VeryConnect

Vorteile

We were looking for a low cost but effective system to move two small societies off of a legacy system, that while out of date still delivered some complicated functionality. We needed a reliable company, and for a number of reasons a UK one was preferable (as it turned out, a very wise choice).
The VC team are very knowledgeable and gave helpful advice through out the process, who focus on customer service and have given a lot to build a long term, trusting and friendly relationship.
The platform is customisable for your branding, has pretty much all the modules you need for running all aspects of your society. There is little we can fault with the system (but note I have been very picky to add something in the cons). The team is quick to implement changes and they are updating the system with new features all the time.
Their licensing is a very strong point compared to many per seat membership/CRM systems. Licensing is based on number of users, which includes all users, to be precise your admins and admin support don't require a separate seat license. e.g. you have up to 500 users, as many of these as you wish can actually administer the system. I'm not suggesting you let all your members in to the back end, but where you may really on volunteers for certain aspects of your societies activities, this can make quite a difference.

Nachteile

So to be picky, and I am confident these will resolve in future releases.
1. I would like to see a more comprehensive in system way of highlighting and balancing off refunds against payments (the way it works, works, but could be improved).
2. I would like to see the ability to save and retrieve your custom built reports in system (the work around is to build templates in excel, I would prefer in system).

Vorteile

I like the intuitive nature of the platform, the automated emails are fantastic, the report functions are good, it is easy to data cleanse and ensure we have accurate information stored in one place. Also really like the tagging elements of the platform, easy to categorise our members.

Nachteile

The lack of control over elements such as editing our filtering categories for members, turning on and off different automated emails. Uploading different event templates. We want to be able to do it ourselves but currently have to ask VeryConnect to do a lot of this for us - takes time and doesn't allow us to act in an agile way.

Vorteile

We selected VeryConnect to replace an existing solution that went out of business. We were looking for a way to regularly post public content to multiple stakeholder groups that could be tailored to each audience. We were also looking for something to engage work group members in closed groups. VeryConnect met both needs with a public facing landing page and the ability to tag content that is linked from those landing pages. And with a backend to engage registered members.

Nachteile

There is no help documentation. In order to figure out how to use the system, I had to just play around it and ask questions. But it is hard to ask about things you don't know you don't know - such as they can create different role permissions if you need them. But I didn't even know to ask about it to start. Also, with out the help documentation, its hard to know if what I am asking is something the platform is built to do, or if I am asking for something special. In our build out, I would frequently realize later they were building something specific to just us because I asked. However, I would have been happy to find a work around if I just knew that it wasn't a typical feature. The fact that they did build those things was amazing though.

In Betracht gezogene Alternativen

Confluence

Warum VeryConnect gewählt wurde

It went out of business.

Gründe für den Wechsel zu VeryConnect

Meets all our needs. Good UI. Provides setup support. Reasonably priced. Integration with SalesforceNeeds: Create and/or link to content, easy login, shared calendar, email notifications for users, discussion or forum feature, host multiple groups, public landing pages, tags, members ability to post.

Vorteile

The decision to implement Very Connect Software was originally taken to improve the back office systems for the alumni organisation.

The software makes this really easy to manage, both by the members and the administrators. However, what we didn't appreciate was that we were gaining so much more. We have a social media and email platform that enables us to communicate with our members and for them to communicate with us.
This is a private members platform, not available to the public, and we also like the ability that members can choose their own privacy settings. If they want to be contacted by other members, then they can make their details available, but they can also choose to hide their email and other details yet still remain paying members and receive Newsletters and other publications.

The platform connects to our finance system and the time taken to manage subscription payments has been reduced considerably. We can generate a report and follow up any lapsed members really quickly and easily.

The implementation was seamless. However, we did aim for very clean data import and spent months ensuring that each member had correct details and this work paid off.

In the first six months since we went 'live', our membership numbers grew by 27%. The growth was mainly from young members, but we have two members aged 92 who were able to sign up to the new platform with ease. One member said by email "The website looks great! I love it."

Nachteile

The only drawback so far is there isn't a phone App. However, our own web designer is in the process of designing a website app for us and we hope this will go 'live' in May 2022

In Betracht gezogene Alternativen

VEGAS Pro und Agile CRM

Gründe für den Wechsel zu VeryConnect

We found that Very Connect offered to [SENSITIVE CONTENT] the platform to our needs and we didn't have to shoehorn our database into a pre-existing format. We took a look at some of the organisations that already used Very Connect and found that they were similar to us - in our case an alumni association.

