Terms & Conditions – how they can influence the product and company. Some of common problems connected with T&C and how to avoid them

1. Terms & Conditions
forgotten part of your product
Paulina Łapińska

2. Agenda
• Survey
• Examples of a bad T&C
• How to avoid T&C problems
• Summary
• Discussion

3. How many of you during work on
the product take into
consideration T&C?

4. How many of you make
announcement of changes in T&C
for your product?

5. How many of you wrote T&C for
your products?

6. Example of a bad T&C

7. How T&C may harm your company
• Client bought trip from travel agency and resigned due to some family
issues
• T&C says that between 30 up to 15 days before the trip return is 50%
• BUT T&C says also that client „need to cover real cost of organizer but no
more than 50% between 30 up to 15 days before the trip”
• Travel agency has a reserve list for that trip but they refused to
acknowledged the client’s complain
• They will meet in court
• What would happend if more clients behave the same?
• Source: https://subiektywnieofinansach.pl/klient-zrezygnowal-z-wycieczki-
stracil-kase-ale-spojrzal-w-regulamin-i-zada-od-biura-podrozy-zeby-
udowodnilo-mu-swoje-straty-ma-szanse/

8. Imagine that there is a mistake in the T&C of
your product associated with money
• And thanks to that mistake your company has big financial liabilities
to the customers!
• How it will influence your company? – cashflow problems or even
debt in critical situation depends on business and scale of mistake
• Be especially careful when it comes to part connected with money,
cuase…

9. Customers are looking for occasions
• Travel:
https://thriftynomads.com/airline-error-mistake-fares-cheap-flights/
• Shops online:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-
with-a-purchase/if-something-is-advertised-at-the-wrong-price/

10. How to avoid T&C problems

11. T&C is an agreement!
• Think of a T&C as an agreement between company and customer!
• Prepare T&C for bad times – technical problems – SLA, refunds,
complaints, responsibilities, obligations, ending the agreement
• Think of situation when you need to change T&C – how will you do it
• Think of the situation that you need to react quickly for customers
bad behaviour (like frauds) – don’t choose too long announcement
time for T&C change if you don’t need to

12. Don’t create T&C as a trap for yourself
• Keep it simple, stupid!
• No legal complicated language
• Not too many details

13. Be focused
• When you make a change it need to have your fully attention
• Any mistake will cost you – customers are aware of their laws and
they don’t hesitate to use them

14. Don’t be a scrooge
• Get a great laywer even if the cost will be hight – it may help you
avoid future problem (example)
• Take some time and help the lawyer understand core of your business
and product

15. Summary
• T&C protects you!
• Name obligations and rights for you and customer
• Helps secure your cashflow
• Good contract is always a good investment

16. Discussion

17. Have you heard about some
cases connected with the T&C?

18. Thank you!