Why we do what we do

Our purpose

Our mission is to crawl into the inner workings of a business and straighten out any wrinkles so they can do their best work. We build technology to solve challenges, connect the dots, and redirect energy to growth.

We exist so that organisations spend less time and money fighting their technology and more on the people they serve, and so that good technology is not only for those who can afford it.

We work with organisations of all sizes, in New Zealand and overseas. Our work with businesses keeps the company healthy, and that is what lets us serve sports clubs, community groups and charities. For them we bring the same creativity and problem-solving, shaped to what they need and can afford.

We take the time to understand how each organisation really works, then build and fix the technology behind it. We fix the cause, not the symptom, and we keep our service transparent: clients always have full access to their accounts and all their data.

The people who work with us get fair pay, fair terms and a say in how we work, wherever they live.

Better-run local businesses and community groups mean more local jobs and stronger communities.

How it works in practice

Our purpose is our business model. The work we do for businesses keeps the company healthy and funds what we can offer sports clubs, community groups and charities. Clients whose technology works grow, come back and send others our way; a shortcut that fails costs us the relationship.

So we weigh every decision against the people it affects, not only the owner, and we track what we commit to:

• Clients: software they understand, and full access to their accounts and all their data. We track: share of active clients with full admin access (target: 100%).
• Community: Taranaki first. Volunteer-based non-profits and charities get 25% off our services. We track: community projects delivered, the value of the discount given, and the number of community organisations we worked with.
• The people who work with us: fair pay, fair terms and a say in how we work, wherever they live.
• The environment: technology has a footprint too. Building it properly the first time means less rework and leaner systems. We measure the emissions of our own work each year and plan to reduce them. We track: our annual emissions.

We report these numbers once a year.

How we hold ourselves to it

• This statement goes into our constitution, so it binds the company, not just the founder.
• Once a year we review these policies and publish what changed.

What this looks like so far

We report our numbers once a year, but the work is already out there. We rebuilt the Taranaki Tai Chi Chuan Association website within their grant, so the committee can now run it themselves. Our founder runs Messi Football School for local kids. And we created TipJar, so schools, clubs and community groups can take card payments with just a QR code. If your group still hears “sorry, cash only”, try it at tipjar.nz.

Grievance procedure

Anyone affected by what we do can raise a concern: clients, the people who use what we build, the people who work with us, suppliers and our community.

How to raise one

• Use the Raise a concern form on our website. Name and email are optional, so you can stay anonymous.
• Or email info@xaver.co.nz.

What we accept

We accept any concern that something XAVER did, or failed to do, harmed you or treated you unfairly. That includes the quality of our work, how we treated you, pay or working terms, privacy and data, our impact on the community or the environment, and any breach of our own policies.

We don't treat everyday enquiries or support requests as grievances; we handle those as normal work. If we don't accept a concern, we tell you why.

Steps and deadlines

1. We acknowledge your concern within 2 working days of receiving it.
2. Within 10 working days of receiving it, we tell you whether we accept it and, if not, why.
3. We look at the facts, talk it through with you and agree how to put it right, aiming to resolve it within 30 working days of receiving it.
4. We confirm the outcome with you in writing and close it.

How we reach a resolution

The director handles every concern personally. We talk it through by call, meeting or email, whichever you prefer, and agree a remedy: correcting the work, a partial refund or credit, an apology, or a change in how we work. If the concern is about the director, or we can't agree, we offer mediation by an independent mediator accredited by the Resolution Institute, New Zealand's professional body for mediators.

Protection from retaliation

We want you to feel safe telling us when something is wrong. Retaliation is itself a breach of this procedure.

• You can raise a concern anonymously.
• We never share who raised a concern, or details that could identify them, without their consent.
• Raising a concern never affects a client's service, the work, pay or terms of someone who works with us, or a supplier's business with us.

Who is responsible

Xavier Perera, our director, is responsible for managing grievances: acknowledging each one, deciding whether to accept it, agreeing and delivering the resolution within the deadlines above (or arranging mediation where this procedure calls for it), recording every step, and preparing the annual summary.

Tracking and annual summary

Every concern and every step taken on it is recorded in our grievance register, with its status and subject. Each year we prepare a summary of the concerns raised, by status and by subject, with no names or identifying details, and review it with our other policies to check the procedure is working.

Keeping you informed

If you leave an email, we write to you at every step (received, accepted or not, resolved) with the outcome, and confirm when your concern is closed. Every step is recorded. If you want to stay anonymous and still hear back, use an email address that doesn't identify you.