Communication & Consent Policy

1. Scope

This policy applies to all outbound communications configured by PulseForge on behalf of our clients — SMS, email, AI voice calls, automated messages and any other electronic communication that may fall under the Spam Act 2003, the ACMA Industry Code, the Do Not Call Register Act 2006, or relevant Australian Privacy Principles.

2. Consent — express, inferred and recipient-set

Australian law recognises three types of consent for commercial electronic messages:

• Express consent — the recipient has clearly and explicitly agreed to receive messages, e.g. by ticking a checkbox or signing up to a list.
• Inferred consent — the recipient has a reasonable expectation of being contacted given the existing business relationship (e.g. a recent customer being asked for a review).
• Recipient-set — applies to certain government messages and is not generally relevant to commercial workflows.

Our workflows are configured around express and inferred consent only. We don't send messages without a lawful basis under Australian law.

3. Sender identification

Every commercial message we configure includes accurate sender identification. For SMS, the sender ID or number identifies the sending business. For email, the From address and signature identify the business. The client's business identity — not PulseForge — is the visible sender on customer-facing communications.

4. Unsubscribe handling

Every commercial SMS and email includes a functional unsubscribe mechanism:

• SMS — reply STOP to opt out. Honoured immediately. The number is added to a suppression list and excluded from future workflows.
• Email — one-click unsubscribe link in every email. Honoured within 5 business days as required by the Spam Act.

Unsubscribe requests are logged with timestamp and recipient identifier for compliance audit purposes.

5. SMS workflows we configure

Typical SMS workflows include:

• Missed-call SMS text-back — sent to a caller who couldn't be answered live, acknowledging the missed call and offering callback/quick reply. Based on inferred consent (the caller initiated contact).
• Booking confirmations & reminders — sent to customers with bookings. Based on the existing customer relationship.
• Quote follow-up — sent to people who received a quote. Based on inferred consent. Includes opt-out.
• Review requests — sent to customers after a completed job. Based on inferred consent. Includes opt-out.
• Old lead reactivation — sent to dormant leads/quotes. Requires either documented consent or a recent enough relationship to support inferred consent. Always includes opt-out and clear identification.

6. Email workflows

Email workflows follow the same consent and unsubscribe rules. Cold email outreach is generally avoided. Where transactional or relationship-based email is sent (audit deliveries, monthly reports, follow-ups), unsubscribe is always available.

7. AI voice calls

AI voice agents are configured primarily for inbound calls — answering callers who have contacted the business. Outbound AI calling is used only with explicit configuration and is subject to:

• Do Not Call Register checks where required by law
• Express consent or a clear existing relationship
• AI disclosure at the start of the call where required
• Call time restrictions per state/territory rules

We do not configure outbound cold-calling AI agents for general telemarketing.

8. Client responsibility

The client (the business sending the messages) is responsible for:

• Ensuring the contact list provided to PulseForge has a lawful basis for outreach
• Not uploading purchased or scraped contact data
• Notifying PulseForge of any consent withdrawal received outside the automated channels
• Keeping records of consent where required
• Responding appropriately to consumer complaints about communications

PulseForge configures the technical workflows to be compliant by default, but cannot verify the lawful basis of every contact in your database. If you're unsure whether a list can be lawfully contacted, ask us before launch and we'll help you assess it.

9. Logging opt-outs

All opt-outs (STOP replies, unsubscribe clicks, manual removals) are logged with timestamp, channel and recipient identifier. Suppression lists are honoured across all future workflows for the same client account. Cross-business suppression is not automatic — each business maintains its own suppression list.

10. Prohibited use

PulseForge will not configure or operate workflows that:

• Send unsolicited bulk marketing to purchased or scraped lists
• Spoof or mislead about the sender's identity
• Omit unsubscribe options
• Continue messaging after opt-out
• Send during prohibited hours where applicable
• Use deceptive or misleading content
• Target numbers on the Do Not Call Register without exemption

Where we identify breaches, we will pause the relevant workflow and discuss remediation with the client. Persistent breaches may result in termination of the engagement.

Questions: [email protected]. This policy is general — for specific legal questions, consult a qualified Australian legal professional. The ACMA website (acma.gov.au) has authoritative guidance on the Spam Act and electronic marketing.