Privacy Policy
At sontheriq, we take your privacy seriously. This isn't just legal paperwork—it's about being upfront with you about how we handle your information when you use our financial negotiation training services.
We're based in Port Macquarie, NSW, and we follow Australian privacy laws. That means we're bound by the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). If something here doesn't make sense, reach out. We'd rather explain it properly than have you confused.
What Information We Collect
We only collect what we actually need to run our courses and help you learn. Here's what that looks like in practice:
When You Sign Up
If you're enrolling in one of our programs, we'll ask for your name, email address, phone number, and sometimes your professional background. Why? Because we need to contact you about your course, and it helps us tailor the content to your experience level.
Payment Details
When you pay for a course, we process your payment information through secure third-party processors. We don't store your full credit card details on our servers—that's handled by certified payment providers who specialize in keeping that data safe.
How You Use Our Site
Like most websites, we collect some technical information when you visit—things like your IP address, browser type, and which pages you look at. This helps us understand what content people find useful and where our website might be confusing.
How We Use Your Information
We're not in the business of selling data or bombarding you with marketing. Here's what we actually do with your information:
- Deliver the courses you've paid for—pretty straightforward
- Send you important updates about your enrollment, schedule changes, or new course materials
- Respond when you contact us with questions or feedback
- Improve our courses based on how people engage with the content
- Handle billing and payment processing
- Meet our legal obligations (like keeping financial records for tax purposes)
- Occasionally let you know about new courses that might interest you—but only if you've told us that's okay
We won't use your personal information for anything that would surprise you. If we ever want to use it in a way that's not covered here, we'll ask for your permission first.
Marketing Communications
If you've agreed to receive marketing emails from us, you can change your mind anytime. Every email we send has an unsubscribe link at the bottom. Click it, and you're off the list—no questions asked, no hard feelings.
Even if you opt out of marketing emails, we'll still send you essential course-related information. That's stuff like login details, schedule updates, or important changes to courses you're enrolled in.
Sharing Your Information
We don't sell your data. Period. But we do work with some trusted partners to deliver our services:
Service Providers
We use third-party services for things like email delivery, payment processing, and website hosting. These companies only get access to the information they need to do their job, and they're contractually obligated to keep it secure.
Legal Requirements
Sometimes we're legally required to share information—like if we receive a valid subpoena or court order. We'll only do this when we're genuinely required to by law.
Business Transfers
If sontheriq is ever acquired or merged with another company (not something we're planning, but you never know), your information would be transferred as part of that transaction. We'd make sure any new owner respects this privacy policy.
We don't share your information with anyone else unless you've explicitly given us permission to do so.
Your Rights
Your data is yours. Under Australian privacy law, you have several rights when it comes to your personal information:
Access Your Data
You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. We'll provide it within 30 days, usually sooner.
Correct Mistakes
If something we have on file is wrong or outdated, let us know and we'll fix it promptly.
Delete Your Data
You can ask us to delete your information, and we will—unless we're legally required to keep it (like financial records).
Restrict Processing
You can ask us to limit how we use your information while we address a concern you've raised.
Object to Use
If you don't want us using your data for a specific purpose, you can object and we'll stop unless there's a compelling legal reason.
Data Portability
Want to take your data elsewhere? We can provide it in a structured, commonly used format.
To exercise any of these rights, just email us at info@sontheriq.com. We'll verify your identity (to make sure we're not giving your data to someone else) and then handle your request.
How We Protect Your Information
Security isn't just a checkbox for us—it's something we actively work on. Here's what that looks like:
- All data transmitted to and from our website is encrypted using industry-standard SSL/TLS protocols
- We store your information on secure servers in Australia with restricted access controls
- Our staff only access personal data when necessary to do their jobs, and they're trained on privacy requirements
- We regularly review and update our security measures as technology evolves
- Payment information is handled by PCI-DSS compliant payment processors, not stored on our systems
- We have incident response procedures in place if a data breach ever occurs
No system is 100% secure—anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. But we take reasonable precautions to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction.
Data Breach Notification
If we ever experience a data breach that's likely to result in serious harm to you, we'll notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as required by law. We'll tell you what happened, what information was affected, and what steps we're taking to address it.
How Long We Keep Your Information
We don't keep your data longer than necessary. Here's our general approach:
When we delete your information, we do so securely and completely. We don't just hide it—we actually remove it from our systems.
Cookies and Tracking
Our website uses cookies—small text files stored on your device that help the site function properly. Most are essential (like remembering that you're logged in), while others help us understand how people use the site.
Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential cookies: These make the website work. Without them, you can't log in or access your courses.
- Analytics cookies: These help us see which pages people visit and how they navigate the site. We use this to improve the user experience.
- Preference cookies: These remember your settings and choices so you don't have to re-enter them each time.
You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but that might break some functionality on the site. Most browsers let you block third-party cookies while still allowing first-party ones, which is a good middle ground.
Third-Party Links
Sometimes our website includes links to other sites—resources we think might be helpful, partner organizations, or external tools. We're not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. When you click through to another website, their privacy policy applies, not ours.
We try to link only to reputable sources, but we can't control what they do with your information once you leave our site.
Children's Privacy
Our courses are designed for working professionals and aren't intended for anyone under 18. We don't knowingly collect information from minors. If we discover we've accidentally collected data from someone under 18, we'll delete it immediately.
International Data Transfers
We're based in Australia, and we store most of your data on servers located here. Occasionally, some service providers we use might process data outside Australia. When that happens, we make sure they provide adequate protection for your information—either through recognized international agreements or contractual safeguards.
If you're accessing our services from outside Australia, your information will be transferred here and handled according to Australian privacy laws.
Changes to This Policy
We update this privacy policy from time to time as our practices evolve or laws change. When we make significant changes, we'll notify you by email or through a prominent notice on our website.
The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page shows when we last made changes. We encourage you to review this policy periodically, especially before providing us with new information.
Complaints and Concerns
If you're concerned about how we've handled your personal information, please contact us first. We'll investigate and try to resolve the issue promptly.
If you're not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). They're an independent body that investigates privacy complaints.
- OAIC website: www.oaic.gov.au
- Phone: 1300 363 992
- Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au
Questions About This Policy?
If anything here is unclear or you have questions about how we handle your information, we're happy to explain further.