LIMITATIONS, RELEASE AND INDEMNITY
Based upon the nature of client involvement and the required approvals throughout a project, The Client acknowledges that Aztek cannot and does not guarantee the success of a project, including but not limited to the number of persons accessing a website/application nor the results of such access. Furthermore, Aztek cannot and will not guarantee any "life expectancy" of said website/application, due to such circumstances outside of its control such as influences by third-party software (e.g. Microsoft or Adobe), hardware, Internet browsers and the like.
AZTEK SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, BREACH OF WARRANTY, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS, LOST PROFITS, REVENUE OR OPPORTUNITY, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, EXPENSES, COSTS OR LOSSES OF ANY NATURE OR KIND WHATSOEVER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF THE SERVICES PERFORMED HEREUNDER INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE AND/OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE. In no event shall Aztek's liability for any direct damages resulting from the failure of any services that were performed hereunder exceed the amount paid by The Client to Aztek hereunder.
AZTEK EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The Client hereby releases and discharges Aztek, its directors, officers, employees, representatives, agents, successors and assigns from and against any and all claims and demands of any nature or kind whatsoever arising out of the design, development or content of the application(s) and procedures proposed or agreed upon if an Agreement(s) executed by the parties hereto, with the exception being for any damages or loss caused by fraud, criminal activity, dishonesty, willful behavior or abuse of nonpublic secured data base information by Aztek, its directors, officers, employees, representatives, agents and successors and assigns. The Client furthermore agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Aztek and its directors, officers, employees, representatives, agents, successors and assigns from any and all claims, demands, cause or causes of action or losses of any nature whatsoever, including attorney fees, expenses and costs, arising out of the optimization and marketing procedures proposed herein, with the exception of any damages or loss caused by fraud, criminal activity, dishonesty, willful behavior, or abuse of nonpublic secured data base information by Aztek, its directors, officers, employees, representatives, agents and successors and assigns.
AUTHORIZATION
The Client agrees to allow Aztek to use the The Client project as part of Aztek's portfolio. This may include, but not be limited to, placement of the The Client project in Aztek's printed material, on Aztek's website or in marketing campaigns.
INVESTMENT & SCHEDULE
The Client, hereby acknowledges and agrees to the project or program investment or monthly fee structure and corresponding work schedule associated with said project or program, as it specifically relates to an Agreement, as outlined in an individual and/or specific Statement of Work (SOW) or Proposal-Agreement. Furthermore, The Client understands and acknowledges that the project or program investment is based upon an estimated amount of time and materials needed to complete and/or accomplish specific tasks associated with the project or program as specified in the SOW or Proposal-Agreement, and that any change(s) in scope or monthly service and/or requested/required changes in deliverables, may cause the project or program investment to be altered as an increase and/or decrease in total completion costs or monthly service fees. The project or program, and all work by Aztek, will be completed on the schedule as outlined within the SOW or Proposal-Agreement which is estimated as the necessary time needed to complete the tasks assigned to Aztek. Aztek shall assume no responsibility for delays caused by The Client and/or any natural cause affecting the general business market.
LATE PENALTY
All fees and financial obligations owed to Aztek for services provided, whether project or program, shall be paid by the Client in United States dollars within fourteen (14) calendar days of the date of the invoice (NET14 Payment Terms). Payment methods preferred are ACH or credit card. Any other form of payment must be approved by Aztek prior to the initiation of a project or program. If any invoice is thirty (30) calendar days or more overdue, in addition to any other rights and remedies (including but not limited to termination of the Client in accordance with the terms set forth herein), Aztek reserves the right to charge interest on the delinquent amount equal to two and one-half percent (2.5%) per month (calculated as thirty (30) calendar days from the original invoice date) on any outstanding balance or the maximum permitted by law and refer the matter for collection or legal action. In any referral for collection or legal action against the Client for monies due to Aztek, upon recovery by Aztek, the Client shall pay the expenses of collection and/or litigation, including a reasonable attorney/attorneys fee(s), plus an additional twenty percent (20%) interest per annum or the maximum permitted by law. In the event an invoice is ten (10) calendar days or more overdue, Aztek may (a) remove any project under development or monthly program in progress from the active schedule and place it “on-hold” (Pause Clause); and (b) may suspend any hosting services provided by Aztek. In the event Client remits to Aztek the total past due balance (including any interest owed thereon), Aztek may, in its sole discretion, re-launch any project under development or resume any program within the schedule at the first available opening, and resume any suspended hosting services, provided that Client pays any related reactivation fees as Aztek, in its sole discretion, shall assess.
