ZAIQ FAQ: pricing, ownership, delivery and POPIA
The terms are simple.
Every answer in this ZAIQ FAQ comes back to three things: clear scope, built by the people you talk to, and full ownership.
What does ZAIQ build?
Lead generation systems, WhatsApp assistants, AI agents, automations, data and document systems, internal tools and custom software. The category matters less than the constraint. Bring us the bottleneck and we will design the system that removes it. Six of these run in the Lab, so you can try one before you talk to us.
Try the LabWho actually builds my project?
Our engineers. The same people who scope the work design the system and write the code. There is no sales-to-delivery handoff and no junior team learning on your budget.
How does pricing work?
ZAIQ is priced on application. We work as the AI partner to established businesses, so every engagement is scoped and priced to the business, never off a rate card. After a free scoping conversation you receive a written proposal with the price, the deliverables and the acceptance criteria. Where a system drives revenue directly, part of the fee can be tied to its results. We don't take small one-off jobs.
See pricingDo I own the code?
Yes. You own the code, accounts and infrastructure created for your project. We do not use ownership as leverage to force a retainer.
Is there a monthly retainer?
Only when ongoing support creates value and you choose it. The default is a completed build you own. If you keep us on as your AI partner, it is a set monthly figure with what is included written down, priced on application.
What happens if the build misses the agreed outcome?
We agree the acceptance criteria before development. If the delivered system misses them, we correct it at our cost.
How quickly do you ship?
Focused systems reach a working first version in days. Larger platforms are scoped carefully and shipped on the fastest timeline the engineering allows. We do not stretch projects to sell more hours.
Can you work with our existing website and systems?
Yes. We integrate with the stack you already use unless replacing part of it produces a clearly better result.
Can you get my business recommended by ChatGPT?
That is the work of Shown, the search company in the ZAIQ group. Nobody can guarantee what an independent model says, so Shown tracks the same buyer questions every month and shows you what moved. The free AI answer check in the Lab shows where you stand today.
Run the AI answer checkWhich AI models do you use?
Whichever performs best for the task. ZAIQ is not tied to a vendor. OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and local models are components; the system is the product.
Is the work POPIA-compliant?
Privacy and access control are designed into every relevant system. We use the phrase POPIA-compliant only where the data handling, agreements and infrastructure support that legal claim. Otherwise we design with POPIA requirements in mind.
Where is ZAIQ based?
Johannesburg. We build for clients across South Africa and remotely.
How do we start?
Send us the problem on WhatsApp or through the contact form. A message, a screenshot or a voice note is enough. A short call or a WhatsApp thread follows, whichever suits you, with the engineers who will build it. Then we send a plan, what is and is not possible, a fixed price in rand and any running costs, and you accept, decline or counter.
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