Privacy policy
The short version
- We only collect what we need to answer messages, take bookings and reply to you.
- We don't sell your information, and we don't use it for advertising.
- This website uses no cookies, analytics or tracking.
- You can ask us what we hold about you, and ask us to correct or delete it, at hello@hillo.co.za.
Who we are
Hillo is a design studio and the maker of Hillo Receptionist, a WhatsApp assistant for small businesses. Hillo is run by Kevin Irwin in George, Western Cape, South Africa. For the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Kevin Irwin is the responsible party and Information Officer.
Contact: hello@hillo.co.za
What this policy covers
- This website, hillo.co.za, including the Hillo Receptionist page.
- Hillo Receptionist, when it answers WhatsApp messages on behalf of a business that uses it.
When you use this website
The demo request form
If you fill in the form, we collect your name, business name, phone or WhatsApp number, and anything you write about your business. We use it only to contact you about a demo. The form is processed by Formspree, which emails it to us.
WhatsApp buttons
The WhatsApp buttons open a chat with us in WhatsApp. Anything you send there is handled by WhatsApp (Meta) under its own privacy policy, and we use it only to reply to you.
Behind the scenes
The site is hosted by Cloudflare, and its fonts load from Google Fonts. Like any web service, they receive your IP address and basic browser details when a page loads. We don't use cookies, analytics or advertising trackers.
When you message a business that uses Hillo Receptionist
Some businesses use Hillo Receptionist to answer their WhatsApp. It tells you in its first reply that it's an automated assistant. When you message one of these businesses, we handle your information on the business's behalf. Under POPIA, the business is the responsible party and Hillo is its operator.
What we collect
- Your WhatsApp number and profile name.
- The messages you send and the replies.
- Details you give for a booking, such as your name, address, the service you need and the time you choose.
What we use it for
- To understand your message and reply.
- To check the business's availability and book you into its calendar.
- To let the business owner know when you need them personally.
We don't use it for marketing, and we don't sell it.
Who helps us do this
- WhatsApp (Meta) carries the messages.
- An AI service provider reads each message to write the reply. It processes the text only to produce that reply.
- Google Calendar holds the business's bookings.
- Automation and hosting providers run the assistant and store the conversation while it's needed.
Some of these providers process information outside South Africa, including in the United States and Europe. We only use providers that protect personal information to a standard comparable to POPIA.
How long we keep it
We keep conversation history only for as long as it's needed to handle your enquiry and booking. Bookings stay in the business's own calendar, under that business's control. When a business stops using Hillo Receptionist, we delete its customers' conversation history.
Keeping it safe
We limit access to people who need it to run the service, use providers with strong security, and never put access keys or personal information in public code.
Your rights
Under POPIA you can ask what personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct or delete it, and object to how we use it. Email hello@hillo.co.za. If you contacted a business through Hillo Receptionist, you can also ask that business directly.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, you can complain to the Information Regulator.
Children
Our services are for businesses and their customers. We don't knowingly collect information from children.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we'll update it here and change the date at the top.