Privacy Policy

1. WHO WE ARE

Assist Telecommunications provides AI-powered and human-supported communication solutions designed for the payments industry. Our services assist payment service providers, acquirers, independent sales organisations (ISOs), independent software vendors (ISVs), payment facilitators (PayFacs), merchants, and other businesses by enabling transaction enquiry handling, merchant servicing, customer communications, workflow automation, reporting, and operational support.

For the purposes of applicable data protection laws, Assist Telecommunications may act either as a data controller or a data processor, depending on the circumstances in which personal data is processed.

Our contact details are:

Assist Telecommunications
Office 167-169 Great Portland Street
5th Floor
London
England
W1W 5PF

Email: legal@assist-telecom.com

2. OUR ROLE AS DATA CONTROLLER AND DATA PROCESSOR

The role we perform depends on the nature of the processing activity.

Where we process personal data relating to our own business activities, including operating our website, managing customer accounts, responding to enquiries, conducting demonstrations, administering contracts, managing recruitment activities, marketing our services, or maintaining business relationships, Assist Telecommunications generally acts as the data controller.

Where we process personal data solely on behalf of our customers in connection with the delivery of our services, including merchant support, transaction enquiry handling, customer communications, AI-powered interactions, call handling, messaging services, reporting, and workflow management, Assist Telecommunications generally acts as a data processor and processes personal data only in accordance with our customers' documented instructions.

Where we act solely as a processor, the relevant customer remains responsible for determining the lawful basis for processing and for complying with applicable transparency obligations.

3. SCOPE OF THIS PRIVACY POLICY

This Privacy Policy applies to:

• visitors to our website;
• individuals who contact us by email, telephone, messaging platforms, or website forms;
• prospective and existing customers;
• representatives, employees, contractors, and authorised users of our business customers;
• job applicants;
• merchants, cardholders, and other individuals whose personal data may be processed through our services on behalf of our customers; and
• any individual whose personal data we otherwise process in connection with our business operations.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites, platforms, applications, or services that are not operated or controlled by Assist Telecommunications.

4. WHAT PERSONAL DATA WE COLLECT

The categories of personal data we may collect vary depending upon how you interact with us and the services being provided.

1. We may collect identity information such as names, job titles, employer details, and professional affiliations.
2. We may collect contact information including business addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, and other communication details.
3. We may collect account information, including usernames, authentication credentials, access permissions, and account preferences.
4. We may collect technical information such as IP addresses, browser types, operating systems, device identifiers, access timestamps, referral URLs, diagnostic data, and information regarding how our website and services are used.
5. We may collect communications information, including correspondence, support requests, enquiries, complaints, survey responses, feedback submissions, messages, call recordings, call transcripts, interaction notes, chat logs, and related metadata.
6. Where our services are used by our customers, we may process transaction-support information and customer communication data supplied by those customers, including merchant identifiers, masked transaction references, contact details, interaction histories, settlement-related information, chargeback-related information, dispute information, servicing requests, and operational records necessary to deliver the services.
7. We may collect recruitment information, including curriculum vitae, employment histories, qualifications, references, and information voluntarily provided during recruitment processes.

We do not intentionally collect or retain full payment card details through our services.

5. PAYMENT CARD INFORMATION

Assist Telecommunications is designed to minimise the processing of payment card information.

Our systems are not intended to collect, store, retain, or process full Primary Account Numbers (PANs), CVV or CVC codes, PINs, or other sensitive authentication data.

Where transaction information is processed through our services, payment card details may be masked, truncated, tokenised, or otherwise redacted. Any payment processing activities remain the responsibility of regulated third-party payment providers and financial institutions.

Customers remain responsible for maintaining their own PCI DSS compliance obligations.

6. HOW WE COLLECT PERSONAL DATA

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

• visit our website;
• complete forms;
• contact us by telephone, email, or messaging platforms;
• request demonstrations;
• enter into agreements with us;
• subscribe to communications;
• participate in surveys;
• apply for employment opportunities;
• interact with our support teams.

We may also receive personal data from our customers, business partners, publicly available sources, professional advisers, recruitment providers, service providers, analytics providers, and third-party systems integrated into our services.

7. HOW WE USE PERSONAL DATA

We process personal data only where there is a lawful basis to do so and only for legitimate purposes connected with our operations and the delivery of our services.

These purposes may include administering our website and services, responding to enquiries, managing customer relationships, providing demonstrations, negotiating and performing contracts, processing payments and invoices, managing accounts, authenticating users, delivering customer support, recruiting personnel, improving our products and services, conducting analytics, maintaining security, preventing fraud, investigating incidents, complying with legal obligations, enforcing contractual rights, defending legal claims, and protecting our legitimate business interests.

Where our services are provided on behalf of customers, personal data may be processed to facilitate merchant support activities, transaction-related enquiries, customer communications, dispute management support, reporting, workflow automation, escalation processes, quality assurance activities, and related operational functions in accordance with customer instructions.

We do not sell personal data for monetary consideration.

