Last updated 29 October 2026
Sawubona ("Sawubona," "we," "us," or "our") provides an AI-powered after-hours phone and SMS assistant ("Sarah") used by accommodation operators ("Customers") to support their guests ("End Users"). This policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, and the choices available to you. It's written to meet our obligations under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.
If you are a guest calling or texting an accommodation operator who uses Sawubona, you are an End User under this policy. If you are an accommodation business using Sawubona to operate your after-hours line, you are a Customer, and you may also have your own privacy policy that applies to your guests — this policy covers what Sawubona itself does with information that passes through our platform.
| Category | Examples | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call data | Caller's phone number, call audio, AI-generated transcript and summary, call duration and timestamp | Collected automatically when an End User calls a Customer's after-hours line |
| SMS data | Mobile number, content of outbound messages we send (e.g. WiFi details, lockbox codes, appliance instructions) | Generated when Sarah sends a text in response to a call |
| Property & booking information | Property address, access/lockbox codes, WiFi credentials, appliance instructions, and — where a Customer has integrated their booking system (e.g. HomeBook) — relevant booking details used to verify a guest | Provided by the Customer, or retrieved via their connected booking system |
| Escalation data | On-call staff name and mobile number, issue summary, response time | Provided by the Customer; generated when Sarah escalates an unresolved issue |
| Customer account data | Business name, contact details, billing information | Provided directly by Customers when they sign up |
| Website data | Pages visited, demo booking form submissions | Collected if you use sawubona.io or book a demo |
We do not use End User call or SMS content for advertising, and we do not sell personal information to third parties.
Operating Sarah requires us to pass certain information to specialist service providers who process it on our behalf. These include:
We only share what each provider needs to perform its function, and we do not permit these providers to use End User information for their own purposes.
Some of the providers listed above (including Twilio, OpenAI, and ElevenLabs) process data on servers located outside New Zealand. Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure information continues to be protected in a way that's consistent with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, including relying on providers with established data protection practices for their enterprise/API customers.
We retain call recordings, transcripts, and summaries for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the service to the relevant Customer, support dispute resolution, and meet any legal obligations — after which they are deleted or anonymised. Customers can request deletion of specific records on behalf of their guests by contacting us.
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information from loss, misuse, and unauthorised access, including restricting access to call data, encrypting data in transit, and limiting staff access to what's needed to operate and support the service.
Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to access and request correction of personal information we hold about you. If you're an End User and want to make a request, we'll generally direct you to the Customer (accommodation operator) you dealt with, since they hold the primary relationship — but you're welcome to contact us directly at hello@sawubona.io and we'll assist or pass your request on.
If you're not satisfied with how we've handled your personal information, you can complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
sawubona.io uses only the minimal cookies/local storage necessary for the site to function (such as remembering your login session). We don't currently use third-party advertising or tracking cookies.
Sawubona is not directed at children, and we don't knowingly collect personal information from children through the service.
We may update this policy from time to time as the service evolves. We'll update the "last updated" date above when we do. Significant changes will be communicated to Customers directly.
For any questions about this policy or how we handle personal information, contact us at hello@sawubona.io.
Looking for the privacy policy of the specific accommodation provider you stayed with? Check the booking confirmation or website of that property — Sawubona operates on their behalf, but they remain responsible for their own guest relationship.