Terms of Use

3. Coaching services

Description of Coaching

Coaching is a partnership (defined as an alliance, not a legal business partnership) between the Coach and the Client in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires the Client to maximize personal and/or professional potential. It is designed to facilitate the creation/development of personal, professional, or business goals and to develop and carry out a strategy/plan for achieving those goals.

3. Coaching services

Client-Coach relationship and mutual responsibilities

• Client is solely responsible for creating and implementing his/her own physical, mental, and emotional well-being, decisions, choices, actions and results arising out of or resulting from the coaching relationship and his/her coaching sessions and interactions with the Coach. As such, the Client agrees that the Coach is not and will not be liable or responsible for any actions or inaction, or for any direct or indirect result of any services provided by the Coach. The Client understands coaching is not therapy and does not substitute for therapy if needed, and does not prevent, cure, or treat any mental disorder or medical disease.
• The Client acknowledges that coaching is a comprehensive process that may involve different areas of his/her life, including work, finances, health, relationships, education, and recreation. The Client agrees that deciding how to handle these issues, incorporating coaching principles into those areas and implementing choices is exclusively the Client’s responsibility.
• Client acknowledges that coaching does not involve the diagnosis or treatment of mental disorders as defined by the American Psychiatric Association and that coaching is not to be used as a substitute for counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, or other professional advice by legal, medical or other qualified professionals and that it is the Client’s exclusive responsibility to seek such independent professional guidance as needed. If the Client is currently under the care of a mental health professional, it is recommended that the Client promptly inform the mental health care provider of the nature and extent of the coaching relationship agreed upon by the Client and the Coach.
• The Client understands that to enhance the coaching relationship, the Client agrees to communicate honestly, be open to feedback and assistance and to create the time and energy to participate fully in the program.
• The Coach commits to not solicit the Client outside of the scheduled sessions for other purposes than scheduling the coaching sessions.

3. Coaching services

Procedure

• Levels of Coaches

  There are four levels of Coaches on the platform, who have different areas of focus / specialization:

  • Trainee Coach - Trainee Coaches are in the process of completing or have recently completed their coach training (that must be recognized by the International Coaching Federation, the "ICF", or an equivalent organization) but feel that they need more experience prior to practicing as a professional Coach. By selecting a Trainee Coach as part of the booking process, the Client agrees to be coached by a trainee and/or a junior Coach in exchange for paying an affordable fee of USD 130 for 4 sessions or USD 200 for 8 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes.

  • Associate Coach - Associate Coaches are experienced professionals certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) at the ACC level (100 to 500 hours of coaching practice) or either hold an equivalent certification from an internationally recognized accreditation body or showcase a comparable level of expertise.

  • Advanced Coach - Advanced Coaches are experienced professionals certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) at the PCC level (500 to 2,500 hours of coaching practice) or hold an equivalent certification from an internationally recognized accreditation body.

  • Master Coach - Master Coaches are experienced professionals certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) at the MCC level (more than 2,500 hours of coaching practice) or hold an equivalent certification from an internationally recognized accreditation body.

  Please be aware that the level of a Coach (trainee, associate, advanced, master) may not necessarily correspond to the overall level of non-coaching experience. For instance, there are Associate Coaches who have held positions as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, yet maintain an associate level of coaching experience.
  If you are unsure about which Coach to choose, please contact us. Our friendly team will be more than happy to assist you to find a Coach that best suits your needs.

