VoiceReceptionist.co.za ("we", "our", "us") operates an AI voice receptionist platform for South African businesses. This policy explains how we handle personal information in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and the Regulation of Interception of Communications Act (RICA). It covers the platform itself — each business using our service is responsible for its own callers' data as an independent responsible party.

1. Information We Process

• Account details of business owners who sign up — name, email, phone number, business name.
• Caller information captured by an AI receptionist on behalf of a business — name, contact details, and booking or enquiry details. This data belongs to the business, not to us.
• Technical data such as IP address, browser type, and usage logs, used to keep the service secure and reliable.

2. How We Use Information

• To provide, operate, and maintain the AI receptionist platform.
• To route captured caller details to the relevant business owner by email and dashboard.
• To monitor service health, prevent abuse, and improve reliability.
• To communicate with account holders about billing, support, and service updates.

3. Voice Data

• Live voice conversations are processed in real time by Google Gemini to generate responses. The voice audio is streamed and discarded — we do not keep voice recordings.
• A written text transcript and summary of each conversation, plus the structured details a caller provides (such as name, contact number, and booking preference), are retained for the business that owns that conversation. Transcripts and personal details are encrypted at rest (AES-256) and automatically deleted after the applicable retention period (configurable per business, up to 12 months by default).
• Data may be processed on servers located outside South Africa (including Google Cloud Platform regions), subject to appropriate safeguards under applicable law.

4. Data Storage & Security

• Data is stored in a secured PostgreSQL database with encrypted connections and access controls.
• We apply industry-standard safeguards. No method of electronic storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Sharing & Operator Processing

• We do not sell or trade personal information.
• We act as an operator under POPIA, processing data on the instruction of each business (the responsible party).
• We share data only with the infrastructure providers needed to run the service (such as Google Cloud for AI processing and hosting) and only to the extent required to operate it.

6. RICA Compliance

• In compliance with the Regulation of Interception of Communications Act (RICA), callers are notified at the start of each call that the conversation may be recorded or transcribed for quality assurance, training, and operational purposes.
• By continuing the conversation after this notice, the caller consents to such recording or transcription.

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction or deletion of your personal information.
• Object to processing, and lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

8. Contact

• For any privacy request or question, contact us at info@voicereceptionist.co.za or 082 840 666.