Section 1 | Authorising Contact

Scheduling

All consulting work is performed strictly within the scheduled fractional slot selected during onboarding.
No work will be carried out outside the allocated slot, including evenings, weekends or public holidays, unless a new slot is formally booked in advance.
Requests received between scheduled sessions will be reviewed only when the next scheduled slot begins.
Clients are encouraged to submit requests any time, however they will not be actioned until the next scheduled session.

 

The contacts added below will be sent an on-boarding form for their team to confirm access rights for:

• opening tickets
• assigning work
• approving changes
• setting priorities
• escalating issues 

The below section is included for any company-wide access or priority requirements that you would like us to be aware of.

The Ao Collaboration Support Portal allows you to add additional fields that are relevent to your company or teams.  Add below any additional information you would like reportable or searchable within the portal's tickets.

 

Communication Terms
Communication outside the scheduled slot is limited to simple confirmations only. This includes:

• Confirming receipt of an email or request
• Confirming the date of the next scheduled slot

Detailed replies, discussions, analysis or decision making will take place exclusively during the scheduled time.

Escalations must follow the priority rules set in the onboarding section and will be addressed only during the booked slot.

The consultant will not engage in back and forth conversations outside scheduled hours for any reason other than confirming receipt.

 

All engagements need access to some of your internal systems.  The most common access requirements are outlined below. Please note which access logins you will be organising.

Our preference is for all logins to be an individual user strictly for our use.  This gives both yourself, and us the knowledge and traceability when it comes to the security of your systems.

However, we are aware that this has a cost and acknowledge it is not always financially viable to do this.  For all shared logins, we use Bitwarden, the password management system.  We endeavour to record, as best we can, any access into your systems via our own online tracking systems.  This data is usually held for three months.

Note: Ensure this access is organised and sent to us before {startDate} [your nominated start date].

Our standard data handling policies ensure that only the relevant Ao Collaboration staff are able to view, edit or update any data we hold from your company. Generally this is limited to your Fractional Consultant but may extend to our Security or IT teams when handling data transfers between devices.

Please outline below any data handling rules that you would expect us to be following when it comes to your data.

We strive for high standards with our engagements and our work completed in collaboration with our clients.  To ensure that we are meeting and exceeding our clients expectations we wish to understand your success criteria and expectations.

The below is optional, but highly appreciated.

1. Scope of Work

The consultant provides fractional consulting services as agreed. Specific tasks are defined through documented requests or statements of work.

2. Strict Scheduling

1. All work is performed only within the scheduled slot selected during onboarding.
2. No work is performed outside the scheduled slot, including evenings, weekends or public holidays.
3. Requests received between sessions will be reviewed and actioned at the beginning of the next scheduled slot.
4. Additional work requires booking additional slots.

 

3. Communication Restrictions

1. Communication outside scheduled sessions is limited to quick confirmations only.
   Examples
2. Confirming receipt of an email or request
3. Confirming the date of the next scheduled slot
4. No detailed replies, analysis, decisions or discussions will occur outside the scheduled slot.
5. Client acknowledges that this is a strict structure designed to ensure predictable delivery and boundaries.

 

4. Fees and Payment

The Fractional Consulting Fees are divided into two categories, Half-Day or Daily Rates.

Invoices are automated on {invoicingFrequency} basis [based on the selected invoicing frequency]. Payment is due by the 20th of each month.

Late payment may result in paused or cancellation of our services.

Additional booked slots are billed upon agreement.

5. Ticketing and Requests

Work must be submitted through the agreed systems and will be prioritised base on the onboarding selections..

Incomplete or unclear tickets may be returned for clarification or escalation.  Work not within the agreed system will not be worked on.

6. Confidentiality

Both parties will keep all non public information confidential, and will abide by any agreed upon NDAs or Privacy Policies. This obligation continues after termination or as noted by the NDA or policies.

7. Intellectual Property

Work products created during the engagement become the property of the client once full payment is made unless otherwise agreed or hosted by the consultant.

8. Termination

Either party may terminate with two weeks written notice. Outstanding work on in progress tickets must be completed and invoices including the notice period must be paid.

9. Limitation of Liability

Liability is limited to the total amount of fees paid in the preceding two months. Recommendations and guidance are provided in good faith without guarantee of outcome.

10. Changes to Scope

Any change to scope, schedule or output must be approved by an authorised contact. Additional booked slots may be required and will require higher approval to be charged.

11. Client Cooperation

Client will provide timely access to information, staff and systems needed to perform the engagement.

12. Updates to Terms and Conditions

The consultant may update or amend these terms when necessary to maintain service clarity and operational alignment. Any changes will be provided to the client in writing. Updated terms will apply from the effective date stated in the notice. Continued engagement after notification confirms the client’s acceptance of the revised terms.

12. Governing Law

The engagement is governed by the laws of New Zealand.

Engagement Reminder

This is a structured engagement.

Clients agree that all work, replies, decisions and discussions happen within the scheduled slot to ensure predictable service delivery and fair allocation of time. Any need for additional time requires booking additional slots.