01Acceptance of terms
By accessing our website, submitting a form or engaging our services, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the website or services. If you act for an organisation, you confirm you are authorised to accept these Terms on its behalf.
02Our services
Dock Consulting provides advisory, strategy, technology, research and implementation services. The scope, deliverables, timelines and fees of each engagement are set out in a written proposal, statement of work or engagement letter. Work outside that scope is billed separately after mutual agreement.
03Using the website
You agree not to:
- Use the website for anything unlawful, fraudulent or harmful.
- Try to gain unauthorised access to the website, its servers or connected systems.
- Scrape, copy or redistribute website content for commercial use without our written permission.
- Upload malware or submit false, misleading or someone else's information through our forms.
Our website may link to third-party sites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.
04Engagements and client responsibilities
An engagement begins when both parties sign the proposal or engagement letter, or when you pay the first invoice. You agree to give us accurate information, timely access to people and data, and decisions within agreed timelines. Delays caused by missing inputs may shift timelines and fees.
Our recommendations are advisory. Decisions to act on them, and the results of those decisions, remain your responsibility.
05Fees and payment
- Fees are quoted in Indian Rupees (INR) unless agreed otherwise, and are exclusive of GST and other applicable taxes.
- Invoices are payable within 15 days of issue unless the engagement letter states otherwise.
- Late payments may attract interest at 1.5% per month, and we may pause work until dues are cleared.
- Advance and milestone payments are non-refundable once work for that milestone has started, except where the engagement letter says otherwise.
- Pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses such as travel are billed at actual cost.
06Intellectual property
All content on this website, including text, graphics, logos, frameworks and design, belongs to Dock Consulting or its licensors and is protected by Indian copyright and trademark law.
On full payment, you own the final deliverables created specifically for you. Dock keeps ownership of its pre-existing tools, methods, templates, know-how and frameworks, and grants you a non-exclusive, perpetual licence to use them as part of your deliverables. We may describe our work for you in general terms, without confidential details, unless you ask us not to.
07Confidentiality
Both parties will keep the other's non-public business, technical and financial information confidential, and use it only for the engagement. This does not apply to information that is already public, independently developed, or required to be disclosed by law. These obligations continue for 3 years after the engagement ends.
08Disclaimers
Website content is for general information only and is not professional, legal, tax or financial advice. We provide the website "as is" and do not promise it will always be available, error-free or secure. Our services are performed with reasonable skill and care, but we do not guarantee specific business outcomes, revenue, funding or approvals.
09Limitation of liability
To the extent the law allows, Dock Consulting is not liable for indirect, incidental, special or consequential losses, including lost profits, revenue, data or goodwill. Our total liability for any claim relating to an engagement is limited to the fees you paid us for that engagement in the 12 months before the claim. Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be limited under Indian law.
10Indemnity
You agree to indemnify Dock Consulting against third-party claims arising from your breach of these Terms, your misuse of the website, or materials and data you provide that infringe someone else's rights or break the law.
11Termination
Either party may end an engagement with 15 days' written notice, or immediately if the other party materially breaches these Terms and does not fix it within 15 days of notice. On termination, you pay for work done and expenses incurred up to the termination date. Sections on intellectual property, confidentiality, liability and governing law survive termination.
12Governing law and disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of India. Both parties will first try to resolve any dispute in good faith within 30 days. If that fails, the dispute will be referred to arbitration by a sole arbitrator under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The seat and venue of arbitration will be Hyderabad, and proceedings will be in English. Subject to this, courts in Hyderabad, Telangana have exclusive jurisdiction.
13General
- Force majeure: neither party is liable for delays caused by events beyond reasonable control, such as natural disasters, pandemics, government action or network outages.
- Independent contractors: nothing here creates a partnership, employment or agency relationship.
- Assignment: you may not transfer your rights under these Terms without our written consent.
- Severability: if any clause is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.
- Changes: we may update these Terms. Changes apply from the date posted and do not affect signed engagements.