Terms of Service

Effective Date: November 3, 2025

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the website tssconsultingcompany.com (the "Site") and the services provided by TSS Consulting Company, LLC ("we," "us," or "our").

By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Site or our services.

Services

We provide professional website design and development services for service-based businesses, including but not limited to:

  • Custom website design and development on the Squarespace platform

  • Strategic consultation and planning

  • Website optimization and technical implementation

  • Client training and post-launch support

  • Additional services as described on our Services page

The specific scope, deliverables, timeline, and pricing for your project will be outlined in a separate service agreement or proposal.

Use of the Site

Permitted Use

You may use the Site for lawful purposes only, including:

  • Learning about our services

  • Contacting us for inquiries

  • Downloading resources we provide (lead magnets, guides)

  • Booking discovery calls or consultations

  • Accessing information about web development

Prohibited Use

You may not use the Site to:

  • Violate any applicable laws or regulations

  • Infringe on intellectual property rights

  • Transmit harmful code, viruses, or malware

  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems

  • Scrape, harvest, or collect data from the Site using automated means

  • Impersonate us or misrepresent your affiliation with us

  • Use the Site for any fraudulent or malicious purposes

  • Resell, redistribute, or commercialize our content without permission

Intellectual Property

Our Content

All content on the Site, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, design elements, code, and software, is the property of [Your Name/Business Name] or our licensors and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not:

  • Copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from our content without written permission

  • Use our trademarks, logos, or brand elements without authorization

  • Remove or alter any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices

Your Content

When you submit content to us (such as through contact forms, emails, or project materials), you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and display that content for the purpose of providing our services to you.

You represent and warrant that:

  • You own or have the right to submit the content

  • The content does not infringe on any third-party rights

  • The content complies with these Terms

Client Projects and Services

Service Agreements

Specific terms for website development projects, including scope, deliverables, timeline, pricing, payment terms, and revisions, will be outlined in a separate service agreement or proposal that you will sign before work begins.

These Terms of Service apply to your use of the Site. Your service agreement governs the actual delivery of website development services.

Payment Terms

Deposits and Final Payments

  • 50% deposit is required before work begins on any project

  • 50% final payment is due upon project completion before the website goes live

  • Payment methods accepted: Bank transfer, check, or payment processor (Stripe)

  • All fees are non-refundable except as outlined in the Refund Policy below

Late Payments

  • Invoices are due within the timeframe specified in your service agreement

  • Late payments may result in suspension of work or services

  • A late fee of 1.5% per month (or the maximum allowed by law) may be applied to overdue balances

Project Timeline

  • Project timelines are estimates based on timely client cooperation

  • Delays caused by late content delivery, slow feedback, or unavailability may extend the timeline

  • We will communicate any timeline changes promptly

Client Responsibilities

To ensure successful project completion, you agree to:

  • Provide all required content and materials by the agreed deadlines

  • Respond to requests for feedback within 2-3 business days

  • Attend scheduled meetings and calls

  • Provide access to necessary accounts and platforms

  • Review deliverables thoroughly and provide clear, consolidated feedback

  • Make timely payments as outlined in the service agreement

Revisions

  • Two (2) revision rounds are included in the standard service package during the Review & Refinement phase

  • Additional revisions beyond the included rounds are available for $500 per round

  • Revisions must be requested within the revision phase; major changes after project completion are considered new work and will be quoted separately

Scope Changes

  • Any changes to the agreed scope of work must be requested in writing

  • Scope changes may affect timeline and pricing

  • We will provide a revised quote for approval before implementing scope changes

  • Client must approve scope changes and any additional fees before work proceeds

Refund Policy

Deposit Refunds

Deposits are non-refundable once work has commenced. This is because we dedicate time and resources to your project immediately upon receiving your deposit.

However, if you cancel before any work has begun (within 48 hours of payment and before the kickoff meeting), we will refund your deposit minus a $250 administrative fee.

Final Payment Refunds

Final payments are non-refundable once the website has been delivered and approved by you.

Project Cancellation

If you choose to cancel the project mid-stream:

  • You will be invoiced for work completed to date at our standard hourly rate

  • Any deposit paid will be applied to this invoice

  • You will receive all work completed up to the cancellation date

  • No refunds will be issued for work already completed

Our Right to Terminate

We reserve the right to terminate a project if:

  • You fail to provide required materials or feedback within 30 days

  • You fail to make payments as agreed

  • You violate these Terms or the service agreement

  • The working relationship becomes untenable

In such cases, you will be invoiced for work completed to date, and no refunds will be issued.

Warranties and Disclaimers

Our Warranties

We warrant that:

  • Services will be performed in a professional and workmanlike manner

  • Websites will be built according to industry best practices

  • Websites will be technically sound and functional at the time of delivery

  • We have the right and authority to provide the services

Disclaimer of Other Warranties

EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY STATED ABOVE, OUR SERVICES AND SITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

  • Warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose

  • Guarantees of specific results, traffic, or conversions

  • Uninterrupted or error-free operation

  • Accuracy, reliability, or completeness of content

No Guarantee of Results

We do not guarantee:

  • Specific search engine rankings or SEO results

  • Specific website traffic or visitor numbers

  • Specific conversion rates or sales

  • Specific business outcomes or revenue

Website performance depends on many factors outside our control, including your business model, market conditions, content quality, marketing efforts, and more.

