Your questions answered.
The FAQ for your community app.

Yes, you get a real iOS and Android app, plus a web app for use in the browser (on a PC/Mac). A “real” app means a genuine, native app – not just a progressive web app (PWA). Your own app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play as usual.

Yes, the app is 100% compliant with the GDPR & data protection law. See “How is members’ data protected?”

In short: Because it gives your users added value they wouldn’t have without the app.

In detail: The average smartphone user in Germany has 66 apps installed. So apps are a real success story. Why? One big advantage is push notifications. They let you reach your members faster and more directly than ever before, and your members can also communicate with each other in real time.

• People install apps to try them out or because they’ve been recommended. They stay on the phone if they offer the user added value. Your app will definitely deliver that added value, because it offers features and content that didn’t exist before. These are:
• Interaction: with the app, members don’t just read information – they can get involved themselves: write posts, like, comment, share and much more.
• Posts from others: in the app, users find content they can’t read anywhere else – above all, posts by other users written specifically for the app.
• Push or email? Unlike with email, users can control exactly which topics they want to read posts about and which they don’t.
• With the search function, they can find members by lots of different categories, e.g. by location, industry, company, hobbies and much more.
• A map shows them all the members near them
• In the events calendar, they can create events themselves and also see events by others, e.g. from other local or district clubs. That means they see far more events than before – on other channels such as WhatsApp, the individual local clubs are usually much more separated from each other, and “looking beyond your own patch” is harder to organise.
• Under Documents, they’ll find a well-structured overview of all the important documents – both official club documents and documents from other members.
• In their profile settings, they can keep their own details up to date without having to write to the head office.
• New contacts: because it’s an association’s official app, the club or association will usually promote it heavily – so users find more members there than on other platforms.

The bottom line: Be bold and launch your own app with real added value – with us, you’ll pull it off, and your members will thank you for it!

By the way: the app doesn’t just reach the members who have actually downloaded and use it – it reaches ALL members. You can run a member import and set the app up so that it keeps all members informed about news from time to time – the classic way, automatically by email. That way, you also reach members who haven’t downloaded the app (yet).

If you’re worried you’ll need to hire someone just to handle moderation: no, you won’t. We specialise in associations, and associations usually have limited staff. Our app is designed with that in mind. Most tasks are automated or taken care of by us, namely:

1. Approving users: of course you want to make sure only members use the app. This can be automated in two ways: either via a member import at the start of the project, or via an encrypted invitation code that you send out to your members.
2. Writing posts: thanks to our email interface, this step is automated too. Any information that goes out to your members by email (circulars, newsletters and much more) can automatically appear in the app as well. You can write posts specifically for the app, but you don’t have to. Your members will provide extra content anyway.
3. Moderating content: the app we develop becomes your official association app. Thanks to the real-name policy, set netiquette rules and much more, the tone in these official association apps is different from typical WhatsApp or Facebook groups. You should certainly keep an eye on what’s happening in your app from time to time, but you don’t need to read every post – let alone comment on every one.

We asked our customers – on average, they invest a maximum of 1–2 hours of one employee’s time per week. So the effort is very manageable.

We currently have 12 employees and we’re growing steadily.

Here’s a selection of our customers.

We support clubs and associations of all kinds and all age groups. Our statistics show that older members use the app actively too. Some older members do need a bit of technical support – but firstly, that’s exactly what we’re here for. Secondly, older users have an advantage over younger ones: they have more time and more to tell, and they do just that. What’s more, bringing the app to life is a one-off task. Once you’ve done it, it starts to take on a momentum of its own. We work closely with you throughout this network-building phase.

These “big” platforms are good for public relations – but only of limited use for reaching your own members. Why?

• These platforms are loud and busy: your posts often get lost in the flood of other messages.
• WhatsApp works well for small groups. But it isn’t suitable for groups with 200, 500 or 1,000 members. The app also offers far more features than WhatsApp.
• On LinkedIn, Facebook and co., you have no ownership of your members’ data – on your own app, you do. That means you can also send important information (via the app) to everyone by email.
• Our customers promote their own app more than their LinkedIn channel or similar, so – after a while – you’ll reach significantly more members via the app than on social media.

The app we develop becomes your official association app. Thanks to the real-name policy, set netiquette rules and much more, the tone in these official association apps is different from typical WhatsApp or Facebook groups. In 6 years of company history, we’ve had to delete a post fewer than 5 times. If someone posts something that doesn’t belong in the app or is simply factually wrong, the community usually sorts it out itself – several members tend to respond with a “counter-argument” straight away. And if something ever does need deleting, you or we can do it very easily. But that almost never happens.

