Need a hand? We're here.
Real humans answer — no autoresponders. Pick the inbox below that fits what you need, or work through the self-serve guides first to get a faster answer.
Support
Account questions, billing, troubleshooting, app issues, and how-to questions. If you're not sure where to write, this is the right inbox.
support@example.com
Privacy & data
Data exports, deletion requests, retention questions, DPA correspondence, and data subject access requests under applicable privacy laws.
privacy@example.com
Security disclosures
Vulnerability reports, security questions, and coordinated disclosure timelines. Let us know your preferred timeline and we'll work to it.
security@example.com
Try this first.
Most reports we see fall into one of these buckets. Walk through the steps for the issue you're hitting before you write — it'll usually fix it in under a minute.
I'm not getting push notifications
- iOS: Settings → Notifications → TradesMen Messenger → Allow Notifications. Check that Time Sensitive is enabled if you want call rings while Focus is on.
- Android: Settings → Apps → TradesMen Messenger → Notifications → enable. Check that battery optimization is set to Unrestricted.
- In the app: Settings → Devices. If your current device isn't listed, sign out and back in once to re-register the push token.
- Send yourself a test message from another device. If it arrives but with no sound, your OS notification settings (not ours) are the culprit.
- Still silent? Email support@example.com with your platform, app version, and device model.
I can't sign in
- Confirm the email on file. Most sign-in failures are a typo on a similar address.
- Tap Forgot password; the reset email is valid for a short window. Check spam if it doesn't show up.
- If you see "Session expired", that's our token rotation working — try signing in fresh.
- If 2FA is on and you've lost the second factor, email support with your handle and we'll guide a verified recovery.
- For "Account locked" responses, that's a rate-limit safety. Wait five minutes and retry. Repeated lockouts mean someone is guessing your password — change it after recovery.
The QR scanner won't read my contact's code
- Make sure both devices are on the latest app version. Old builds may still serve a stale QR shape.
- The rotating QR expires fast (10 minutes by default). Have your contact tap Refresh QR and try again.
- If your contact has turned off QR invites in their privacy settings you'll see "QR invites disabled" — they can use a short code or signed link instead.
- Manually paste the short code or signed link into the field on the Add Someone card if scanning continues to fail.
- Glare and shadow are the usual scanner culprits. Hold the camera 15–20cm away on a flat surface.
I see a "key change" warning before sending
- This is by design. The other person's encryption key changed — usually because they reinstalled, switched phones, or added a new device.
- Verify out-of-band: a quick voice call, in-person check, or compare safety numbers under the contact's profile.
- Once you confirm, accept the change and continue. The banner clears.
- If you can't reach them and the change is unexpected, hold off sending until you can. The warning exists to give you that beat.
The app crashes on launch
- Update to the latest app version from the App Store or Play Store.
- Restart the device once. Some crashes are caused by stale OS state after a system update.
- If a crash happens immediately after a brand-new install, leave the app running on the splash screen for a few seconds — first-launch key generation is doing real cryptographic work.
- iOS only: Settings → Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements → Analytics Data. Find the most recent
TradesMenMessengerentry and email it to support. - Android only: Settings → Apps → TradesMen Messenger → Storage → Clear cache. Do not Clear Storage — that wipes your local keys.
A call dropped or never connected
- Calls run over WebRTC; they need either peer-to-peer reachability or a TURN relay. Strict corporate or job-site Wi‑Fi may block both. Try switching to mobile data.
- iOS: confirm Settings → TradesMen Messenger → Microphone (and Camera for video) are enabled.
- Android: same toggles under Settings → Apps → TradesMen Messenger → Permissions.
- If the recipient never saw an incoming call, our push delivery is the place to start — see "I'm not getting push notifications" above.
- Ongoing call quality issues on a specific network: include the network type (Wi‑Fi SSID is fine; we don't need the password) when you write.
What to include when you write
A little context up front gets you a real answer faster.
- Account email or handle. We use it to look up your record.
- Platform & app version. iOS or Android, and the version string from Settings → About.
- Device model + OS version. "iPhone 15 Pro on iOS 18.1", "Pixel 8 on Android 15".
- What you saw vs. what you expected. A screenshot helps — please redact private content.
- When it started. First time? Since an update? Only on a specific network?
- Steps to reproduce. Even rough ones. "Tap A, then B, then C → screen X" beats "it doesn't work."
- For data exports/deletions: trigger the request from the app first (Settings → Account), then email if it's stuck.
