Privacy Policy

Welcome to ExpertGuru ("we," "our," or "us"). ExpertGuru is a premium home services platform that connects customers with verified service providers for a wide range of home service needs, including plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, painting, medical assistance, vehicle repair, and emergency services.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application ("App") available on the Google Play Store. Please read this policy carefully. By using ExpertGuru, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the App.

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Data Type	Details	Purpose
Phone Number	Mobile number used for account creation via OTP verification	Authentication & account security
Name & Profile	Display name, profile details	User identification within the platform
Service Provider Details	Professional skills, experience, Aadhaar/ID verification, service areas	Provider verification and listing
Chat Messages	Text messages between customers and providers	Communication & dispute resolution
Booking Information	Service requests, dates, descriptions, addresses	Service fulfillment
Payment Information	Wallet transactions, referral earnings	In-app wallet and transactions

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Location Data: With your explicit permission, we collect your precise and approximate location to connect you with nearby service providers and display providers on maps.
• Device Information: Device model, operating system version, and unique device identifiers for push notification delivery.
• Usage Data: App interaction data, screens visited, and feature usage patterns to improve our services.
• Push Notification Tokens: Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) tokens to deliver real-time notifications about bookings and updates.

2.3 Information We Do NOT Collect

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Account Management: To create and manage your account, verify your identity via phone-based OTP authentication.
• Service Delivery: To connect customers with relevant service providers based on location and service category.
• Communication: To facilitate in-app chat between customers and providers, and to send push notifications about booking updates, new messages, and important announcements.
• Location Services: To display nearby service providers on maps and enable location-based service matching.
• Payments & Wallet: To manage in-app wallet balances, process referral earnings, and track transaction history.
• Provider Verification: To verify service provider credentials including professional documentation and identity verification.
• Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve app functionality, user experience, and service quality.
• Safety & Security: To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms of Service.
• Customer Support: To respond to inquiries, resolve disputes, and provide assistance.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Other Users

When you book a service, your name, phone number, and location are shared with the assigned service provider to facilitate service delivery. Similarly, provider details (name, phone, skills, ratings) are visible to customers.

4.2 With Service Providers (Infrastructure)

• Google Firebase: We use Firebase for authentication (phone OTP), cloud database (Firestore), push notifications (FCM), and hosting. Firebase's privacy policy applies to data processed through their services.
• Google Maps Platform: We use Google Maps for location display and geocoding. Google's privacy policy applies.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, regulation, or legal process, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of ExpertGuru, our users, or the public.

5.1 Where Your Data Is Stored

Your data is stored securely on Google Cloud infrastructure through Firebase services. Data may be processed in data centers located globally as part of Google Cloud's infrastructure.

5.2 Security Measures

• All data transmission is encrypted using industry-standard TLS/SSL protocols.
• Firebase Authentication with OTP verification ensures secure account access.
• Firestore Security Rules restrict data access based on user roles (customer, provider, admin).
• We implement role-based access controls to prevent unauthorized data access.

5.3 Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. If you request account deletion, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., dispute resolution).

ExpertGuru requests the following device permissions:

Permission	Why We Need It
Location (Fine & Coarse)	To show nearby service providers on the map and enable location-based service matching.
Internet	Required for all app functionality including authentication, data sync, chat, and maps.
Notifications	To deliver real-time push notifications about booking updates, new messages, and important alerts.
Vibrate	To provide haptic feedback for push notifications.
Boot Completed	To re-register notification channels after device restart for uninterrupted service.

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: You can update or correct your profile information directly within the app.
• Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and associated personal data via our Account Deletion Request page or by contacting us.
• Withdraw Consent: You can revoke location or notification permissions at any time via your device settings.
• Data Portability: You can request an export of your data in a commonly used format.
• Opt-Out: You can opt out of non-essential push notifications through the app's notification settings.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 10.

ExpertGuru is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately so we can take appropriate action.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make changes:

• The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page will be revised.
• For significant changes, we will notify you via an in-app notification or push notification.
• Your continued use of the App after any modifications indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

• App Name: ExpertGuru
• Email: expertguru.help@gmail.com

We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 7 business days.