Refund Policy

1. Overview

This Refund Policy governs all fee arrangements between ZenGenius (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) and its consulting clients. By engaging ZenGenius for consulting services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to this Refund Policy in its entirety.

ZenGenius is committed to delivering high-quality consulting services and maintaining transparent, professional relationships with all clients. This policy is designed to be fair to both parties while recognizing the nature of professional consulting services.

2. General Non-Refundable Policy

All consulting service fees paid to ZenGenius are generally non-refundable. This policy reflects the nature of consulting services, which involve the immediate deployment of professional expertise, time, intellectual resources, and proprietary methodologies from the commencement of each engagement.

Once work has commenced on a consulting engagement, the professional time, research, analysis, and resources invested cannot be recovered. Fees paid represent compensation for professional services rendered, not for specific guaranteed outcomes.

This non-refundable policy applies to all engagement types, including project-based engagements, monthly retainer arrangements, and custom consulting programs.

3. Deposits and Advance Payments

Many consulting engagements require an advance deposit or retainer payment prior to the commencement of work. These deposits are non-refundable once work has commenced, as they represent compensation for the commitment of professional resources and the opportunity cost of scheduling the engagement.

If a client cancels an engagement after a deposit has been paid but before work has commenced, ZenGenius will evaluate the circumstances on a case-by-case basis. In such situations, we may, at our sole discretion, offer a partial credit (not a cash refund) toward future services, subject to the conditions described in Section 5 of this policy.

Deposits paid for retainer arrangements are non-refundable under any circumstances, as they represent the reserved capacity of our consulting team during the applicable billing period.

4. Cancellation Terms

Clients may cancel consulting engagements in accordance with the notice provisions specified in their engagement agreement. Standard cancellation terms are as follows:

• Cancellation with 30+ days notice:

  Client is responsible for fees corresponding to work completed up to the cancellation notice date. Any prepaid fees for work not yet commenced may be credited toward future services at ZenGenius's discretion.

• Cancellation with 15–29 days notice:

  Client is responsible for all fees for work completed plus 50% of fees for any scheduled work not yet commenced during the notice period.

• Cancellation with less than 15 days notice:

  Client is responsible for the full fees for the current billing period or project phase, regardless of work completion status.

• Immediate termination for cause:

  Where ZenGenius terminates an engagement for cause (client breach, non-payment, etc.), all outstanding fees become immediately due and payable.

5. Case-by-Case Exceptions

ZenGenius recognizes that exceptional circumstances may arise that warrant consideration of a fee adjustment or credit. We will evaluate refund or credit requests on a case-by-case basis in the following limited circumstances:

• ZenGenius fails to deliver agreed-upon deliverables within the timeframes specified in the engagement agreement
• The consulting services provided materially deviate from the scope of work agreed upon in the engagement agreement
• A documented force majeure event prevents ZenGenius from performing services
• A mutual agreement to terminate the engagement is reached before significant work has commenced

To request consideration of an exception, clients must submit a written request to j.baer@zengeniuslab.com within fifteen (15) days of the event giving rise to the request. The request must include a detailed description of the circumstances and the relief sought.

ZenGenius will review all exception requests in good faith and respond within ten (10) business days. Any approved credits or adjustments will be applied to future services or invoices, not issued as cash refunds, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

6. Payment Disputes

If you believe an invoice contains an error, you must notify ZenGenius in writing within ten (10) days of receiving the invoice. We will investigate all disputed charges in good faith and work to resolve any legitimate billing errors promptly.

Initiating a chargeback or payment dispute with your financial institution without first contacting ZenGenius to attempt resolution is a breach of this policy and may result in termination of services and legal action to recover fees owed, including associated chargeback fees and legal costs.

7. Retainer Arrangements

Monthly retainer fees are non-refundable under any circumstances. Retainer fees represent the reservation of dedicated consulting capacity during the applicable billing period, regardless of the volume of work actually requested or completed during that period.

Clients wishing to discontinue a retainer arrangement must provide written notice in accordance with the minimum notice period specified in their engagement agreement. Retainer fees for any notice period will be charged in full regardless of whether consulting services are actively utilized during that period.

8. Modifications to This Policy

ZenGenius reserves the right to modify this Refund Policy at any time. Changes will be effective upon posting to our website. For existing client engagements, the refund policy in effect at the time the engagement agreement was executed will apply unless both parties agree in writing to apply a revised policy.

9. Contact for Refund Inquiries

All refund requests, billing disputes, and related inquiries should be directed to: