This Privacy Policy explains how Ground Control Ventures LLC, doing business as GroundOps (“GroundOps,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information when you visit groundops.co, use our operations portal at app.groundops.co, use our mobile applications, communicate with us over WhatsApp (including via the WhatsApp Business Platform / Cloud API connected to our Meta Business account), or otherwise interact with our restaurant cleaning and facility maintenance services.
By using our websites, apps, WhatsApp messaging channels, or services, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our services.
1. Who we are
GroundOps is a restaurant cleaning and maintenance company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. We provide nightly cleaning, hood and exhaust service, grease trap programs, deep cleans, preventive maintenance, and related operations software for multi-location restaurant groups.
- Legal entity: Ground Control Ventures LLC
- Trade name: GroundOps
- Email: info@groundops.co
- Phone: (323) 499-3149
- Mail: Los Angeles, CA, United States
2. Information we collect
Information you provide
- Contact and inquiry details — name, email, phone number, restaurant or group name, number of locations, message content, and other details you submit through forms, email, phone, text, or chat.
- Account information — name, email address, password, role (client, vendor/subcontractor, or admin), company affiliation, and profile settings when you register for or use our portal or mobile apps.
- Business and vendor details — legal business name, DBA, entity type, tax identifiers (such as EIN), insurance certificates, W-9 information, banking details for payouts, and related compliance documents.
- Service and operations data — work order details, location addresses and access notes, schedules, quotes, invoices, chat messages, notes, checklists, completion photos, and support tickets.
- WhatsApp messaging data — WhatsApp phone numbers, message content (text, images, videos, documents, and other media), message timestamps, delivery and read status, opt-in / opt-out records, and related WhatsApp Business Account metadata when you message us or when we message you through WhatsApp with your consent. See Section 5 for details.
- Payment information — billing contact details and payment method information. Card and bank details are processed by our payment processor (Stripe) and are not stored on GroundOps servers in full.
Information collected automatically
- Device and log data — IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, app version, referring URLs, pages viewed, and timestamps.
- Usage data — how you interact with our websites, portal, and apps (for example, features used, clicks, and session activity).
- Cookies and similar technologies — cookies, local storage, and similar tools used for authentication, preferences, security, and basic site performance. We do not currently run third-party advertising pixels on groundops.co.
Information from third parties
We may receive information from payment processors, authentication and hosting providers, email and messaging providers (including Meta / WhatsApp), insurance or compliance verification services, and other vendors you or your organization authorize us to work with.
3. How we use information
We use personal information to:
- Provide, operate, and improve our cleaning, maintenance, and software services
- Respond to inquiries and schedule site walks or service visits
- Create and manage user accounts, roles, and permissions
- Dispatch vendors, coordinate access, and document completed work
- Generate quotes, invoices, and payment requests; process payments and payouts
- Send transactional messages (service updates, invoices, password resets, notifications), including over WhatsApp where you have opted in
- Receive and process WhatsApp messages and media (for example, job photos or status updates) into our operations portal so our team can manage work orders
- Communicate about our services, with your consent where required
- Detect, prevent, and investigate fraud, abuse, and security incidents
- Comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations
- Analyze aggregated usage to improve reliability and product experience
4. How we share information
We do not sell personal information. We do not sell WhatsApp messaging data. We may share information with:
- Service providers who help us operate our business, including hosting (for example, Vercel), authentication and database services (for example, Firebase / Google Cloud), payment processing (Stripe), email and SMS providers, Meta Platforms, Inc. / WhatsApp (for WhatsApp Business messaging), and analytics or error-monitoring tools.
- Clients, vendors, and authorized users as needed to fulfill work orders — for example, sharing a location address and scope with an assigned technician, or sharing completion photos and invoice details with a client.
- Professional advisors such as lawyers, accountants, and insurers, under confidentiality obligations.
- Authorities and legal recipients when required by law, court order, or to protect rights, safety, and property.
- Business transfers in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections.
5. WhatsApp Business messaging
GroundOps uses the WhatsApp Business Platform (including the WhatsApp Cloud API) through our Meta Business Suite / Meta for Developers account to connect WhatsApp with our operations portal at app.groundops.co. This lets our team send and receive business messages related to restaurant cleaning and facility maintenance — for example, work-order updates, scheduling confirmations, vendor coordination, photo documentation of completed jobs, and customer support.