Third-Party Services

We may use or recommend third-party services (such as Squarespace, email providers, scheduling tools, etc.). We are not responsible for:

  • The performance, reliability, or availability of third-party services

  • Changes to third-party pricing, features, or policies

  • Third-party service outages or technical issues

  • Third-party terms of service or privacy policies

You are responsible for:

  • Maintaining your own accounts and subscriptions with third-party services

  • Complying with third-party terms of service

  • Paying any fees associated with third-party services

Limitation of Liability

Liability Cap

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO OUR SERVICES OR THESE TERMS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU PAID TO US IN THE SIX (6) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.

Excluded Damages

IN NO EVENT SHALL WE BE LIABLE FOR:

  • Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages

  • Loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities

  • Cost of substitute services

  • Damages arising from your use or inability to use the Site or services

  • Damages arising from third-party services or content

This applies even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Exceptions

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages. In such jurisdictions, our liability shall be limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Tim Searles, TSS Consulting Company LLC, our affiliates, and our respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or related to:

  • Your use of the Site or our services

  • Your violation of these Terms

  • Your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property rights

  • Content or materials you provide to us

  • Your business operations or website use after project completion

Post-Launch Support

Included Support (30 Days)

Your project includes 30 days of post-launch support, which covers:

  • Bug fixes and technical issues that arise from our work

  • Questions about managing your website

  • Minor adjustments within the original scope

  • Assistance with issues related to our implementation

Not Included in Support

Post-launch support does NOT include:

  • New features or pages not in the original scope

  • Content updates (you manage your own content after training)

  • Design changes beyond the original agreement

  • Issues caused by third-party services or plugins

  • Issues caused by your modifications to the site

  • SEO services or ongoing optimization

  • Training beyond the initial training session

After Support Period

After the 30-day support period:

  • Hourly support is available at our standard rate

  • Monthly maintenance packages are available (see our Services page)

  • New projects or features will be quoted separately

Ownership and Rights

Upon Final Payment

Upon receipt of final payment in full:

  • You own the website content you provided

  • You have the right to use the completed website

  • You are responsible for maintaining Squarespace subscription and domain registration

What We Retain

We retain:

  • The right to display the project in our portfolio (unless otherwise agreed in writing)

  • Copyright to our code, processes, and methodologies

  • The right to reuse general design elements and code structures in future projects

  • All proprietary tools, templates, and systems we use

Our Portfolio Rights

We reserve the right to:

  • Use screenshots and descriptions of your project in our portfolio and marketing materials

  • Mention your business as a client (with your permission)

  • Create case studies about the project (with your permission)

If you wish to remain anonymous or restrict our use of the project, please notify us in writing.

Confidentiality

Our Commitment

We will keep confidential any non-public information you share with us during the course of our working relationship, including business plans, financial information, proprietary processes, and other sensitive information.

We will not disclose such information to third parties except:

  • As necessary to provide our services (e.g., to hosting or email service providers)

  • With your written permission

  • As required by law

Your Commitment

You agree to keep confidential any proprietary information, processes, or methodologies we share with you that are not publicly available.

Termination

By You

You may terminate your use of the Site at any time. If you wish to cancel a project, please refer to the Refund Policy section above.

By Us

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Site or our services immediately, without notice, if:

  • As necessary to provide our services (e.g., to hosting or email service providers)

  • With your written permission

  • As required by law

Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

  • Your right to use the Site and access our services immediately ceases

  • Any outstanding payments become immediately due

  • We may delete or retain your information as described in our Privacy Policy

  • Sections of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive

Dispute Resolution

Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Illinois, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Informal Resolution

Before filing any formal claim, you agree to contact us at [your email] to attempt to resolve the dispute informally. We commit to working with you in good faith to resolve any issues.

Arbitration Agreement

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or our services that cannot be resolved informally shall be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association.

The arbitration shall take place in Chicago, Illinois or remotely via video conference.

Each party shall bear its own costs and attorneys' fees, unless the arbitrator awards such costs or fees to the prevailing party.

Class Action Waiver

You agree that any dispute resolution proceedings will be conducted only on an individual basis and not in a class, consolidated, or representative action.

Exceptions

Either party may bring a claim in small claims court if it qualifies. Either party may also seek injunctive relief in court to protect intellectual property rights.

General Provisions

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any service agreement or proposal you sign, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the use of the Site and our services.

Amendments

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes by:

  • Posting the updated Terms on this page

  • Updating the "Last Updated" date

Your continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect, and the invalid provision shall be modified to reflect the parties' intent as closely as possible.

Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by us.

Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your rights under them without our written consent. We may assign these Terms to any affiliate or successor without restriction.

Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, labor disputes, or internet service failures.

Independent Contractor

You and we are independent contractors. These Terms do not create a partnership, joint venture, employment, or agency relationship.

Notices

Any notices to us should be sent to:

TSS Consulting Company, LLC

Email: [email protected]

Notices to you may be sent to the email address you provided.

Headings

Headings in these Terms are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us:


Email: [email protected]

Response Time: We will respond to your inquiry within 3-5 business days.

Acknowledgement

BY USING OUR SITE OR SERVICES, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ THESE TERMS OF SERVICE, UNDERSTAND THEM, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THEM.

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

Based in Chicago, IL. Available in-person for local meetings. Working remotely with clients nationwide.

Email us at: [email protected]

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