Vorteile

We have been customers of VeryConnect for over 5 years. We had initial 'must haves' and 'would like to haves' and this has developed over the years to our satisfaction. The platform continues to evolve and delivers everything we need. We have a maintenance contract in place and use this on a regular basis. VeryConnect provide consistent support, help and advice to our small team of staff and are always helpful and provide us with suggestions and other options which help use immensely.The system is an all-in-one system and adds value to the SCS membership. It is simple to use. I would recommend anyone wishing to host their membership database to talk to VeryConnect - you will not be disappointed and will have the benefit with working with a friendly team who have your best interests at heart.

Nachteile

There is nothing I can think of which I liked least about VeryConnect. They listen to our needs and return to us with solutions.

Vorteile

I am especially impressed with our search filter structure that constituted a huge bulk of work, conceptually and development-wise. We are now able to search our database with a highly versatile set of filters, which also (a huge benefit!) work for mailings.

The email module and the comprehensive recipient insights and stats it provides is also one of the key features and my personal favourites.

The user-to-user messenger, the private collaboration spaces for our working groups, the news and twitter feeds makes it an ideal communication solution and provides a real added value to our member community.

Above all, our customer support manager is always there for us and never fails to impress us with her quick replies and her deep understanding of our data structure.

Nachteile

Nothing particular comes to mind, to be frank. The software is in the constant development and even if something is missing at the moment, you can either order a bespoke feature development or wait a bit until the next release that always adds some new options.

Vorteile

Our team are very pleased and appreciative of our VeryConnect trainer and supporter who taught us how to use the software. While the software is logical, it was the human interface that made it work for us.

[SENSITIVE CONTENT], at VeryConnect (VC), spent time learning about our needs and how the VC product could assist in growing our membership management in our relatively new organisation. During this early getting-to-know-you stage, [SENSITIVE CONTENT] asked questions to identify our membership management needs and offer suggestions using VC examples. This process was very useful because our problems were understood and [SENSITIVE CONTENT] was able to offer ways to manage membership matters and grow the member community. This approach resulted in a platform that meets our member management needs and a team that can access and utilise the many functions of VC.

Once [SENSITIVE CONTENT] had a clear idea of our needs, she then offered a range of possible solutions using the VC platform. This approach continued to highlight her friendly and professional approach, ensuring that our needs were met in a relaxed and timely manner. While the scope of the VC product is enormous and beyond any other platform we had used before, [SENSITIVE CONTENT] approach resulted in a staged and supportive informal training which prepared us for platform decision making and the formal training of VC.

Nachteile

It's a shame that the product is no longer located in our county.

Vorteile

VeryConnect is a compact software which gives you all the features you need with a price tag that doesn't hurt. The team is great and they work very closely with you. In the initial stages we had a few Skype meetings, to-do lists and email correspondence - all of which were very useful. The company doesn't simply sell you the product, they work with you to understand your clients and your needs.

I had a basic idea of what we could do via the portal to reach our alumni, but VeryConnect came with features such as a weekly digest, direct mailing, groups, (and more recently, polls). VeryConnect has helped us increase our alumni engagement steadily since we started working with them.

I was a bit worried about communication as we are in the southern hemisphere while VeryConnect is in the Northern hemisphere. This has never proved to be an issue. I often send an email when it's my morning, which is often around 10pm Scotland time, and I always get a response. Any issues or concerns I have is resolved quickly, and I am informed in case something will take a couple of days to sort. The team never forgets to keep me updated.

In this time when we are dealing with a pandemic, the VeryConnect team was on standby and in fact created a new tab for us to allow us to share coronavirus related information with our stakeholders.
Customer service is top-notch and the product is efficient, useful and simple enough for any non-IT specialist to operate.

Nachteile

Nothing at all. Whatever hiccups we have is resolved within hours.

Vorteile

We have been looking for a new solution for our membership management and communities and have felt quite lost. There were several products on the market, many with similar features. With VeryConnect, we were particularly impressed by the attitude and availability of the staff: they always had patience and understanding for our questions, they were available, supportive and at hand. When challenges arose, they suggested practical solutions. We felt well taken care of and accompanied.

The final product is easy to use, attractive and clear. We are very happy with it and look forward to working with it and "keeping it alive and developing it further" together with our members and communities.

Nachteile

Not at the moment. The software has too many features rather than too few. We are in the process of getting to grips with the notifications.