• Scheduling and time of sessions
  

  Coaches and Trainee Coaches are required to offer a 30-minute free introduction to all clients in order to confirm the fit. Following the free introduction, all coaching sessions between the Coach (or Trainee Coach) and the client must be booked through the CoachBase Platform. No coaching sessions can be booked without using the online booking tool of the Platform. The time of the coaching sessions will be selected by the Client through the Platform as part of the booking process. The time is deemed as confirmed upon booking confirmation by the Client (auto-acceptance principle based on availabilities pre-set by the Coach or Trainee Coach from his/her profile section). If the origination of coaching relationship between a Coach (or Trainee Coach) and a Client arises following an introductory session booked or organised by the platform, any subsequent coaching sessions between the Coach (or Trainee Coach) and the Client must be exclusively reserved through CoachBase platform. It is strictly prohibited for Coaches (or Trainee Coaches) to solicit clients who have been referred to them by CoachBase, or encourage them to use your services without using the booking system of the platform. Failure to comply with these conditions gives CoachBase the right to take legal action, which may result in penalties and/or the obligation to pay damages to the platform.

  In undertaking to see the Coach for coaching, the Client is committing to meet the Coach at the agreed times.
  The Coach will be ready at the appointed time. If the Client arrives late for any reasons the session will finish at the appointed time.

  Establishing contact prior to the session:
  For a smoother experience, the Coach is encouraged to reach out to the Client after a session is booked and before the actual session takes place. This contact aims to establish a connection, confirm the communication channel, and provide connection details for the session if necessary (e.g., for Zoom, Google Meet, etc.), especially if it’s the first session.

• Contact channel for the online sessions
  

  By default, the coaching sessions are conducted online.

  The communication channel for the coaching sessions (online, via video or audio) is selected by the Client during the booking process among the different options proposed:

  • WeChat - If this option is selected, Clients will need to provide their WeChat.
  • Google Meet - If this option is proposed to the Client and selected, the Client will be receiving a Google Meet conference link and related details as part of the booking confirmation to their registered email. Please note that this option is proposed only if the Coach has connected their Google Meet account to their account on the Platform.
  • Zoom – If this option is proposed to the Client and selected, the Client will be receiving a Zoom conference link and related details as part of the booking confirmation to their registered email. Please note that this option is proposed only if the Coach has connected their Zoom account to their account on the Platform.
  • Skype – If this option is selected, Clients will need to provide their Skype ID.
  • WhatsApp – If this option is selected, Clients will need to provide their WhatsApp.
  • Other – If this option is selected, the Client will be asked to document their preferred communication channel in a free text box providing the connection details. This will be an arrangement to be mutually agreed between the Coach and the Client.

  We request Coaches who are registered on the Platform to be at least equipped with Zoom or Google Meet.

  The Coach will endeavor to create a safe and confidential learning environment for the Client.

  If the geographical proximity allows, the Coach and the Client may mutually agree offline to meet face to face for the session (in compliance with local safety measures related to Covid-19 in your respective locations).

  CoachBase cannot be held responsible for technical problems related to the chosen web conferencing solution, nor for mishaps due to physical meetings agreed between the Coach and the client. It is the mutual responsibility of the Coach and the Client to ensure, prior to the start of the session, that the chosen web conferencing solution or venue works for both and that both Coach and Client have a good internet connection before proceeding with the session. If you experience a problem, please contact us immediately so that we can determine if you are entitled to a refund.

3. Coaching services

Trainee Coach offering

CoachBase provides opportunities to Trainee Coaches to practice with Clients and for our Clients to experience the power of coaching at an affordable fee of USD 130 for 4 sessions or USD 200 for 8 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes.

Trainee Coaches are in the process of completing or have recently completed their coach training but feel that they need more experience prior to practicing as a professional Coach.

By selecting a Trainee Coach as part of the booking process, the Client agrees to be coached by a trainee and/or a junior Coach in exchange for paying an affordable fee of USD 130 for 4 sessions or USD 200 for 8 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes.

By enabling the Trainee Coach Offering from their profile section, Coaches are committing to deliver 60 min per session to external Clients at a fixed fee of USD 130 for 4 sessions or USD 200 for 8 sessions. Please contact us to disable that option should you decide to stop with Trainee Coach Offering.

3. Coaching services

Packaged sessions

The Client may subscribe a package that would comprise a certain number of sessions to be used with the same Coach.