8. LEGAL BASES FOR PROCESSING

Where required by applicable law, we rely upon one or more of the following legal bases:

• consent;
• performance of a contract;
• compliance with legal obligations;
• protection of vital interests;
• legitimate interests pursued by Assist Telecommunications or third parties; and
• any other lawful basis recognised under applicable law.

Where we act solely as a processor, the relevant customer is responsible for identifying the lawful basis upon which personal data is processed.

9. CALL RECORDING, AI ANALYSIS, AND MONITORING

Communications processed through our services may be recorded, transcribed, monitored, analysed, summarised, reviewed, categorised, or otherwise processed using artificial intelligence technologies, automated systems, and human personnel.

Such processing may occur for purposes including service delivery, customer support, quality assurance, training, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, security monitoring, compliance obligations, reporting, operational improvement, and product development.

Where required by applicable law, responsibility for obtaining any necessary notices or consents rests with the relevant customer using the services.

Although we implement safeguards and quality controls, AI-generated outputs may occasionally contain inaccuracies, omissions, or limitations. Human oversight may be required in appropriate circumstances.

10. DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL DATA

We may disclose personal data to trusted third parties where reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Recipients may include:

• our affiliates and group companies;
• cloud hosting providers;
• telecommunications providers;
• technology vendors;
• software providers;
• professional advisers;
• auditors;
• insurers;
• recruitment providers;
• analytics providers;
• security providers;
• regulatory authorities;
• law enforcement agencies;
• courts and tribunals;
• payment industry participants; and
• other service providers engaged to support our operations.

All third parties are required to process personal data in accordance with applicable laws and appropriate contractual safeguards.

We do not sell, rent, or trade personal data to third parties for their independent marketing purposes.

11. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

Assist Telecommunications operates internationally and may transfer personal data to countries outside the jurisdiction in which it was originally collected.

Where international transfers occur, we take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are implemented to protect personal data and maintain compliance with applicable privacy laws.

Such safeguards may include reliance upon adequacy decisions, Standard Contractual Clauses, International Data Transfer Agreements, Binding Corporate Rules, contractual protections, technical safeguards, organisational controls, and other lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under applicable legislation.

Where practicable, we seek to minimise international transfers and process personal data within the region in which it was collected.

12. INFORMATION SECURITY

We maintain administrative, technical, and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, misuse, or access.

These measures may include encryption technologies, access controls, authentication procedures, role-based permissions, security monitoring, vulnerability assessments, logging, incident response processes, business continuity measures, staff training, and periodic reviews of our security practices.

While we strive to use commercially reasonable safeguards, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is entirely secure. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

13. DATA RETENTION

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with legal obligations, to resolve disputes, to enforce agreements, or to protect our legitimate interests.

Retention periods vary depending upon the nature of the information and the context in which it was collected.

General business correspondence and enquiries may be retained for up to twelve months following the last interaction.

Recruitment records may be retained for up to twelve months unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Business records, contractual documentation, financial records, and compliance records may be retained for periods of six to seven years or longer where required by law.

Call recordings, transcripts, interaction histories, communication logs, reporting records, and transaction-support information may be retained in accordance with contractual arrangements, customer instructions, dispute resolution requirements, fraud prevention obligations, legal requirements, and legitimate business needs.

At the expiry of applicable retention periods, personal data will be securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in accordance with our internal procedures.

14. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS

Depending upon your jurisdiction and the circumstances of processing, you may have rights in relation to your personal data.

These rights may include the right to request access to your personal data, request correction of inaccurate information, request deletion of personal data, restrict or object to certain processing activities, request portability of personal data, withdraw consent where consent has been relied upon, and lodge complaints with relevant supervisory authorities.

Where Assist Telecommunications acts solely as a data processor on behalf of a customer, requests relating to the exercise of privacy rights should ordinarily be directed to the relevant customer. We may assist our customers in responding to such requests where appropriate.

We may request information necessary to verify your identity before responding to any request.

15. COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to support functionality, maintain security, analyse website usage, remember preferences, and improve user experience.

Further information regarding our use of cookies is set out in our Cookie Policy.

You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings, although disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

16. THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES

Our website and services may contain links to websites, applications, or resources operated by third parties.

We do not control and are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, security, or operations of third-party services.

We encourage individuals to review the privacy policies of any third-party services before providing personal information.

17. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

Our services are designed for business users and are not directed towards children.

We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from individuals under the age of 13, or the applicable age of digital consent in the relevant jurisdiction, without appropriate legal authorisation.

If we become aware that personal information relating to a child has been collected without appropriate authority, we will take reasonable steps to delete such information promptly.

18. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business operations, legal obligations, technologies, or industry practices.

Any updates will be published on our website together with the revised effective date.

Where required by applicable law, we will provide additional notice of material changes.

19. CONTACT US

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns regarding our handling of personal data, please contact us using the details below:

Email: legal@assist-telecom.com

Address: Office 167-169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London England W1W 5PF.

If you remain dissatisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority responsible for data protection in your jurisdiction.