Vorteile

The functionality, the ease of use, the pre-launch support, and the fast after sales support are all first class. Our clients and volunteers have also found it easy to use and we are very pleased with how quickly our community is growing. We spent 8 months reviewing the marketplace, created an initial short list of 25 and then finally reduced this down to 3. Very connect were the eventual winners, based on value for money, functionality and ease of use.
The features most used by our members are the forums, the news feed, the library and also the very flexible donations function with its gift aid function.
The support that we have received is second to none and I must also say that their willingness to listen and to consider suggestions for product enhancements is very refreshing.
Our community went live in October 2018 and we have not regretted our decision.

Nachteile

Beware the software becomes addictive!!!

Vorteile

There are a lot of great things but I must say the customer service and the communication.
In terms of working with software company, I think the hardest thing is thr communication.
It doesn’t matter how great the product is if the company can’t understand our customer’s needs and find a right approach, it will never work. But Veryconnect, CSR, he is always trying his best to see things in our perspectives and understand from our view.
He has got an innovative mindset, which is a crucial element for a leader to have to connect with the customers and also motivate the team.
He is in Scotland and our company is in Sydney. But I have to say, the communication has never been delayed, actually much better than companies in Sydney.
Because of he and his team, we were able to create something that tailored to our customers needs and also our staff needs.
Of course the quality of Veryconnect system is outstanding, but they also have something else that others don’t have, that’s why my review had been focused on the unique competitive advantages that Veryconnect has.

Nachteile

Nothing is perfect in this world but the way they try to make it perfect for their clients, that’s why there is nothing to say for me here.

Vorteile

Scholars, Alumni, and our staff all find the software easy to use.
Reporting and keeping track of our community is easy.
The software helps our Scholars to connect with each other.
The blogs are popular and give our Scholars an opportunity for reflective learning.
Customer support is swift and any questions we've had have been answered quickly.

Nachteile

No complaints. We have just put forward desired tweaks regarding blog formatting and search, and the VeryConnect team has confirmed that they will get these done by the desired date.

Vorteile

Customizable, easy to use and dependable.

Nachteile

Nothing to say here except that I regret not finding it sooner!

Vorteile

Intuitive, looks great and does what it says on the tin! Flexible and great for building engagement

Nachteile

there a few occasions as admin where links take you back to the home page rather than back to the menu you were using (minor annoyance when getting used to working with the platform)

Vorteile

For us the software is a revolution. We have been working with a leading CRM platform which while an excellent base, lacked the customisation options needed to deliver our requirements. Our primary goal in moving to a new system was to offer a membership portal with self service capabilities for our 3 tiers of members.

Starting from their base membership system the VeryConnect team listened to our requirements and developed logical solutions to make a system that suits the way we want to work as a membership organisation.

Bespoke automatic certificate generation and parent- child-grandchild permission systems, have all been accomplished by the knowledgeable team to a polished finish that internally and externally we are very proud to share.

The support from the team is outstanding, even when problems are caused by our 3rd parties they have stepped in to support us with the technical resolution immediately.

Our development is on-going as the team are designing extensions to our portal allowing our members to access tier-based; forums, course bookings, fundraising, repository and event management options. These additions will allow a central information hub for all our interactions with each member improving our understanding of what our members use and want.

Working with the team and the software we are already benefiting from a 75% time saving on day to day tasks allowing us to focus on our members and our relationships with them.

Vorteile

The platform is simple to use, and we appreciate the ever evolving updates of the software following feedback and suggestions. The ability to seamlessly integrate ISSUU has been fantastic, and our members really love the 'Address Book' feature as a means to network with other professionals within the industry. For me, the customer service offered by VeryConnect has been fantastic - especially [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN]! She has helped us work through changing platform requirements and has supported every step of the way to find resolutions to our requests.

Nachteile

The only downside with this platform is the functionality of the email campaigns feature. It is quite basic when compared to other email CRM platform, with only standard formatting and content upload options. This has improved with recent software updates but there is more work to me done to make the feature fully functioning and more user friendly.

Vorteile

It has been completely tailored to our needs as a Foundation, and any ideas for the future have always been met with enthusiasm and a positive attitude. We like that we are able to see statistics as Administrators, helping us with our targets, and that we can see demographics.

Nachteile

As it is tailored exactly for our needs, we rarely come across any issues except for the odd technical blip which is always sorted quickly and efficiently.