Packages need to be used within 120 days from subscription date. They cannot be cancelled however sessions can be rescheduled within the 120 days from the subscription date.

The Coach will take leaves during the year and will inform the Client well in advance about his/her absence when possible.

3. Coaching services

Peer-to-Peer services (for Coaches only)

CoachBase Platform offers peer-to-peer coaching services.

Each series is composed of:

• 4 * 60 min weekly sessions with a peer Coach (including 5-10 min feedback)
• 4 * 60 min weekly sessions with a peer Client (including 5-10 min feedback)

In joining peer-to-peer coaching series, you are agreeing to:

• Coach in a manner which reflects your coaching training and/or certification and upholds the internal coaching bodies code of ethics, including but not limited to maintaining confidentiality of ALL (peer) Client information and avoiding and/or making your (peer) Client aware of any potential conflicts of interest.
• Receive the required number of sessions specified in the series from your assigned Coach with genuine willingness/need, and to expect only coaching (as opposed to consulting, mentoring, counselling or any other form of non-coaching support) from your assigned Coach.
• Give the required number of sessions specified in the series to your assigned Client and treat your assigned Client as you would for a normal, fee-paying Client, although you may include the sessions you give as a Coach in your Client coaching hours log, this is not your main motivation for participation.
• Understand that although CoachBase platform does its best to make favourable matches for all participants, Coaches may not always be matched with peers having similar experiences.
• Be available for 100% of the series in order to complete both peer Coach and peer Client sessions on a weekly basis and maintain ongoing momentum (unless agreed otherwise with your peer).
• Schedule your 4 * 60 minutes sessions (for 1 series) with your assigned matches within one week upon receiving notices of your assignments (this is the peer Client’s responsibility to contact and schedule the session with his/her peer Coach).
• Leave feedback on your peer Coaches using the online system and without compromising confidentiality.
• Give permission for your reciprocal peers to leave feedback for you (only visible to you and the Platform).
• Agree to suspend judgment of your peers, including your coach and the methods he/she uses to coach you, and remain open-minded, flexible and dedicated to appreciate the reciprocal benefit of the partnership. However, if you genuinely feel that you and your partner do not have a good fit, you may end coaching at any time by contacting us via email at info@coachbase.io. under the agreement that you are willing to complete the remaining hours with a different partner or will provide a substitute Reciprocal Peer Coaching.
• Complete the required number of hours in both reciprocal roles, with the understanding that if for any reason a reciprocal relationship ends prior to the completion of the required number of sessions, should either party wish to complete the sessions with another partner, both will be required to do so and will be automatically placed into a new series and assigned new matches for the remaining sessions.
• Provide your peer with at least 2 hours’ notice should you need to cancel/re-schedule a session If you fail to arrive for a scheduled session, please cancel and then reschedule a new session in agreement with your peer (only possible up to 2 hours prior to the start of a session,). If you encounter any issue, please do not hesitate to contact us via email at info@coachbase.io.
• Give permission for your reciprocal peers to automatically include your details (i.e. name, contact details such as email and phone, dates of coaching) in their Client coaching hours log for certification/credentialing purposes.
• Ask permission to your reciprocal peer should you wish to record the session for certification/credentialing purposes.
• Agree to contact us immediately at info@coachbase.io should you feel at any point of time that any of the above terms and conditions have been compromised by any peer Coaching participants.
• Understand that if you breach any of the above terms and conditions, your peer-to-peer coaching subscription may be cancelled and future subscriptions may not be reinstated.
• Forgo the giving and receiving of hours without refund, should you withdraw from a round after the round closes and matching has taken place; and
• Engage in mentoring or supervision if you experience repeated difficulty in coaching rounds or if more than one peer reports difficulty working with you.

4. Payment, rescheduling and cancellation of sessions

Payments made by Clients

Prices of coaching session on the Platform are determined by the Coach (at the exception of the Trainee Coach offer where prices are fixed). Prices are displayed in USD.

