liability

• A non-refundable diagnostic fee of R150 may apply for complex repairs. This fee is deducted from the final repair cost if the Client proceeds.
• All repairs carry a 30-day warranty on the specific repair performed (labour and parts).
• Warranty is voided if the device is tampered with, dropped, water-damaged, or repaired by a third party after our service.
• Empress Solutions is not responsible for any data loss during repairs or upgrades. Back up your data before submission.
• If the Client supplies their own parts, Empress Solutions is not liable for defective or incompatible parts. Labour charges still apply.

9.3 Uncollected Devices

• Devices must be collected within 7 business days of repair completion notification.
• After 30 days, a storage fee of R50/week will apply.
• After 90 days, uncollected devices will be deemed abandoned and may be disposed of or recycled. Empress Solutions will make at least 3 documented contact attempts before disposal.

Empress Solutions sells technology accessories in-store (Florida Road) and online, including phone covers, screen protectors, laptop skins, headphones, Bluetooth accessories, ring lights, capture cards, cables, chargers, and photography accessories.

10.1 Returns & Exchanges

• All retail sales are final. No returns for change of mind.
• Defective products may be exchanged within 7 days of purchase with proof of purchase.
• Exchanges are subject to stock availability. If unavailable, a store credit will be issued.
• Products that have been physically damaged, opened (where sealed), or modified are not eligible for exchange.

11.1 Pricing & Contract

Standard packages start at R1,500/month per platform. Custom packages are quoted individually. Rendezvous operates month-to-month unless a longer term is agreed in writing. Cancellation requires 30 days' written notice. The Client remains liable for the current month's payment upon cancellation.

11.2 Content Ownership & Access

• All content created by Rendezvous belongs to the Client upon payment.
• Empress Solutions / Rendezvous retains portfolio and marketing usage rights unless the Client opts out in writing.
• Empress Solutions will never change account passwords or lock the Client out of their own accounts.
• Upon termination, all access credentials will be returned and our access revoked within 5 business days.

11.3 Content Approval

All content calendars are submitted for Client approval before posting. If the Client fails to approve content within 3 business days, Empress Solutions reserves the right to post as submitted to maintain the agreed posting schedule.

12.1 Strictly Non-Refundable

• Setup fees (all services)
• Deposits (all services)
• Completed and approved milestones
• Subscription payments for months already commenced
• Annual subscription payments once the billing period has started
• LOWKII Productions deposits forfeited due to late cancellation or no-show
• Studio rental fees
• Diagnostic fees
• Third-party costs already incurred on the Client's behalf

12.2 No Refunds Will Be Granted For

• Change of mind after a milestone has been approved
• Client failure to provide content, feedback, or required materials
• Client deciding to build themselves or hire another provider
• Delays caused by the Client's lack of communication
• Issues caused by third-party services
• Work that has been delivered and approved
• Dissatisfaction with a correctly delivered product that matches the agreed scope

12.3 Partial Refunds

If a client terminates a project before completion, only unstarted milestones may be eligible for a refund. A kill fee applies (see Section 19). The refund amount will be calculated based on work completed versus work remaining.

12.4 Refund Request Process

All refund requests must be submitted in writing via email to info@empresssolutions.co.za. Approved refunds will be processed within 14 business days via the original payment method.

13.1 Client Delays

If the Client fails to provide feedback, content, approvals, or payment within 14 calendar days of request, the project will be placed on hold. Projects on hold for 30+ days due to Client inaction will require a reactivation fee of 10% of the remaining project value. The original timeline will be voided.

13.2 Project Abandonment

Projects with no Client communication for 60 consecutive calendar days will be deemed abandoned. All payments made to date will be forfeited and the project closed. If the Client wishes to restart, it will be treated as a new project with a new quotation.

13.3 Empress Solutions Delays

If Empress Solutions causes a delay beyond 14 business days past the agreed deadline (not caused by the Client), the Client may request a 10% discount on the current milestone as compensation. This is the Client's sole remedy for Company-caused delays.

The Client agrees to:

• Provide all required materials in a timely manner and in the format requested.
• Respond to communications within 5 business days.
• Review and approve milestones within 7 business days of delivery.
• Make payments on time as per the agreed schedule.
• Ensure all content provided is legally owned or properly licensed.
• Designate a single point of contact to avoid conflicting instructions.
• Back up their own data before submitting devices for repair.
• Behave professionally and respectfully in all communications with Empress Solutions staff.

15.1 Included Revisions

• Subscription websites: Two (2) minor content updates per month (text/image swaps only).
• Custom projects: Each milestone includes two (2) rounds of revisions (a single consolidated set of feedback).
• LOWKII Productions: Re-editing or additional retouching beyond the package is charged at R50/image.

15.2 Additional Revisions & Scope Changes

Revisions beyond the included rounds are billed at R350/hour (minimum 1 hour). Any request for features, functionality, pages, or deliverables outside the original Project Scope Document constitutes a scope change — quoted separately in writing, requiring Client approval before work begins. Scope changes may extend the project timeline.

