PRIVACY POLICY

Hands On Electrical Group ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at handsonelec.com.au or contact us to arrange electrical services.

This policy is prepared in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in Schedule 1 of that Act. By using our website or engaging our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. What Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you submit an enquiry form, make a booking, call or text us, or otherwise contact us. The types of personal information we may collect include:

• Identity information: your full name
• Contact information: phone number, email address, and residential or service address
• Service information: the nature of the electrical work requested, preferred appointment times, and any relevant details about your property
• Communication records: records of correspondence between you and us, including SMS, email, and phone call notes
• Technical data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on our website (collected automatically via analytics tools)

We do not collect sensitive information (such as health, financial, or government identifier information) unless it is directly relevant to providing our services and you have consented to its collection.

2. How We Collect Your Information

We collect personal information in the following ways:

• Directly from you — when you complete an enquiry or booking form on our website, call or text us, or send us an email
• Through our booking system — via ServiceM8, our job management platform, when you book a service appointment
• Through our CRM — via Go High Level (GHL), our customer relationship management platform, which processes form submissions from our website
• Automatically — through cookies and analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) when you browse our website

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

• To respond to your enquiries and provide quotes for electrical work
• To schedule, manage, and complete service appointments
• To send you booking confirmations, appointment reminders, and follow-up communications
• To process payments and issue invoices
• To improve our website, services, and customer experience
• To comply with our legal obligations, including those under the Electricity Safety Act 1998 (Vic) and related regulations
• To send you promotional communications about our services — only where you have consented or where permitted by law. You may opt out at any time.

We will not use your personal information for any purpose other than those listed above without your consent, unless required or authorised by law.

4. Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business, including:

• ServiceM8 — our job scheduling and management platform (data stored in Australia/USA)
• Go High Level (GHL) — our CRM and marketing automation platform (data stored in USA)
• Google — for analytics, maps, and advertising services
• Stripe or other payment processors — for secure payment processing, if applicable

Where we disclose your personal information to overseas recipients (such as US-based cloud platforms), we take reasonable steps to ensure those recipients handle your information in a manner consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles. By using our services, you consent to this disclosure.

We may also disclose your information where required by law, court order, or government authority.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience and analyse website traffic. Cookies are small data files stored on your device. We use:

• Essential cookies — required for the website to function correctly
• Analytics cookies — to understand how visitors interact with our site (e.g. Google Analytics)
• Marketing cookies — to measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns (e.g. Google Ads, Meta Pixel)

You can control cookie settings through your browser. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. These steps include using secure HTTPS connections on our website, restricting access to personal information to authorised personnel only, and using reputable third-party platforms with their own security certifications.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law. Job records may be retained for a minimum of 7 years to comply with tax and electrical safety record-keeping obligations under Victorian law. When personal information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it.

8. Your Rights — Access and Correction

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of any inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, or misleading personal information
• Opt out of receiving marketing communications at any time
• Make a complaint if you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 10. We will respond to your request within a reasonable time (generally within 30 days). We will not charge you for making an access or correction request, though we may charge a reasonable fee for providing access if the request is complex or time-consuming.

9. Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or this Privacy Policy, you may lodge a complaint with us directly. We will investigate your complaint and respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact us:

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.