Vorteile

The biggest pro for us was the ease of use of this software, both for the admin staff and the members. The platform had a modern design, was easy to use and mobile responsive. The members can integrate their accounts with their social media which ensures their contact details are up to date. This makes our email communication so much easier as emails no longer bounce. Email communication, membership signup/renewal admin and membership payments processing are now all in one place. This has saved us lot of time as we no longer need to work different admin systems. It was also very important to us and our members that our community platform is secure. The platform uses the same online security system online banking uses, we know our members' personal details are safe. The team at VeryConnect are also great to work with. They are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Their collaborative approach and friendly attitude made me feel confident from the beginning that the software they would deliver would be of a high standard.

Nachteile

When we first started working with VeryConnect they were quite a young company. While we were confident in their abilities, we were their first international academic society that they had worked with. There were a number of iterations of the platform before it was rolled out to members. We were very impressed, however, with how well they responded to our feedback and made the changes we suggested. The company has grown a lot since we have started working with them and I know that given their expertise they will now be much more adept at working with a wide range of clients.

Vorteile

We were looking for a company to help us develop a membership-based club and who would understand exactly what we wanted, we were against the clock and they came to our rescue! It was the first time we as a company had done anything like this and needed guidance and support. VeryConnect gave it to us. The team even came all the way down from Scotland to little old Wales to help us out. Nothing was too much trouble, whether we were was contacting them for tweaks to be made or help in hand on how to use a certain function. They have been excellent to work with and I would highly recommend them.

Nachteile

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Vorteile

As we run a lot of events, the events service is very useful. You can create varying types of events such as; paid, free, events with seminars, multiple day events etc. I especially like the "Additional Info" pages as this allows us to add speaker information on top of the essentials. Additionally, the Address Book is excellent for searching through members and the map is a great visualisation - especially for a group like ours who have members all over the world. In terms of the Admin side, being able to see from the perspective of other members is very useful for troubleshooting and helping aid enquiries. Finally, the support is incredible from the VeryConnect team. The longest I have waited for a response has been 40 minutes, which is incredible customer service.

Nachteile

N/A

Vorteile

Very fast to market which was ideal for us. VeryConnect understood what we wanted and tailored their system to suit us. Testing and associated tweaks was also an excellent experience. Full testing to final product took just over one week, with timely responses to queries and changes. There was a large feature set that we have yet to take full advantage of, however, it made it easy to chose what was relevant to our needs.

Nachteile

Some of the features are not easy to get to, which means some customers may find it cumbersome. Also, what you get on the phone version lacks the ease of use in the PC version.

Vorteile

We chose VeryConnect to host our Alumni Platform.

What really sets them apart is that they will go the extra mile to help to accommodate all your requests and also help brainstorm new solutions. Their team is very knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and flexible which made the whole implementation process very smooth. I would highly recommend using VeryConnect!

Nachteile

There are a few features that could be improved (such as the email campaigns feature) or added. However, as the software is in the constant development I have no doubt that it will improve in the near feature!

Vorteile

Easy to use and quick to add links, pictures Has an attractive graphics and is easy to navigate as a member or admin person and is modern and updated in all systems. We get good feedback from both new and previous users.

Nachteile

Always a challenge but new systems for new user groups can be more user friendly
have experienced uploads taking time as well as history of old members in the group missing.

Vorteile

It is easy to manage and understand. Should there still be questions the support is very quick. The full training for all key team members before the launch was also very helpful.

Nachteile

We do not have any specific points we do not like about this software. We definitely will continue working with VeryConnect and add on more features.

Vorteile

As a user of a social platform Very Connect built, I was very impressed with how well it worked. The site was intuitive to navigate, fast and felt very modern and accessible for members; it had many of the most engaging features of a social network, but tailored to the needs of the users and client. The various social features saw a lot of use and new functionality became available over the course of the year.

Only once or twice did I encounter any bugs, but these were fixed the next time I checked, which indicates a high quality service was being provided. In addition, the Very Connect employee I was in touch with was very friendly and helpful, quick to respond to any questions or issues.

Vorteile

The team are fantastic, always providing very clear and helpful advice and training. Very Connect was the only software we found (after extensive research) that was flexible enough to support our very specific requirements, through bespoke developments.

Nachteile

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Vorteile

Relative ease of use. It integrates with our website seamlessly. It's easy to use for members and admin alike

Nachteile

I'd like more design options with it, so that it is a little more like mailchimp or Eventbrite, more fonts etc

Vorteile

Fairly easy to use and some nice functionalities

Nachteile

Few functionalities are not relevant for us.

Vorteile

Intuitive and well designed - it just works well, even for a non-techie user and at a reasonable price.

Nachteile

Some small tweaks were needed in the first week of use and, most importantly.

Vorteile

We like the clean surface most. The platform is very easy to handle and understand for our members, as well as for the administrators.