Terms of Service

The nature, scope and location of the services — which may include protective intelligence, travel risk management, protective operations, crisis preparedness and related advisory work — are defined in the individual offer or assignment confirmation. That document takes precedence over general service descriptions.

WATCHMAN renders its services with the professional care, discretion and diligence expected of a specialist security provider. Unless expressly agreed otherwise, WATCHMAN owes the diligent performance of the agreed services, not a specific outcome or guaranteed result.

WATCHMAN may engage qualified personnel and vetted subcontractors to deliver the services and remains the Client’s single point of contract and responsibility.

Deployment windows, reporting times and the agreed place of performance are set out in the assignment confirmation. Unless agreed otherwise, the deployment period is calculated from the agreed reporting time at the agreed location until the Client releases the assigned personnel.

Each deployment is booked in defined units with a minimum engagement duration per the offer. Time spent on standby, on call or in transit at the Client’s instruction counts as deployment time.

Where an operational situation requires personnel to remain beyond the agreed window for the Client’s safety, the extension is billed at the applicable rate plus surcharges.

Changes to a confirmed engagement — scope, timing, location or personnel — must be requested in writing and are subject to availability. WATCHMAN will confirm feasibility and any resulting adjustment to fees before the change takes effect.

Cancellation of a confirmed engagement by the Client is subject to the following notice-based fees, calculated on the agreed engagement value:

• More than 48 hours before the agreed start: free of charge.
• Between 24 and 48 hours before the start: 50% of the agreed engagement value.
• Less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: 100% of the agreed engagement value.

Where performance is prevented by force majeure or events outside either party’s control, the affected obligations are suspended for the duration of the event; third-party costs already incurred remain payable.

Fees follow the rates stated in the offer or assignment confirmation. Unless stated otherwise, all amounts are quoted in Swiss francs (CHF) and are exclusive of statutory value-added tax (VAT) and disbursements.

Documented expenses — travel, accommodation, equipment and authorised third-party costs — are billed at cost. Invoices are payable net within 14 days of the invoice date without deduction, unless a different term is agreed in writing.

Justified objections to an invoice must be raised in writing within 14 days of receipt; otherwise the invoice is deemed accepted. Late payment accrues default interest at the statutory rate.

The following surcharges apply to the base rate where the engagement falls within the relevant period or condition, unless an all-inclusive rate is expressly agreed:

• Night hours (22:00–06:00): surcharge per the offer.
• Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays at the place of performance.
• Short-notice engagements confirmed less than 24 hours before the start.
• Operations in elevated- or high-risk environments as assessed by WATCHMAN.

Applicable surcharges are itemised in the offer and on the invoice. Where several surcharges apply to the same hours, they are combined unless the offer states otherwise.

For new client relationships, engagements abroad and engagements above a defined value, WATCHMAN may require an advance payment or a retainer before deployment. The agreed advance is set off against the final invoice.

WATCHMAN may further require an appropriate security or deposit to cover anticipated third-party and equipment costs. Deployment is conditional on timely receipt of the agreed advance or security.

If due payments are not received, WATCHMAN may suspend or decline performance until payment is made, without prejudice to the cancellation provisions above.

Open-ended engagements may be terminated by either party in writing, observing the notice period stated in the service agreement. Fixed-term engagements end on expiry of the agreed term.

Either party may terminate the agreement for good cause with immediate effect — in particular a material breach that remains uncured after written notice, or circumstances that make continued performance unreasonable, including a credible threat to the safety of personnel.

On termination, services rendered and costs incurred up to the effective date remain payable. Obligations of confidentiality, data protection and any agreed post-engagement duties survive termination.

These Terms are governed by Swiss law. The exclusive place of jurisdiction for all disputes is Zürich, Switzerland, subject to any mandatory statutory venue.