WhatsApp data we collect and process
- Your WhatsApp phone number and display name (if provided)
- Message content you send to or receive from GroundOps on WhatsApp, including text and media (photos, videos, documents, audio)
- Message metadata such as timestamps, message IDs, delivery / read status, and conversation identifiers
- Opt-in and opt-out records showing that you consented (or withdrew consent) to receive WhatsApp messages from GroundOps
- Technical logs needed to deliver, troubleshoot, and secure the WhatsApp integration
How we use WhatsApp data
We use WhatsApp messaging data only to operate our business communications and related portal workflows, including:
- Responding to customer, client, and vendor messages
- Sending service-related notifications after you opt in (for example, job status, scheduling, and documentation requests)
- Attaching inbound WhatsApp photos and messages to the relevant work order or location record in our portal
- Maintaining conversation history needed to provide continuity of service and support
- Complying with Meta / WhatsApp policies and applicable law
We do not use WhatsApp messaging data to sell ads, build unrelated marketing profiles for third parties, or sell your data to data brokers.
Consent and opt-out
Where required by WhatsApp / Meta policy, we obtain affirmative opt-in before sending business-initiated WhatsApp messages. Opt-in identifies GroundOps, describes the types of messages you may receive, and records the WhatsApp phone number you provide. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP (or another clear opt-out instruction) or by contacting us at info@groundops.co. We retain consent records as needed to demonstrate compliance.
Meta / WhatsApp as a platform
WhatsApp messaging is provided by Meta Platforms, Inc. and its affiliates. When you use WhatsApp to communicate with us, Meta / WhatsApp also process information under their own terms and privacy policies. GroundOps receives WhatsApp data through Meta’s APIs solely to provide the business messaging and portal integration described above.
6. Payments
Payments are processed by Stripe. When you save a payment method or pay an invoice, Stripe collects and processes payment details under its own privacy policy. GroundOps receives limited payment metadata (such as payment status, last four digits, and billing contact information) needed to reconcile invoices and manage accounts.
7. Data retention
We retain personal information for as long as needed to provide services, maintain business records, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and meet legal, tax, and insurance requirements. Retention periods vary by record type. WhatsApp message content and related media are retained as long as needed to support active work orders, customer service, and compliance, then deleted or de-identified where reasonably practicable. Consent / opt-in records may be retained longer to demonstrate compliance with Meta WhatsApp messaging rules. When information is no longer needed, we delete or de-identify it where reasonably practicable.
8. Security
We use administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls, and secure cloud infrastructure. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. Your choices and rights
Depending on your location, you may have rights to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate information
- Request deletion of information, subject to legal and operational exceptions
- Request a portable copy of information you provided
- Opt out of marketing communications (transactional service messages may still be sent)
- Opt out of WhatsApp messages by replying STOP or contacting us
- Object to or restrict certain processing, where applicable
To exercise these rights, email info@groundops.co. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.
10. California privacy notice
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA) may provide additional rights, including the right to know, delete, and correct personal information, and the right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
Categories of personal information we may collect include identifiers (name, email, phone, WhatsApp number), commercial information (service and billing records), internet or electronic activity (app and site usage), professional or employment-related information (for vendors and staff), and audiovisual information (job photos and documentation, including media received via WhatsApp). We collect these categories for the business purposes described above.
11. Children’s privacy
Our services are designed for businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or under 16 where applicable). If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
12. International visitors
Our services are operated from the United States. If you access them from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries where our service providers (including Meta / WhatsApp) operate.
13. Third-party links
Our websites or apps may link to third-party sites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. Review their policies before providing personal information.
14. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page will change when we do. Material changes may also be communicated by email or in-product notice where appropriate. Continued use of our services after an update means you accept the revised policy.
15. Contact us
Questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices:
- Email: info@groundops.co
- Phone: (323) 499-3149
- Company: Ground Control Ventures LLC (d/b/a GroundOps), Los Angeles, CA
- Privacy Policy URL for Meta / WhatsApp: https://www.groundops.co/privacy