Updated: May 14, 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern all services provided by Patten Consulting, LLC ("Service Provider," "we," "our," or "us") to any client ("Client," "you"). By signing a proposal, executing a Statement of Work (SOW), or submitting payment, you agree to be bound by these Terms.
By engaging our services, the Client agrees to:
Each SOW or Proposal forms part of this agreement. Verbal understandings and informal communications do not modify this agreement.
Platform Flexibility: Deliverables may be developed using the platforms or tools specified in the SOW, or their equivalents, at Service Provider's discretion. This includes, but is not limited to: Google Sheets or equivalent, Vapi or equivalent, n8n/Zapier/Make or equivalent.
Services may include, without limitation:
Tools and platforms are subject to change if technical feasibility, cost, or performance so requires. Equivalent substitutes will be provided to meet or exceed project goals.
All changes to the approved scope—including added features, revised requirements, platform changes, or timeline extensions—require a signed change order.
Change Orders must be:
Work performed outside the original scope will be billed at the standard hourly rate of $250/hour unless otherwise agreed. This includes:
We reserve the right to pause or deny work outside of scope until:
Client agrees to:
Delays caused by the Client (e.g., lack of access, slow feedback) may:
For in-person sessions, Client is responsible for providing:
A/V setup and room logistics must be confirmed with Elevate Online no later than 5 business days before the session. If adequate A/V or room setup is unavailable on the session date due to Client's failure to arrange it, the session proceeds as-is or is rescheduled by mutual agreement. No refund is issued for Client-side technical or logistical failures.
For group sessions with per-participant or capacity-limited pricing, Client must confirm final participant headcount no later than 5 business days before the session date. Participants above the confirmed maximum are subject to overage fees as specified in the applicable SOW. Failure to confirm headcount by this deadline does not entitle Client to a price reduction if fewer participants attend.
All delivery timelines are estimates and contingent on Client meeting responsibilities. We are not responsible for delays due to:
Services may be paused or access withheld if payment is more than 5 days overdue.
Client-initiated cancellation — 14 or more days before scheduled session: All deposits paid are non-refundable. Client may reschedule to a mutually available date one (1) time at no additional charge. Rescheduled sessions are subject to this same cancellation policy.
Client-initiated cancellation — fewer than 14 days before scheduled session: All payments made to date are forfeited. No reschedule option is available. By this point, Elevate Online has completed intake preparation, allocated dedicated calendar time, and may have declined other engagements.
Reschedule requests within 48 hours of a scheduled session: One courtesy reschedule will be granted. Subsequent reschedule requests within 48 hours of a session are subject to a $250 reschedule fee.
Provider-initiated cancellation: If Elevate Online cancels for any reason other than Client's breach of this agreement, Client will receive a full refund of all payments made. Elevate Online's liability is limited to that refund.
Travel expenses for in-person sessions outside of the Richmond, VA metro area are billed at cost and itemized separately. Travel requirements and estimated costs will be disclosed in the applicable SOW prior to signing. Client is responsible for all reasonable travel expenses including transportation, lodging, and meals, unless otherwise specified in the SOW.
Where session recording is included as a deliverable, recordings will be delivered within 48 hours of session completion. Recordings are for Client's internal use only. Client may share recordings internally with employees and contractors but may not distribute recordings publicly, post them online, or use them for commercial purposes without Elevate Online's written consent.
Both parties agree to keep confidential any proprietary or sensitive information shared during this engagement, including but not limited to: business processes, customer data, pricing, technical specifications, internal tooling, and workflow details ("Confidential Information").
Client is responsible for:
Delivery of session-based engagements depends on third-party platforms (primarily Anthropic's Claude) being available and performing normally. If a platform experiences an outage or significant degradation on a scheduled session date:
Elevate Online does not control Anthropic's or any other platform's account, moderation, or enforcement policies. These platforms may, at their sole discretion, suspend, restrict, or terminate accounts — including accounts in active use during an engagement.
Elevate Online is not responsible for:
Elevate Online will provide reasonable guidance on available appeal processes but cannot guarantee any specific outcome or timeline.
Claude, MCP standards, and connected third-party tools are actively evolving. Features demonstrated or configured during an engagement may change, be deprecated, or behave differently after delivery. Elevate Online is not responsible for maintaining, updating, or troubleshooting deliverables after the engagement concludes. Ongoing change management is available through a separate engagement.
Neither party shall be liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God, natural disasters, pandemic, civil unrest, war, terrorism, labor disputes, power failures, internet outages, or third-party service disruptions.
The affected party shall notify the other promptly in writing and shall resume performance as soon as reasonably possible. If a force majeure event prevents performance for more than 30 consecutive days, either party may terminate the engagement with written notice. In that event, Client is entitled to a pro-rated refund of any pre-paid fees for services not yet delivered.
Either party may terminate with 30 days' written notice.
Immediate termination permitted for:
Upon termination, Client owes:
Project-based engagements do not include ongoing maintenance, support, or guaranteed availability after delivery. Software requires ongoing updates, security patches, and monitoring — these are not included in the original project scope.
Clients who require ongoing support, priority access, or guaranteed response times may enter into a separate Maintenance or Retainer Agreement. These agreements are scoped on a case-by-case basis depending on the complexity of the project and the level of support needed.
To learn more about why maintenance matters and how retainer agreements work, visit our maintenance & retainer information page.
By initiating payment, signing a proposal, or commencing the project, Client acknowledges:
Contact: nicole@elevateonline.com
Patten Consulting, LLC