TERMINATION
Unlike many agencies, Aztek does not believe in locking a client into a long-term agreement, nor do we believe in locking a client into any agreement without some guarantees for performance. That is why we provide the Aztek Professional Service Guarantee (aka Walkaway Guarantee). If at any time, you do not feel that Aztek is living up to the terms of the Agreement as promised, you may walk away from the relationship based on the following termination provision:
The Agreement between you and Aztek may be terminated upon not less than thirty (30) days written notice of termination for monthly payment obligations under $9,999 per month; may be terminated upon not less than sixty (60) days written notice of termination for monthly payment obligations between $10,000 and $19,999 per month; and may be terminated upon not less than ninety (90) days written notice of termination for monthly payment obligations over $20,000 per month, if Aztek has failed to abide by its Professional Service Guarantee or any related, reasonable cause for termination as described above, or for any other specified reason or clause of termination as specifically referenced in an individual Statement of Work (SOW) or Proposal-Agreement. In the event you, the Client, terminates the Agreement, Aztek shall complete the phase of service(s) then in effect (being worked on and/or scheduled to be worked on) as of the date of receipt of written termination notification. At the conclusion of that phase of the work, our relationship ceases for said work and/or service provided. Aztek is then due payment for the services provided for the specified thirty (30), sixty (60), or ninety (90) day termination period, which may be inclusive of a prorated billing period if applicable
Aztek believes in its contractual service standards and commitment of its professional staff. We deliver what we promise.
SEVERABILITY
The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable, and if a court of competent jurisdiction holds any provisions of this Agreement invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect as written.
COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS
The parties agree to comply with all applicable laws, treaties, conventions, directives, statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders, writs, judgments, injunctions or decrees of any governmental authority having jurisdiction ("Laws") pertaining to the fulfillment of the Agreement. The Client will be responsible for compliance with all Laws applicable to the project outlined within the SOW or Proposal. If any license or consent of any government or other authority is required for the acquisition, carriage or use of the project outlined, The Client will obtain the same at its expense, and if necessary, provide evidence of the same to Aztek on request. Failure to do so will entitle Aztek to withhold or delay the project outlined herein, but failure to do so will not entitle The Client to withhold or delay payment of the price therefore. Any expenses or charges incurred by Aztek as a result from such failure will be paid for by The Client within 10 days of receipt of Aztek's written request.
GOVERNING LAW/JURISDICTION
This Agreement and the relationship between the parties shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio (without regard to the law of conflict of any jurisdiction). The Client consents to personal jurisdiction of all state and federal courts in Cleveland, Ohio in connection with any dispute arising hereunder. The parties agree that either or both of them may file a copy of this Section with any court as written evidence of the knowing, voluntary and bargained agreement between the parties irrevocably to waive any objections to venue or to convenience of forum.
ARBITRATION
Any controversy of claim arising out of or in connection with the negotiation, execution and/or performance of this Agreement (other than the failure by The Client to pay for product or for services provided when due hereunder) shall be submitted to arbitration in accordance with the then current rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitration shall be conducted in Cleveland, Ohio, or at such other place as the parties may agree upon, by one person independent of the parties appointed by them by mutual agreement (the "Arbitrator"). Failing the appointment of an Arbitrator by the parties, such Arbitrator shall be appointed by the president of the American Arbitration Association or his/her designee. Judgment on any award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction as herein provided. Notice of process in connection with arbitral or judicial proceedings may be served upon the parties by registered or certified mail, with the same effect as if personally served. Any money awards shall be expressed in United States currency and shall include a reasonable interest component. The costs of any such arbitration proceeding shall be paid by the party against which the award is rendered.
COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT
Aztek's estimated time for completion of the project is an estimate only and it shall not be liable for delays in the performance of, or the non-performance of, any of its obligations under this Agreement.
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR/OWNERSHIP RIGHTS
Aztek shall perform such services outlined in the SOW or Proposal and under this Agreement as an independent contractor and not as an agent or employee of The Client. The Client acknowledges and agrees that the services performed and any resulting applications created (hereinafter referred to as "the Works"), and all rights therein, including, without limitation, copyright, patent, and trademark, belongs to and shall be the sole and exclusive property of Aztek, and that Aztek is the author of the Works. The Client acknowledges and agrees that the resulting applications may comprise two separate and distinct components: the Code including, but not limited to, the source code, object code, or machine code associated with the resulting applications; and, the Screen Displays which include the viewable images produced or displayed as a result of executing the code. Aztek hereby sells, assigns, and transfers to The Client, its successors and assigns, the entire right, title and interest in and to the copyright in the Screen Displays. Aztek hereby grants The Client a non-exclusive, limited, non-transferrable license in the Code to create non-competitive derivative works for use solely by The Client. Non-competitive derivative works shall refer to adaptations, alterations, modifications, updates, or any other changes made to the Code for use by The Client internally and not for distribution, sale, transfer, or any other purpose that may be adverse to Aztek's rights in the Works. Upon receiving final payment, Aztek will provide The Client a copy of all final, approved design and code structure files. Final, approved design and code structure files will be made available to The Client upon request and delivered by electronic format.
CREDIT CARD FEES
Aztek applies a 3.5% service fee per transaction on all credit card charges. Contact your primary Aztek representative for any questions or concerns.
ENTIRE AGREEMENT/AMENDMENT
The Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior or contemporaneous agreements or understandings between the parties, whether in writing or orally. This Agreement may not be amended except in writing signed by the parties hereto.
WEBSITE UPTIME MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT
Aztek provides uptime monitoring services for all clients who host with us. Uptime monitoring is performed through Site24x7. If the website goes down, Aztek is automatically notified, and our team initiates corrective actions.
Aztek’s responsibility for uptime monitoring is limited to detecting and addressing issues within the hosting environment we manage. This service does not extend to downtime or functionality issues caused by third-party services, plugins, or integrations.
PAGE SPEED OPTIMIZATION AND MAINTENANCE
Aztek ensures that all websites are optimized for speed at launch. However, over time, page speed may degrade due to content updates, added scripts, or third-party integrations. Aztek is not responsible for post-launch speed issues caused by these changes.
Any work required to remediate post-launch speed issues will be billable unless otherwise agreed.
FORM FUNCTIONALITY AND MONITORING
Aztek does not continuously monitor form functionality or reCAPTCHAs post-launch. If a bug is discovered and reported, Aztek will resolve it. If the issue is determined to be caused by Aztek, the fix will be at no additional cost. Issues caused by third-party services, integrations, or client modifications may require separate billable work to address.
TIMELY FEEDBACK AND APPROVAL IMPACT ON PROJECT TIMELINES
Aztek requires timely client feedback and approval to maintain project timelines. Delays in providing feedback or approval may result in project pauses, timeline extensions, or additional costs. Aztek is not responsible for delays caused by client inaction.
OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF GA4 AND ANALYTICS ACCOUNTS
Clients must retain ownership of all Google Tag Manager (GTM) and Google Analytics (GA4) accounts. Aztek requires administrative access to manage these accounts during the course of our working relationship.
Upon termination of the engagement, clients are responsible for revoking Aztek’s access. Aztek is not responsible for managing these accounts once the working relationship ends.
SSL CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT AND RENEWAL
Aztek offers a free, self-renewing SSL certificate through Let’s Encrypt for clients hosting with us. If a client prefers a different SSL provider, they must provide the updated certificate at least 30 days before the current certificate expires.
Aztek is not responsible for downtime or security warnings caused by expired or improperly managed SSL certificates. The effort to replace third-party SSL certificates is billable.
CONTENT UPDATES AND CMS MANAGEMENT
Any content updates requested by the client will be billed against their existing retainer or as part of a separate maintenance agreement. If a client’s use of the Content Management System (CMS) causes issues, Aztek will consider any necessary fixes to be billable.
DOMAIN REGISTRATION AND RENEWAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Clients are responsible for registering and renewing their domains. Aztek is not liable for any site downtime or issues caused by expired domains.
EMAIL HOSTING, CONFIGURATION, AND TROUBLESHOOTING
Aztek does not offer email hosting, configuration, or troubleshooting services. Clients are encouraged to seek third-party providers for their email needs.
LEGAL COMPLIANCE RESPONSIBILITIES (E.G., GDPR, CCPA)
While Aztek may consult on legal compliance matters such as GDPR and CCPA, clients assume full responsibility for ensuring their website and marketing efforts comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
Aztek’s role is limited to providing recommendations based on industry best practices and does not constitute legal advice.
THIRD-PARTY SECURITY AND PENETRATION TESTING
Aztek is not responsible for interpreting or implementing security changes based on third-party security scans. Clients must provide specific remediation instructions, and all security remediation work will be billable.
Aztek does not guarantee that all issues identified in third-party security scans can be resolved.
DNS MANAGEMENT AND CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Clients are responsible for DNS ownership, access, and changes. Aztek may assist with DNS management, but any such assistance will be billable. Aztek is not responsible for issues caused by incorrect DNS configurations made by the client.
PLUGIN AND THIRD-PARTY TOOL COMPATIBILITY
Aztek is not responsible for monitoring the compatibility of third-party plugins or tools with future CMS or hosting infrastructure updates. Assistance in finding alternative solutions is billable, and Aztek does not guarantee that replacements will be found.
UMBRACO CMS SECURITY PATCHES AND UPDATES
Aztek offers an optional support program for security patches and updates specific to the Long-Term Support (LTS) version of Umbraco CMS that the client’s website is built on. This support does not include major version upgrades (e.g., moving from Umbraco 13 to Umbraco 14). Clients who do not opt in to this Umbraco Support program and not eligible for version upgrades and patching.
Major version upgrades will require a separate agreement. Aztek may recommend delaying the application of a patch or update if it could cause conflicts, and the client will be notified accordingly.
BACKUP AND DISASTER RECOVERY PLANNING
Aztek’s hosting service includes weekly backups of your website. These backups are retained until they are overwritten by the next scheduled backup. Aztek is not responsible for long-term storage of backup data.
In the event of a disaster, Aztek will restore the website using the most recent available backup. Any further work required due to client-induced changes or additional data recovery will be considered billable.
SUPPORT RESPONSE TIMES AND TICKET MANAGEMENT
Aztek will acknowledge support requests within one business day of receipt. An acknowledgment signifies that the request has been received and is under review, but it does not guarantee resolution within that time frame.
Support tickets are addressed in the order they are received, and priority is determined by the nature of the issue. Aztek does not guarantee immediate resolution unless otherwise agreed in a premium support plan.
WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE AND MAINTENANCE
Aztek strives to launch all websites with WCAG AA accessibility compliance. Post-launch, if the website falls out of compliance due to client modifications or external factors, the client is responsible for addressing these issues.
Aztek can assist with accessibility remediation, but all remediation work will be billable. Please note that certain elements, such as third-party plugins, may not be fully remediable for accessibility issues.
ACCESS TO CLIENT ACCOUNTS AND SYSTEMS
Upon the conclusion of our working relationship, the Client is responsible for removing all access granted to Aztek from any accounts, systems, or platforms, including but not limited to Analytics, DNS, hosting, social media, or any other third-party services. Failure to remove such access may result in unintended administrative actions, for which Aztek disclaims all responsibility. The Client agrees to notify Aztek in writing once access has been fully revoked from all relevant accounts and systems.
RETAINER AGREEMENTS
Monthly retainer-based programs are billed on a time and materials calculation basis, providing reserved time for the specific month, which does not roll over to subsequent months.
