Specification

The M14 Platform is able to provide a high degree of customization, and there is a continuous rolling upgrade across all all aspects of the platform. Below is a broad summary of a product built by M14. This is the specification document for our apps, appended with any agreed additional work, invoices, or additional documentation.

Due to the wide range of configuration options, some features listed below may not be possible with your app. If any part of this is unclear, please contact your account manager.

This document falls under our Non-Disclosure Agreement.

Functionality

• Discovery: The central premise of all M14 apps is connecting people. Most features listed tie back in to helping foster these connections. Most commonly, finding people occurs through a “homepage”; the page in the app or website which displays people for the user to choose from. Additional pages can also exist. Though they are optional extras, which allow additional ways to create connections (e.g. “Daily Matches” where a user is sent additional recommendations by the app).
  • Filtering: Users are given multiple options to express their preferences on who they wish to be matched with.
  • Locations: Location data is stored for each user. This data can be manually entered by the user, found via social-media logins, or by using GPS data from the user’s device.
  • Search: The ability to search for specific keywords or users is an optional feature. Any profile field can be used as part of the search option.
  • Hashtags: If a user add a hashtag to their profile it becomes a link to a search for the word.
• Matching: Users are said to be matched when they meet the matching criteria, which is typically when both users have expressed a preference for each other, and we know the feeling is mutual. Matched users have different capabilities than unmatched users. Most often, the ability for users to message each other is reserved only for matched users.
• Messaging: M14 apps provide instant messaging. Messages sent from one user to the other are instant, and update without the user needing to reload or refresh the website or app.
• Profiles: Every user has a profile, which is used to describe them. Some fields are public, some private, and some only available to matches.
  • Fields: A profile is simply a collection of fields. These fields can include things like gender, age, locations, as well as longer-form fields such as “your favourite books” or “expectations for meeting up”. Existing fields can be selected, new fields can be added.
  • Photos: Users are able to upload photos as part of their profile. One profile is selected as the image seen when their account is shown to other users, other images are available as part of a gallery within the user’s profile.
  • Name: All users have a username. This is unique to them and identifies them.
• Notifications: The M14 platform supports multiple notification events (e.g. account creation, new match made, message sent) and multiple notification channels (e.g. email, push notification). Additional events and channels are available.

Apps

• Web, iOS, Android, others available on request: M14 provides a responsive (mobile friendly) website as standard. This consists of a static landing page, and a fully functional website. The website has near identical features to the Android and iOS (and others) versions of your app. We typically deploy to Android and iOS, and have the less common platforms (like Windows Phone) available on request.
• Push notifications: We send notifications to app users for key events such as messages and matches.
• App store management: We manage the app stores on your behalf, preventing you needing to log in and manage them yourself.
  • Android: We can manage everything from start to finish, and also provide you with as little or as much access as you’d like.
  • iOS: Due to Apple’s Terms of Service you are required to create your own Apple Developer account. This is a simple process which we can walk you through. Once set up, we can manage everything, as with Android.
  • Others: Given the diversity of available platforms, we take these on a case-by-case basis.

Customer Support

• 24/7 text support available to members: Within your app is an optional “feedback” button, which allows your members to reach out to ask questions and provide feedback. We manage this on your behalf. The majority of questions are trivial, or relate to technical topics we can easily and quickly respond to. If a member asks a question we can’t answer, we’ll escalate the question to you.
• FAQ provided within all apps: We can provide basic questions, and allow you to tailor your FAQ or your members.
• Phone support for members available: For an additional fee, we can provide phone support to your members. Most app users don’t expect or want this.
• Phone support available to Partners during all regular UK business hours. Out of hours support extra (except for emergency). If you email us, we will respond as fast as possible.

Payments

• We accept payment via Stripe (whilst keeping within all mobile platforms’ terms of service). Other payment options available on request.
• International payments handled: Typically your app will use a single currency, however if you need multiple currencies to be accepted, the platform is setup to handle this.
• We manage VAT MOSS payments for EU members. We deduct and manage VAT MOSS and VAT from payments, saving you the headache. If you’d like to manage the VAT and VAT MOSS yourself, we can accommodate that and provide regular reporting.
• Payment disputes are handled by us, via the payment gateway. Fees associated with these disputes will be handled as payment platform fees. Because of the way we present payment information to users, the number of disputes we see is relatively low.

Branding & Interface

• Fully customisable: almost every image, colour, and piece of text can be changed to fit your style and brand. We can change the UI to meet your demands, and provide design support for members who request it.
• Imperial or metric, we can provide UI options to users in both.
• Features can be turned on, off, or built to meet your requirements: The platform is flexible and allows you to choose from the available features. We are constantly expanding the features available to you. If you require a feature not yet available on the platform, we can normally accommodate your requirements.
• Third party integrations: We can integrate with any external service which provides an API.
• Templates are available which require only minimal tweaking to fit your ideals.

Safety & Security

• Safety is so important to everyone involved in services like those M14 power. As well as constant monitoring for unwanted behaviour, we provide user submitted reporting of both accounts and messages. These reports are monitored by us, and acted on quickly. We have a custom-made user protection system used in tandem with third party protection systems.
• Automatic and manual blocking of individuals and IP addresses provides a basic level of protection, and we are constantly tweaking and upgrading our services to meet the changing demands of protection.
• CSRF tokens are used with all users to reduce the thread from cross-site attacks.
• Password are hashed and stored securely. We assume we will be a target for hackers, and build our software and internal processes accordingly.
• Privacy settings for users allows them granular control over who sees them and how they interact with the service.
• Https everywhere; we equip your apps and websites with secure HTTP certificates to ensure all traffic to and from members is encrypted and unable to be intercepted. If you have your own certificates, we can integrate them, or provide our own (not self-signed).

Miscellaneous

• Login via social media (e.g. Facebook) is available, and we can either use your existing Facebook app/page/account, or create and manage a new one. Other social media logins are available on request.
• Additional features can be built by M14 at the request of you.
• All hosting costs are handled by us. Both hosting associated with the mobile apps’ back-end, as well as the landing page on the “main” domain. Our custom software stack means there’s no upper limit on the popularity of your service and we can scale up with you. Savings we make from economies of scale will be passed on to you.
• We can buy domain names on your behalf, as well as manage them.
• We can provide consultation on both technical, business, and marketing aspects of your product.
• Admin reports are available. Custom reporting if you have special requests also available on request. Our goal is to meet your needs.