Schmooze Policies

Our policies are aimed to be as clear as possible with a view to avoid any misunderstandings. They are designed to respect our members privacy and to ensure their safety, as well as define our responsibilities to you as members and guests.

If you have any questions about these policies please do not hesitate to contact us.

 Policies Updated 20 June 2010

Liability

• Whilst Schmooze takes every effort to ensure a safe environment for our members and guests, we do accept any liability for injury or loss of members or guests at those events. However, we will exercise a reasonable a duty of care to ensure the safety and well-being of its members and guests at our hosted events.
• Schmooze does not accept liability for the actions, services or advice of its members or their guests at our hosted events. 
• Schmooze does not accept liability for the services or products provides by its members, including those in the Referral Program and inclusion in that program, or on our website or enews should not be considered an endorsement by Schmooze.
• Schmooze encourages responsible consumption of alchohol, and will also not serve alcoholic beverages to those under 18.

Acceptance or Cancellation of Membership

• Schmooze reserves the right to not accept an application for membership, or cancel an existing membership on grounds of inappropriate behaviour- see below.
• We regret we do do not accept applications for membership from active members of BNI and Schmooze members cannot be a member of both organisations- sorry.
• From time to time we decline membership applications to ensure we don't have too many of a particular profession. If this is the case we'll put the application on a wait list until a place becomes available.

Code of Behaviour

Any of the following may result in instant removal from our mailing list and cancellation of your membership without a refund, following an opportunity for a member to explain themselves.

• Behaviour at a Schmooze event that can be reasonably perceived to be harassment
• If we feel that the culture fit of an individual isn't appropriate to the atmosphere we aim to create at Schmooze 
• Serious misbehaviour, eg fraud, criminal behaviour in general
• Sending unsolicited commercial emails to members, eg Spamming (if you want to inform members of commercial opportunity, please contact Phillip)
• If Phillip or event coordinators receive complaints of a participant's behaviour from several Schmooze participants on multiple occasions.

Membership Renewals and Duration

• Memberships are either for six or 12 months
• Memberships expire on the 15th of the month
• Members are notified on the 1st of the month their memberships are due to expire.
• Once memberships have expired, their log-in access to the Members Lounge is deactivated.

Eligibility to attend Events

• You must be a member, guest of one, or a pay for a casual ticket to attend our events
• Some activities are members-only such as our Interest Groups
• You must be over 18 to attend Schmooze events
• We regret that we cannot accept members of BNI as guests to our events
• We reserve the right to refuse entry to an event in the interests of the safey and comfort of our members and guests

Pausing of Membership

• Members can suspend your membership for up to two months without penalty. Just contact Schmooze with your dates before you wish to suspend your membership.

Transfer of Memberships

• Professional and Young Professional Memberships are the property of the organisation who paid for it, so if a staff member leaves for another organisation and their membership stays with the organisation, they cannot take it with them.
• Memberships can be transferred on a pro rata basis to another individual from the same organisation. So if a member leaves the company their membership can be transferred to their replacement or another staff member. To arrange a transfer- please contact Schmooze.
• Members who change jobs, cannot transfer their membership if it was paid for by their employer. The membership is the property of the person/company who paid for it.
• Social members can transfer their membership to a friends/colleague on a pro rata basis on request.

 Sourcing of Venues, Products and Services

• Schmooze only uses members to sources it operational and business requirements to the fullest extent possible
• We also aim to be as sustainable in our activities as much as possible

Refunds

• If you are unsatisfied with your Schmooze membership within 45 days of your confirmation email sent when you pay for your membership, you can receive a pro-rata refund.
• If you pay for an event in advance, then don't show (up (without contacting us prior to 24 hours of the event starting) you are not eligibile for a refund.
• If you pay for an event in advance, and can't come, but tell us in advance - we will provide a credit for a future event, but not a refund.
• Refunds are not provided due to a change of circumstances or relocation. You may, however, transfer your membership to another person in your organisation (if a Professional/Young Professional membership) or to a friend/colleague if a Social member.

Information Collected

• Schmooze will not make an attempt to identify users or their browsing activities. However, in the unlikely event of an investigation, a law enforcement agency or other government agency may exercise its legal authority to inspect our server logs.
  Use of information collected
• Schmooze will only record your e-mail address if you send us a message or apply for membership/registration. Your e-mail address will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided it and it will not be provided to a mailing list, third party or sponsor or used for any other purpose without your consent.
• Schmooze does not provide facilities for the secure transmission of information across the Internet with the exception of the PayPal system, so please don't send emails containing credit card numbers.
• A month after a membership expires, their profile on the Members Profile database is deleted.

No-Show Policy

• Members who have RSVP’d for an event and do not attend will forfeit one Guest Pass in consideration of the catering and staffing arrangements put in place.
• People who request a Guest Pass to try Schmooze, and then don't show without notification, are not eligible to request other Guest places.

Payment terms

• Schmooze accepts cash, EFT, cheque and PayPal (Visa and MasterCard)  for membership and event fees.
• AMEX is also accepted, please call us to arrange payment over the phone
• Membership payment in instalments is also possible upon request- three payments via EFT only over 12 months.
• Terms of payment is 7 working days. 
• Memberships commence once the membership fees are paid.
• Failure to pay for an event will result in refusal in accepting RSVPs for future events until the account is settled.

Spamming

• Using member emails collected via Schmooze for spamming is strictly forbidden and will result in forfeiture of membership. This includes data in the Member Profile database.
• If you have a commercial proposition for the members you can send the information via Schmooze for inclusion in the e-news and website.
• Members can add commercial offers to the website via the events calendar or notice board in the Members Lounge.

Responsible Consumption of Alcohol

• Schmooze encourages members and guests to drink alcohol responsibly at our events

Privacy

• Information collected on this website is strictly for the purposes of managing your membership. Details such as addresses will not be shared with third parties unless you agree first.