Payments on the Platform are made via our secured payment solution provider; Stripe (https://www.stripe.com). A service charge is paid by the Client as part of the booking process.

Please note that value-added tax (e.g., VAT) may already be included in the posted price of coaching sessions on the Platform that the Client pays (it is the responsibility of each Coach to include and declare value-added tax to their respective local tax authority where their business is registered, not to the Platform). The Platform does not charge any value-added tax for the booking of a Coach by a Client.

4. Payment, rescheduling and cancellation of sessions

Payments released to Coaches

• Payment release process to Coaches

  Client payments on CoachBase are requested upfront as part of the booking process. We, as a Platform, are coordinating the payment process and making sure that the coaching session has been completed before releasing the payment to the Coach. Please note that payments for packaged sessions are time prorated and released progressively to guarantee the good functioning of the Platform. Payments are released into the Coach’s bank account 10 business days following the completion of a Client session.

  CoachBase takes a commission of 30% (apart from the service charge paid by the client), on sessions booked through the Online Coach Directory. Additionally, if you meet a client’s needs, we can personally recommend you and we can also include you in our coaching programs with businesses and organizations (at the discretion of CoachBase). Please note that sessions referred, or generated through our coaching programs with businesses and organizations, are subject to a separate contract.

  Although booking currencies are displayed in USD, the actual transaction amount will be processed in your bank account’s local currency, with the conversion handled by our payment providers Stripe, Payoneer.com, or the bank, function of how your account is setup. The conversion fee will be the responsibility of the Coach.

• Stripe account and fees

  An account with Stripe may be necessary for a Coach to offer their services on the Platform and receive client payments (the creation of a Stripe account can be simply done from your Coach profile). Stripe payout fees apply (https://stripe.com/en-sg/connect/pricing) subject to update without notice:

  • +0.25% of payout amount + 0.50 cents per payout
  • 2 USD (or equivalent) per month debited from your Stripe account if active (i.e. if any client payouts)

  Please note that, depending on their locations, Coach(es) may not be able to be onboarded on Stripe (link). We are offering manual payment solution alternatives for these countries via Payoneer.com or bank transfer.

• Tax obligations

  While Stripe is sending card payment receipts to Clients upon payment, collecting value added tax (e.g. VAT, GST, etc.) from Clients, paying value added tax and other income/corporate taxes to local tax authorities is the responsibility of each Coach. Hence, we request Coaches to include their value added tax in their service pricing if such taxes are applicable for them.

4. Payment, rescheduling and cancellation of sessions

Rescheduling and cancellation

Clients:

• Clients have the flexibility to reschedule or cancel their session up to 24 hours before its commencement (excluding non-cancellable packages, which can only be rescheduled within 120 days). Kindly be aware that rescheduling or canceling within 24 hours of the scheduled start time will result in a penalty of 25% of the payment. For complimentary introductory sessions, a fee of 10 USD will be incurred for cancellations, rescheduling within 24 hours, or no-show occurrences.
• They can do so by clicking on the rescheduling/cancellation link provided in the booking confirmation sent to their registered email.
• Note that rescheduling and cancellation via this link are mandatory for smooth processing. A session that has not been rescheduled or canceled is considered to have taken place. CoachBase has no control over rescheduling and cancellations done outside the Platform (or by not using the booking confirmation email link). Rescheduling or canceling is free of charge if done 24 hours before the start of the session. In case of cancellation at their initiative, Clients will be reimbursed fully minus the service charge (3.99% + 0.5 cents). Please note that, if you have manually added the initial coaching session to your local calendars (e.g. Yahoo!, Outlook, Gmail), cancellations and rescheduling of these sessions will not be auto-reflected in your calendars. To reflect them, you would need to update your local calendars manually.
• We regret that postponement and cancellation 2 hours before the start of the session is not possible. In the event that a client fails to show up for their scheduled session, the entire payment for the session will be forfeited.

