Privacy Policy

At Kudzu, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our customer feedback and loyalty platform. By using Kudzu, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information to provide and improve our services:

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Service Provision: To provide, operate, and maintain the Kudzu platform, including customer feedback collection and rating management.
• Feedback Collection: To facilitate the collection and aggregation of customer ratings and feedback on behalf of businesses.
• Loyalty Programs: To enable and manage loyalty programs, promotional campaigns, and customer rewards.
• Communications: To send promotional SMS messages and marketing communications only with explicit customer consent obtained through our rating system.
• Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, improve our features, and enhance user experience.
• Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, and security threats.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.

3. How We Share Your Information

We share your information in the following circumstances:

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS protocols
• Secure data storage with encrypted databases
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Employee training on data protection and privacy best practices

We retain your information only as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Customer ratings and feedback are retained to maintain historical business insights, but personal identifiers may be anonymized after a reasonable period.

In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and relevant authorities as required by applicable law.

5. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• 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 (right to be forgotten), subject to legal obligations.
• Opt-Out: Opt out of promotional communications by replying "STOP" to SMS messages or clicking unsubscribe links in emails.
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection: Object to processing of your personal information for specific purposes.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this policy. We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by applicable law.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on Kudzu. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Analyze platform usage and performance
• Provide personalized content and recommendations
• Measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of Kudzu. We use both session cookies (which expire when you close your browser) and persistent cookies (which remain until deleted or expired).

7. Third-Party Services

Kudzu integrates with various third-party services to enhance functionality:

• Review Platforms: We may help automate the submission of reviews to platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook.
• POS Systems: We integrate with point-of-sale systems like Clover to streamline feedback collection.
• Analytics Providers: We use analytics services to understand platform usage and improve our offerings.
• Communication Services: We use SMS and email service providers to facilitate customer communications.

These third-party services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review their policies to understand how they handle your information. Kudzu is not responsible for the privacy practices of these external services.

8. Children's Privacy

Kudzu is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. If we discover that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your jurisdiction. When we transfer your information internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws.

By using Kudzu, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your country of residence, including the United States, where our servers are located.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
• Notify you via email or through a prominent notice on our platform for significant changes
• Provide you with an opportunity to review the updated policy before continued use

Your continued use of Kudzu after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.