Empress Solutions integrates with Vercel (hosting), Convex (database), Clerk (authentication), Paystack (payments), Cloudflare (DNS/SSL), Cloudinary/Vercel Blob (storage), and Resend/SendGrid (email), among others.

Empress Solutions is not responsible for outages, errors, downtime, data loss, or limitations caused by third-party services. Subscription fees for third-party tools required by the Client's project are the Client's responsibility unless explicitly included in the agreed package.

17.1 Subscription Websites (WaaS)

All website code, design, infrastructure, and configurations remain the exclusive intellectual property of Empress Solutions for the duration of the subscription. The Client owns their domain name and any original content they provide. Upon cancellation, the website is taken offline — no files are transferred unless a Buyout is purchased.

17.2 Custom Projects & Buyouts

Full ownership of all deliverables transfers to the Client only upon full payment of all invoices. Until all payments are settled, all work-in-progress remains the intellectual property of Empress Solutions.

17.3 Portfolio Rights

Empress Solutions reserves the right to display all completed work in its portfolio, social media, case studies, and marketing materials unless the Client explicitly opts out in writing before project commencement.

18.1 Subscription Clients

Ongoing support and maintenance are included in the monthly subscription fee as defined by the Client's package tier.

18.2 Custom Projects & Buyouts

18.3 Excluded from Free Support

• New features, pages, or design changes
• Issues caused by third-party plugin, API, or service updates
• Client-induced errors or modifications after handover
• Hosting, domain, or email issues unrelated to Empress Solutions' work

19.1 Termination by Client

If the Client terminates a project before completion: all completed milestones must be paid in full; the milestone currently in progress must be paid in full; and a kill fee of 25% of the remaining (unstarted) project value will apply.

19.2 Termination by Empress Solutions

Empress Solutions reserves the right to terminate if the Client breaches any terms of this Policy, engages in abusive or unprofessional behaviour, payments remain overdue for more than 30 days, or the Client provides illegal or harmful content. No refund will be issued; all completed work remains the property of Empress Solutions until outstanding payments are settled.

Both parties agree to keep all project-related information, business strategies, login credentials, financial details, and proprietary information strictly confidential, indefinitely after the conclusion of the business relationship.

Upon termination of services, all Client credentials held by Empress Solutions will be securely deleted or returned within 10 business days.

21.1 Official Channels

21.2 Response Times

• General inquiries: within 2 business days (Mon–Fri, 9:00–17:00 SAST)
• LOWKII Productions bookings and studio inquiries: within 1 business day
• Emergency support (website down, critical bugs) for subscription clients: same business day
• Messages received after hours or on weekends will be addressed the next business day

Empress Solutions' total liability for any claim shall not exceed the total amount paid by the Client for the specific service in question.

Empress Solutions is not liable for:

• Loss of revenue, profits, business opportunities, or anticipated savings
• Loss of data, goodwill, or reputation
• Indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages of any kind
• Downtime or issues caused by third-party services
• Results of SEO, marketing, or social media management (influenced by external factors)
• Any claims arising from content provided by the Client
• Events beyond reasonable control (natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, load shedding, power outages, internet failures)

• Step 1 — Good-Faith Negotiation: Both parties will make a genuine effort to resolve the matter informally within 14 business days.
• Step 2 — Mediation: If unresolved, both parties will attempt mediation through a mutually agreed-upon mediator. Costs shared equally.
• Step 3 — Legal Action: If mediation fails, either party may pursue legal remedies in the courts of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

This Policy is governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa, including the Consumer Protection Act (No. 68 of 2008), the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (No. 25 of 2002), and the Protection of Personal Information Act (No. 4 of 2013).

Empress Solutions complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa. We collect, process, and store Client personal information only for the purposes of delivering our services.

Information We Collect

• Client name, email, phone number, and business details
• Billing and payment information (processed via Paystack — we do not store card details)
• Website content and materials provided by the Client
• Communication records (email, WhatsApp)
• Device information (for repairs)

Data Retention & Breach

Active client data is retained for the duration of the business relationship, then for 12 months for accounting and legal compliance, after which it is securely deleted. Clients may request deletion at any time by emailing info@empresssolutions.co.za.

In the event of a data breach, affected clients will be notified within 72 hours and the Information Regulator notified as required by POPIA.

For the full Privacy Policy, visit empresssolutions.co.za/privacy.

Empress Solutions reserves the right to update this Policy at any time. Minor changes (formatting, clarifications) take effect immediately upon publication. Material changes (pricing, refund terms, ownership terms) will be communicated to active clients with 30 days' notice. Continued engagement after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

By paying a deposit or setup fee, signing a project agreement, or engaging any Empress Solutions service, the Client confirms that they have read this entire Policy, understood all terms and obligations, and agreed to be bound by all terms herein across all services provided by Empress Solutions, LOWKII Productions, and Rendezvous.