Terms of Service

1. Company Details

Bluenode Technologies (Pty) Ltd is the registered business entity.

All services are provided under the trading name Bluenode.

2. Scope of Services

Bluenode provides:

• Website development
• Web hosting (resold infrastructure)
• Business email hosting and setup
• Optional maintenance services

Services are designed for small businesses and personal websites.

3. Engagement and Onboarding

Work only begins once:

• The onboarding checklist is completed
• Required content and access details are provided
• Payment has been received (per payment terms below)

Delays caused by missing information are excluded from delivery timelines.

4. Website Development and Delivery

• Standard delivery timeline is up to 14 business days after onboarding completion and receipt of all required content
• Clients must provide all content within 7 business days of project start
• Timelines are estimates, not guarantees
• Client feedback delays extend timelines automatically

5. Revisions

• A limited number of revision rounds are included per package (typically 3)
• Revisions are limited to: text edits, layout adjustments, minor design changes
• Revisions beyond scope or allowance are billed separately
• Major changes after approval are considered new work and billed accordingly

Out of scope (additional fees apply):

• Additional pages
• New features or functionality
• Integrations or plugins beyond agreed scope
• Design changes beyond agreed layout

6. Payments and Billing

Website Development Projects:

• 50% deposit required before work begins
• 50% final payment due before site launch/handover
• No launch or file handover before final payment is received
• Payment accepted via EFT (banking details provided with quote)

Hosting and Email Services:

• Billed monthly or annually in advance
• Payment via EFT (banking details provided with invoice)
• 5-day grace period for late payments
• Service suspension may occur after grace period

Setup Fees:

• All setup fees are non-refundable once work has commenced

Late Payments:

• Late payments may delay project delivery or service continuation
• Bluenode reserves the right to suspend services for non-payment

7. Hosting and Infrastructure

• Hosting is provided via third-party infrastructure (Truehost.co.za reseller partnership)
• Uptime, performance, and availability are not guaranteed
• Fair usage policies apply
• Backups are provided on a best-effort basis
• Resources subject to fair usage policies
• Hosting may be suspended for abuse or non-payment

Bluenode is not responsible for data loss, downtime, or third-party outages.

8. Third-Party Services

Disclaimer:

• Hosting, email, domain, and certain other services are provided via third-party providers
• Bluenode acts as a reseller or intermediary for these services
• Bluenode is not liable for outages, data loss, service interruptions, or failures caused by third-party platforms
• Support will be provided on a best-effort basis to liaise with providers
• Third-party services are subject to their own terms and conditions
• Bluenode cannot guarantee uptime, performance, or availability of third-party services

9. Email Services

• Email hosting may be provided via cPanel or third-party platforms
• Setup includes mailbox creation and basic configuration only
• Email delivery depends on external systems and providers
• Spam filtering and delivery decisions are handled by email providers

Bluenode is not responsible for spam filtering decisions, delivery failures, or email service interruptions.

10. DNS and Domain Management

• Domains are registered in the client's name
• DNS access may be required to perform certain services
• DNS management is an optional add-on service

Important: Some services require access to domain DNS settings to complete setup (hosting, email, SSL certificates). Where domains are managed externally, clients must provide DNS access credentials or specifically request DNS management as a paid add-on service.

Bluenode is not responsible for delays caused by DNS access issues or external DNS management restrictions. If access is not provided, Bluenode is not responsible for delays or service failures.

11. Support and Availability

• Support is provided on a best-effort basis during evenings and weekends
• Target response time is within 24 business hours during evenings and weekends. Response times are not guaranteed but Bluenode aims to respond within this window.
• Emergency or 24/7 support is not provided

Bluenode operates part-time alongside other commitments. Support is scheduled, not immediate.

12. Maintenance Services Scope

Maintenance services are optional and not included in website build pricing unless explicitly stated in writing.

Where maintenance services are purchased:

Maintenance includes:

• Content updates (text, images, basic changes)
• Security patches and plugin updates
• Backup monitoring and restore
• Performance monitoring
• Priority email support (24-hour response)

Maintenance does NOT include:

• New pages or page redesigns
• Feature development or custom functionality
• Significant structural changes
• Content creation (only updates to existing content)
• Emergency support

Service terms:

• Updates are completed within 48 business hours
• Updates are scheduled work, not emergency support
• Major changes beyond standard maintenance are billed separately at hourly rates

13. Client Content Responsibility

Client is responsible for:

• Legality, accuracy, and ownership of all content provided (text, images, logos, etc.)
• Ensuring all content is licensed, owned, or permitted for use
• Copyright compliance for all provided materials

Bluenode is not liable for:

• Copyright infringement caused by client-provided content
• Legal issues arising from client content
• Inaccurate, misleading, or illegal content provided by client
• Third-party claims related to client content

Clients must obtain proper licenses, permissions, and rights for all content before providing it to Bluenode.

14. Ownership and Usage Rights

• The client owns all content provided to Bluenode
• Website ownership (code, design, files) transfers to client after full payment
• Upon final payment, all source files are transferred to the client
• Client may modify, sell, or transfer website freely after full ownership transfer

15. Portfolio Usage

Bluenode may showcase completed work in its portfolio unless otherwise agreed in writing.

This includes:

• Screenshots of completed websites
• Project descriptions
• Case studies
• Marketing materials

Clients may request exclusion from portfolio by providing written notice. Bluenode will honor such requests.

16. Limitation of Liability

Bluenode is not liable for:

• Loss of data or business interruption
• Indirect or consequential damages
• Third-party service failures or outages
• Losses resulting from client-provided content
• Security breaches of third-party services
• Downtime or performance issues beyond Bluenode's control

Maximum liability: In all cases, Bluenode's total liability is limited to the amount paid by the client for the specific service in question.

17. Termination

By Client:

• May terminate project before work begins (full refund)
• Once work begins, deposit is non-refundable
• May cancel maintenance services with 30 days notice

By Bluenode:

• May terminate services for non-payment
• May terminate for abuse of services
• May terminate for breach of these terms
• Will provide reasonable notice where possible

18. Amendments

Terms may be updated at any time. Clients will be notified of material changes via email.

Continued use of services after changes implies acceptance of updated terms.

Privacy Policy

For information on how we handle your personal data, see our Privacy Policy.

Questions About Our Terms?

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, contact us at info@bluenode.co.za.