Privacy Policy

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

At Visual Metrics, we take your privacy seriously and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your data when you visit our website or use our services. We comply with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Japan Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI), and other relevant privacy regulations.

By accessing our website or using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please do not use our website or services.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Contact Us: Name, email address, phone number, company name, and message content when you fill out contact forms or inquire about our services
• Request Services: Business information, project requirements, technical specifications, and budget details when requesting quotes or proposals
• Subscribe to Updates: Email address and communication preferences when you sign up for newsletters or updates
• Engage with Our Services: Account credentials, payment information, and service usage data when you become a client

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing behavior:

• Technical Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, and screen resolution
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referral sources, and navigation paths
• Location Data: Approximate geographic location based on IP address
• Cookie Data: Information stored through cookies and similar tracking technologies (see our Cookie Policy for details)

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party sources, including:

• Analytics providers such as Google Analytics
• Advertising networks and platforms
• Business partners and referral sources
• Publicly available sources and databases

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

Service Delivery and Communication

• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Process service requests and deliver contracted services
• Send transactional communications about your account or services
• Provide technical support and troubleshoot issues

Website Operation and Improvement

• Maintain, operate, and improve our website functionality
• Analyze usage patterns to enhance user experience
• Develop new features and services
• Monitor and prevent security threats and fraudulent activity

Marketing and Business Development

• Send promotional materials and service updates (with your consent)
• Conduct market research and analyze industry trends
• Personalize content and advertising based on your interests
• Measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns

Legal Compliance and Protection

• Comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• Enforce our terms of service and other agreements
• Protect our rights, property, and safety, as well as those of our users
• Respond to legal requests and prevent fraud or abuse

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for specific purposes
• Contract Performance: Processing is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations to you
• Legal Obligation: We must process your data to comply with legal requirements
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms

How We Share Your Information

We may share your personal information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers and Business Partners

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering services. These partners have access to your information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are obligated to protect your data:

• Cloud hosting and data storage providers
• Analytics and website optimization services
• Email marketing and communication platforms
• Payment processors and financial institutions
• Customer relationship management (CRM) systems

Legal Requirements and Protection

We may disclose your information when required by law or to protect our rights:

• To comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests
• To enforce our terms of service and other agreements
• To protect against fraud, security threats, or illegal activities
• To safeguard the rights, property, or safety of Visual Metrics, our users, or others

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and provide options regarding your data.

Important: We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

Data Security and Protection

We implement robust security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:

Technical Safeguards

• Encryption: We use SSL/TLS encryption to protect data transmitted between your browser and our servers
• Secure Storage: Personal data is stored on secure servers with access controls and monitoring
• Firewall Protection: Our infrastructure is protected by advanced firewall systems
• Regular Security Audits: We conduct periodic security assessments and vulnerability testing

Organizational Measures

• Access Controls: Only authorized personnel have access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
• Employee Training: Staff members receive regular training on data protection and security practices
• Data Breach Response: We have procedures in place to respond to and notify affected parties of any data breaches
• Vendor Management: Third-party service providers are carefully vetted and contractually obligated to maintain security standards

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we continuously work to improve our protective measures.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

• Active Client Data: Retained for the duration of the business relationship plus applicable warranty periods
• Inquiry Data: Stored for up to 3 years to follow up on potential business opportunities
• Marketing Data: Retained until you opt out or for up to 5 years of inactivity
• Analytics Data: Aggregated and anonymized data may be retained indefinitely for statistical purposes
• Legal Compliance: Some data may be retained longer to meet legal, tax, or regulatory requirements

When personal information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it according to industry best practices.

Your Rights and Opt-Out Instructions

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Portability

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format

Correction and Deletion

• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances

Control and Objection

• Right to Object: Object to processing of your data for direct marketing or legitimate interests
• Right to Restriction: Request limitation of processing under certain conditions
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent for processing at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this policy. We will respond to your request within 30 days, or as required by applicable law.

International Data Transfers

As we operate in Japan and may work with international clients and service providers, your personal information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your jurisdiction. These countries may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

When we transfer personal data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place:

• Use of European Commission-approved Standard Contractual Clauses
• Transfers to countries with adequacy decisions
• Binding corporate rules for intra-group transfers
• Contractual obligations requiring service providers to maintain adequate protection

Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. We will take steps to delete such information from our systems.

Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or applications. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through our website.

This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected by Visual Metrics through our website and services.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will notify you by:

• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Posting a prominent notice on our website homepage
• Sending an email notification to registered users (for significant changes)

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of our website or services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.