The app has the following features:

• NEWS: users see news from various group chats. Admins can also pin posts there so they stay at the top for a set time.
• GROUP CHATS: admins can create as many group chats as they like. There are open, closed and semi-open group chats (joining on request). Lots of other settings are available for the groups.
• SEARCH: users can find other users by lots of different criteria (name, role, membership, location, postcode, country, industry, company, profession, interests, education etc.). The search can also cover every other area of the app (documents, events, posts and much more).
• MAP: the app offers a map of the members and of the sub-organisations.
• EVENTS: admins can create events. Users can create events too, although admins can restrict this if they wish. Users can also accept or decline directly in the app, add guests and much more.
• DOCUMENTS: admins and users can upload and download all kinds of documents, create folders and assign permissions.
• CONTACTS, CONTACT REQUESTS AND PRIVATE MESSAGES: users can add other users as contacts and send them private messages.
• PROFILE SETTINGS: users can keep their own master data up to date, which takes this work off the club’s or association’s hands entirely – or at least makes it much easier.

Typical channels such as emails, newsletters, websites or print magazines are purely for information, with very few interactive elements. We call this “take-it-or-leave-it” communication. With the app, members can not only read information but also write their own posts, like, share, comment and much more – in lots of different open or closed group chats. These group chats are either set up by the admins or created by the users themselves.

This makes it easier for members to interact – and in some scenarios, the app is what makes interaction possible in the first place.

The app is also integrated into the association’s IT landscape. We’ll be happy to show you exactly how that works in a live demo.

DEMO:

Yes, you can try our demo version here: https://www.connact.app/live-demo. This “Connact app” demo is free. When we actually work together, though, you won’t get a “Connact app” – you’ll get your own app for your association, with your name, logo, corporate identity etc. – see below.

TRIAL PERIOD:

We’ll be happy to build your finished app for you, looking exactly as it will when it goes live. You can then use it during a trial period. Just get in touch to discuss the terms.

The data is stored in Germany on German servers (currently with Hetzner, one of the best-known and most secure hosting providers in Germany) and encrypted using various methods – for transport encryption, for example, we use SSL.

We give you the complete GDPR package – which means the data is protected to the highest standard, both technically and legally. Technical measures: hosting in Germany on German servers (currently with Hetzner, one of the best-known and most secure hosting providers in Germany), SSL encryption, data encryption, IP blocking after too many failed login attempts, strong password requirements, logging and much more.

Legal measures: a data processing agreement between you and us, terms and conditions, privacy policy, cyber insurance and much more.

We work closely with the IT consultancy https://www.bridge4it.de/, which regularly checks our systems for vulnerabilities and advises us on IT security.

There are 3 different ways to do this:

1. Member import: we create an account with an email address and password for every user (based on the data you give us for the import).
2. Registration with an encrypted invitation code: we generate one or more encrypted invitation codes for your members. They enter one of these codes to validate their membership.
3. Manual registration: your members request an account in your app, you check their membership and then approve them. In large associations, sub-organisations such as local, district, regional or state associations get their own access to the admin area so they can approve their members.

Yes, you can create your own group chats and private messages.

Yes, all document types (videos, images, PDFs, Word, Excel etc.) can be uploaded and stored in different folders, including closed/protected folders. There’s also a change history showing who uploaded, downloaded or edited which file.

Yes, there is. It also searches the content of all documents. That means you can upload all your minutes, member magazines, newsletters and much more, and users can search all of these documents for a keyword in one click.

Yes, our feedback and statistics show that the app is intuitive and can be used by every age group. Plenty of older users use our customers’ apps regularly and write posts there too. And if anyone does have a question, there are simple ways to get in touch, e.g. via chat or our hotline.

Very easily, especially with your information channels – for example via our email interface and our website interface. With a little extra effort, the app can also be connected to your membership management system.

Yes, definitely – the app is customised for every customer. You get your own app with your association’s name, your logo, your corporate identity and so on. On top of that, you can make all sorts of adjustments: Which features? Which colours? Which menu items? What should they be called? Who can see which groups? Which notifications should the app send for which action? Who can contact whom? Who can create events? What can guests see? And much, much more.

Yes, absolutely.

Yes, absolutely.

The price of the app depends on various factors, including the package you choose (scope of services), the number of members and much more. There are discounts for large associations and “early bird discounts”. Following a personal conversation, we’ll be happy to send you a binding quote.

Yes, there are discounts for large associations as well as “early bird discounts”. Just ask us about them.

Our customers pay by bank transfer. The app is free for members, so they don’t have to pay anything.

You can start by booking a trial phase for a small fee. If the app wins you over during the trial, you can switch to the live phase. From then on, the contract usually runs for one year and is automatically renewed for a further year at the end of each year, unless you cancel it before then.

Yes, you’ll find a few examples on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@connactgmbh6170.

We release updates regularly – at least every 2–3 months, and often more frequently. New updates are announced in advance. All future updates we roll out are included in the price, so you’re always up to date technically.

HERE you’ll find a selection of our current reference customers.