Disputes are logged formally through the Ask Xylo chat on the client portal and routed directly to Operations & Client Services for investigation. Raising a dispute temporarily pauses work on contested milestones while the studio reviews the project brief, agreed deliverables, and production history.
When to raise a dispute
A dispute should be raised when an operational impasse occurs that cannot be resolved through standard revision cycles with your project lead. Standard revisions address aesthetic adjustments and straightforward iterations covered within your package or bespoke scope. A formal dispute is reserved for contractual or technical misalignment.
Valid grounds for raising a dispute include:
- Deliverable deviation: Work delivered by Creative or Technology contradicts the specifications detailed in your approved brief or bespoke quote.
- Scope divergence: Disagreement over whether a requested item constitutes an included revision, an out-of-scope addition, or an unfulfilled requirement.
- Timeline non-conformance: Significant project standstills that originate from the studio side rather than outstanding client feedback or assets.
- Billing discrepancies: Queries regarding bespoke quote figures, applied referral discounts, or scheduled stage payments.
Deposits are non-refundable once your production slot is held. Before work begins, sums not yet earned are refunded pro rata; after work begins, completed work and booked time are charged. Defects are fixed free of charge within the acceptance window. The full terms are on the Refund Policy page of the main site.
How to lodge a dispute
All formal escalations must be submitted through the Ask Xylo chat on this portal. Do not attempt to raise disputes via third-party messaging channels or social platforms, as these are not monitored for dispute governance.
To raise a dispute, submit a message containing the following details:
1. Reference numbers: State your active bespoke quote reference or project package name, along with any relevant invoice numbers. 2. The specific issue: Clearly define whether the issue sits within Technology, Creative, or billing and account management. 3. Evidence against the brief: Quote the exact section of the agreed brief or written specification that has not been met, alongside a direct description of what was delivered. 4. Proposed resolution: State the precise operational outcome required to resolve the issue (such as a technical remediation, brief realignment, or milestone extension).
Once submitted, the system marks the ticket as an active escalation.
Investigation and operational timeline
Xylora Studios operates Monday to Thursday, 09:00 to 17:00 GMT. Any dispute lodged outside these operational hours or on Fridays and weekends will enter the queue for the following working day.
- First reply target: Operations & Client Services will acknowledge your dispute ticket within 24 hours of receipt during operational hours.
- Internal audit: Operations will review the project thread, brief archives, and intermediate production files produced by Technology or Creative. The studio evaluates the work strictly against the written parameters established at project kick-off.
- Assessment findings: Within three working days of acknowledgment, the studio will provide a written evaluation via Ask Xylo outlining the technical or creative findings and the proposed course of action.
While an investigation is underway, work on uncontested, separate project tracks may continue if agreed by both parties. Contested deliverables will remain frozen until an agreed path is established.
Potential outcomes
Once Operations & Client Services concludes the review, the studio will proceed under one of the following determinations:
- Technical or Creative remediation: If the delivery falls short of the written brief, the department responsible will be instructed to rectify the work at no additional cost within an agreed turnaround window.
- Scope realignment: If the audit reveals that the requested output falls outside the initial brief or package specifications, the studio will issue a bespoke quote for the additional scope, provided within 48 hours of brief confirmation.
- Commercial settlement: If progress cannot proceed due to structural incompatibilities, the studio leadership will evaluate whether any exceptional concession or discretionary credit is appropriate under our sole discretion clause.
Where a referral discount (typically 10% to 30%) was applied on the original quote, any calculations or adjustments will be evaluated based on the net figure recorded on your approved invoice.
Failure cases and common pitfalls
Dispute investigations can stall or fail to reach an effective outcome if operational protocols are bypassed. Avoid the following:
- Unsubstantiated complaints: Broad dissatisfaction without reference to specific deliverables in the written brief prevents an operational audit from taking place.
- Premature chargebacks: Filing a payment dispute or chargeback with your bank immediately freezes your portal access, halts all studio production across all departments, and transitions the matter directly to formal collections.
- Withholding required assets: Ceasing to provide project assets or clarification questions requested by the dispute lead will suspend the review indefinitely.
Dispute submission checklist
Before submitting your message in the Ask Xylo chat, verify that you have assembled:
- Your project title and approved bespoke quote or package tier reference.
- Relevant invoice numbers tied to the contested stage of work.
- Direct citations from the written brief demonstrating the deliverable gap.
- Any relevant export files, screenshots, or logs illustrating the technical or design failure.
- A clear, concise summary of the operational remedy you are requesting.