Privacy Policy

Introduction

CIE Marketing – Creative & Innovative Experience ("CIE Marketing", "we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and your rights in relation to it. It applies to our website, our services and any digital channel through which you interact with us — including contact forms, email, WhatsApp, Instagram and other social platforms.

By using our website or engaging our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

What Information We Collect

We may collect the following personal information:

Information you provide directly:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Business name and industry
• Any information submitted through contact, inquiry or booking forms
• Messages sent via email, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, Facebook Messenger or other digital channels

Information collected automatically:

• IP address, browser type and device information
• Pages visited, time spent on site and referring URLs
• Interaction data collected via cookies and tracking technologies
• Advertising identifiers used for remarketing purposes

Information collected through our AI tools:

• Conversation data processed by our SellFlow AI bot, including messages, responses and lead qualification inputs submitted via Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger

We only collect information that is reasonably necessary for our business functions.

How We Collect Information

We collect personal data through:

• Contact, inquiry and booking forms on our website
• Direct communication via email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger or phone
• Cookies, pixels and similar tracking technologies on our website
• Analytics and advertising platforms (Google Analytics, Meta Pixel and others)
• Our AI-powered lead response system (SellFlow), which captures and processes messages sent to our clients' social media accounts and messaging channels as part of service delivery

Why We Collect Your Information

Your information is used for the following purposes:

• Responding to inquiries and providing requested information
• Preparing proposals, quotations and service agreements
• Delivering our services (Web Design, Digital Advertising, Social Media Management, Branding)
• Managing ongoing client relationships and communications
• Improving our website, tools and service quality
• Conducting marketing, remarketing and advertising campaigns
• Complying with legal and administrative obligations
• Protecting the security and integrity of our systems

We will not use your information for any purpose that is incompatible with these purposes without first obtaining your consent.

AI-Powered Tools and Automated Processing

CIE Marketing deploys AI-powered tools — including the SellFlow bot — as part of service delivery for our clients. These tools may:

• Collect and process messages you send via Instagram, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger
• Generate automated responses on behalf of our clients
• Qualify leads and schedule appointments based on your inputs
• Store conversation data for reporting and optimisation purposes

Automated interactions are clearly initiated through AI systems, not human representatives. If you wish to speak with a person at any point, you may request this explicitly during an interaction.

Conversation data processed through SellFlow is handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy and is not sold or shared with third parties outside the scope of service delivery.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, analyse website performance and support advertising campaigns.

These may include technologies from:

• Google Analytics – website traffic and behaviour analysis
• Meta (Facebook) Pixel – advertising measurement and remarketing
• TikTok Pixel – advertising measurement on TikTok campaigns
• Google Ads – conversion tracking and remarketing

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

For full details on the cookies we use, please review our Cookie Policy.

Sharing of Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information.

Your information may be shared only with:

• Third-party service providers — advertising platforms (Meta, Google, TikTok), analytics providers, hosting providers, payment processors and software tools used to deliver our services. These providers access data only to the extent necessary to perform services on our behalf and are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Our clients — where you have interacted with a CIE Marketing service deployed on behalf of one of our clients (for example, the SellFlow bot), relevant conversation data may be shared with that client for lead management purposes.
• Legal or regulatory authorities — where required by law, court order or regulatory obligation.

We will not share your information for any other purpose without your explicit consent.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. In general:

• Client records are retained for a minimum of 7 years for legal and accounting purposes
• Inquiry and lead data is retained for up to 2 years from the date of last contact
• Website analytics data is subject to the retention settings of the respective platform (e.g. Google Analytics)
• AI conversation data is retained for as long as needed to deliver the relevant service and is deleted upon written request, subject to any legal obligations

Data Storage and Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

These measures include access controls, encrypted data transmission and regular security reviews.

However, no online system is entirely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and encourage you to take reasonable steps to protect any information you share with us online.

In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, CIE Marketing will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

International Data Transfers

Some of the third-party tools and platforms we use may store or process data outside Australia, including in the United States or the European Union. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure that overseas recipients handle your data in a manner consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your data may be transferred to and processed in other countries.

Your Rights

Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate, incomplete or outdated information
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention obligations
• Withdraw consent to receive marketing communications at any time
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au if you believe your privacy rights have been breached

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in Section 14. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and no later than 30 days from receipt of your request.

Marketing Communications

If you have provided your contact details through our website or a service interaction, we may send you relevant marketing communications. You may opt out at any time by:

• Clicking the unsubscribe link in any email
• Replying "STOP" to any SMS or WhatsApp message
• Contacting us directly at support@ciemarketing.com.au

We will process opt-out requests promptly and no later than 5 business days.

Children's Privacy

Our services are directed at businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18. If you believe a minor has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will remove it promptly.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised date. Continued use of our website or services following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact and Complaints

For questions, access requests, corrections or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal data:

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au.