Fair Use Policy (FUP)

THE BEACH GEEK PTY LTD (ABN 93 655 538 060)
(Applies to all services that include “unlimited” or high-volume support availability.) 

 

  1. Purpose of This Policy

1.1 
This Fair Use Policy (“Policy”) ensures all Clients receive high-quality, reliable, and ethical service when using support services offered by The Beach Geek™. 

1.2 
“Unlimited” or “inclusive” support does not mean without limit. 
To maintain service levels and protect the health of our support system, reasonable usage conditions apply. 

1.3 
This Policy forms part of our Terms of Service and applies to any subscription or service where support hours are not individually billed. 

 

  1. What Is Considered Fair Use?

2.1 
Fair use means that support services are accessed: 

  • reasonably; 
  • for legitimate business needs; 
  • in line with the intended purpose of the service plan; 
  • in a way that does not adversely impact other Clients. 

2.2 
Most Clients naturally fall within fair use without ever thinking about it. 
This Policy exists to manage the rare cases where usage becomes excessive or abusive. 

 

  1. What Is Considered Excessive Use?

Usage may be considered excessive if it: 

3.1 Volume-Based Excess 

  • consistently consumes a disproportionate amount of engineering time; 
  • includes unusually high numbers of requests compared to similar Clients; 
  • involves repeated daily requests for non-critical issues; 
  • results in ongoing dependency on the helpdesk in place of proper training. 

3.2 Behaviour-Based Excess 

  • repeatedly raises the same issue without following provided instructions; 
  • refuses to adopt recommended changes that would prevent recurring issues; 
  • misuses systems or ignores cybersecurity guidance, creating avoidable workload; 
  • bypasses the helpdesk process and repeatedly phones staff directly. 

3.3 Avoidable Issue Excess 

Examples include: 

  • recurring password resets due to poor password hygiene; 
  • repeated requests to set up or fix personal devices not included in the plan; 
  • avoidable issues caused by misuse, neglect, or unauthorised configuration changes. 

 

  1. What Is Considered Unreasonable Use?

Use is considered unreasonable if it: 

  • involves abusive, aggressive, or disrespectful behaviour; 
  • intentionally misrepresents the urgency or severity of issues; 
  • requests support for non-business or non-covered activities; 
  • demands after-hours or immediate support when not included in the plan; 
  • attempts to monopolise engineering resources at the expense of other Clients. 

 

  1. Examples of Fair vs Unfair Use

5.1 Fair Use Examples 

  • Logging occasional support tickets for device or software issues 
  • Asking for help configuring business software 
  • Requesting support for systems included in the plan 
  • Critical issues affecting business continuity 

5.2 Unfair Use Examples 

  • Dozens of small, avoidable tickets per week 
  • Repetitive “how do I …?” tasks instead of training 
  • Constant escalation of non-critical requests 
  • Using the helpdesk to train staff instead of business training 
  • Requesting support for a personal iPad that’s not in the plan 
  • Logging tickets outside approved channels and expecting immediate action 

 

  1. Actions We May Take

If we identify excessive or unreasonable usage, The Beach Geek™ may take any of the following steps: 

6.1 Advisory Notice 

We will notify the Client of the concern and outline steps to reduce usage. 

6.2 Recommendations 

We may suggest: 

  • staff training 
  • equipment upgrades 
  • security improvements 
  • behaviour changes 
  • appropriate process adjustments 

6.3 Additional Charges 

Where usage continues despite advisory notice, we may apply: 

  • surcharge for excessive support hours 
  • hourly billing for avoidable or repetitive tasks 
  • charges for personal or non-covered device support 
  • charges for work outside the scope of the plan 

6.4 Plan Adjustment 

If usage exceeds reasonable limits on an ongoing basis, we may: 

  • recommend moving to a more suitable plan; or 
  • automatically adjust the subscription to the appropriate plan tier. 

6.5 Suspension or Termination 

In cases of misuse, abuse, or material non-compliance with this Policy, we may: 

  • temporarily suspend support services 
  • terminate the subscription with appropriate notice 
  • apply immediate termination in severe misconduct or abuse cases 

 

  1. Our Commitment

7.1 
We aim to provide an exceptional support experience that is fast, friendly, and effective. 

7.2 
This Policy is not designed to punish or limit genuine need for support; it simply ensures fairness, protects our engineering team, and maintains a healthy support environment for all Clients. 

 

  1. Updates to This Policy

8.1 
We may update this Policy from time to time. 
Updates take effect after being published on our website.