Coaches:

• Coaches have the possibility to cancel any time prior to the start of the session.
• They can do so via the Platform by clicking on the cancellation button from their booking section.
• Note that cancellation via the platform is mandatory for smooth processing and that CoachBase is not responsible for any rescheduling and cancellation done outside the platform.
• In case of cancellation at the initiative of the Coach, the client will be reimbursed fully. The service charge paid by the client (3.99% + 0.5 cents) will be borne by the Coach.
• Coaches can request to reschedule a session up to 2 hours prior to its starting time by writing their Client to their registered email and asking them to reschedule themselves via the rescheduling cancellation link received in their booking confirmation email. Without a response from the Client/if the Client cannot/does not want to reschedule, Coaches are asked to cancel the session from their logged in session on the platform.

Lastly, if either the Client or the Coach does not arrive on time by the commencement of the session (a delay of +/- 5 minutes can be tolerated), not having already cancelled the session, it will be assumed that the other party is not coming.

• The full rate for the coaching session will be charge to the Client for a missed session by the Client. The Coach can attempt in good faith to offer flexibility for you to reschedule the missed session. In such a case, the rescheduling needs to take place offline, the Platform will not be responsible for this arrangement.
• If the Coach misses the session without notifying the Client, the Client should notify us immediately at info@coachbase.io for investigation. The Platform can then consider that the session is canceled at the initiative of the Coach and arrange a reimbursement for the Client. In this case, the service charge paid by the client (3.99% + 0.5 cents) will be borne by the Coach.

8. Account management (for Coaches only)

Benefits

• CoachBase Coaching Programs with Organizations

  Some Clients may contact us directly for a referral based on a specific need. If you meet a client’s needs, we may personally refer you and we may also include you in our coaching programs with businesses and organizations (subject to your profile eligibility and at CoachBase’s discretion). Please note that sessions referred, or generated by coaching programs with businesses and organizations are subject to a separate contract.

  • Direct lead (clients search and book directly from the Platform): commission of 30% (apart from the service charge paid by client)
  • We may personally refer you, and we may also include you in our coaching programs with organizations (subject to eligibility and at CoachBase’s discretion). Please note that sessions generated with organizations are subject to an additional contract.

• Coach referral

  Coaches can refer other Coaches to us from their dashboard section.

• Publications

  If they wish to, Coaches can submit their publications to us. We will then proceed with a review and validation to ensure the article, video or event is in line with the Platform’s scope of services and quality standards. Upon validation, the publication will be made visible to the public on the Platform’s Website and/or social media, together with the name and the picture of the Coach who has submitted it and a link to his/her profile on the Platform. In order to enable us to manage volumes and storage, the duration of the publication made visible to the public will be at the Platform’s discretion.

  Submitted publications are stored by the Platform for an unlimited duration on a secured cloud database.

  If Coaches wish to withdraw, amend or delete a publication stored by us, they can do so by contacting us at: info@coachbase.io.

8. Account management (for Coaches only)

Right to suspend or cancel user account

We may permanently or temporarily terminate or suspend a Coach’s access to the service without notice and liability for any reason, including if in our sole determination the Coach violates any provision of these Terms or any applicable law or regulations. The Coach may discontinue use and request to close his/her account and/or any services at any time.

8. Account management (for Coaches only)

Offboarding

In case of account deletion, all upcoming bookings will be canceled (whether single sessions or packaged sessions) and reimbursed to the clients in an automated way. The service charge related to client reimbursement if any (3.99% + 0.5 cents) will be borne by the Coach and deducted from any remaining balance.

8. Account management (for Coaches only)

Inactive account

After 12 months of inactivity (i.e., if the coach does not log in to their dashboard within 12 months), the coach’s account will be permanently deleted. An email notification will be sent to the coach’s registered email upon deletion of the account.