Response targets
We don't promise a magic SLA — but here's what to expect in practice.
| Channel | First response | Resolution target |
|---|---|---|
| Support | 1 business day | Variable, kept updated until closed |
| Privacy | 5 business days | Inside the regulatory window for the request type |
| Security | 2 business days | Severity-driven — we keep you posted as we work |
| Outage / status | See /status | Live; no need to email |
Hours: Mon–Fri, 09:00–17:00 Central Time. Security disclosures are monitored outside business hours.
Before you write about an outage
Check /status first — it's a live read on the same probes our on-call team gets paged from. If you're integrating, poll /status.json; the JSON contract is stable. The status page also publishes recent incidents (severity, status, timestamps — never internal notes).
Rolling out to a crew or a fleet?
The company tier adds SuperAdmin tools, audit logs, retention controls, and an onboarding workflow for fleets of crews. Here's how a typical rollout runs and what we'll need from you.
What an onboarding covers
- Account provisioning for SuperAdmin operators with TOTP and IP allowlisting.
- Privacy review: which retention windows match your industry and region.
- Push provider review (APNs / FCM) and a privacy-safe notification audit.
- Light training session for foremen / dispatch on group conventions.
- Optional: hosting region / data-residency confirmation in your DPA.
- Optional: write-up of your incident-response handoff so we know where to page.
What we'll ask you for
- The number of seats and your rough rollout timeline.
- Which jurisdictions your operations cover (helps with retention defaults and DPA wording).
- Your push provider preferences and any existing MDM constraints on managed devices.
- An owner-side privacy contact for DSAR routing.
- Your preferred SuperAdmin operator list and their IPs / IP ranges for the allowlist.
Common questions, answered.
I forgot my password — how do I get back in?
From the sign-in screen, tap "Forgot password" and enter your account email. You'll receive a reset link valid for a short window. Open it on the device you want to sign in from — the link drops you onto a secure web form with a 10-character minimum password.
If you don't see the email, check spam, then verify the email on file is correct. Still stuck? Email support@example.com.
I lost my phone. How do I recover my account?
Each device has its own keys, so a lost phone doesn't compromise your account on other devices. From your other device, go to Settings → Devices and revoke the lost one — its keys can no longer decrypt new messages.
If you only had one device, install the app on a new phone, sign in with email + password, complete email verification, and register the new device. Past message history that was only on the lost device is not recoverable from the server because the server never had the keys.
How do I delete my account and my data?
From inside the app: Settings → Account → Delete account. We require your password to confirm. The request enters a 7-day grace window during which you can cancel. After the window, your account is anonymized and your data is removed in line with our retention policy. You can also email privacy@example.com for a manually handled deletion request.
Can I export my data?
Yes. From the app: Settings → Account → Export. We package the metadata we have on file (account, devices, conversation membership, your reports) into a portable archive. Plaintext message bodies are not in the export because the server doesn't store them — your local app is the source of truth for content.
I'm getting a "key change" warning. What is that?
It means the public key for one of your contacts changed — typically because they reinstalled, switched devices, or were compromised. Before sending your next message, verify with them out-of-band (a quick voice call, or comparing safety numbers in person). Once you confirm the change is legitimate, accept it and continue.
Why isn't there a web app?
Two reasons. First, browsers can't hold private keys as safely as a secure enclave on a phone. Second, web clients open up phishing surfaces we'd rather not have on the platform. The website you're reading is information-only — there is no public web user login.
How do I report a user or a message?
Long-press a message or open a contact's profile and tap "Report." You choose what to include — only the metadata you opt into is shared. SuperAdmin reveal is gated behind a written reason and is logged in admin_audit_logs.
Is the company tier available now? How is it priced?
Personal use on iOS and Android is free for individuals and small crews. The company tier — SuperAdmin tools, audit logs, retention controls, onboarding for fleets of crews — is paid. Pricing depends on size and onboarding scope; email support with your team size and we'll send a clear quote.
Is my company's data residency request supported?
Talk to us. Hosting region and residency are part of the company-tier onboarding and are documented in our DPA. Email privacy with your jurisdiction and we'll confirm what we can do.
Where is the privacy policy and terms?
All current legal documents live under their own URLs: /privacy, /terms, /data-deletion, /data-retention, /breach-response, /user-data-request. Each page is versioned — when we publish a new version, the version number on the page changes.
Press / media inquiries?
Email support@example.com with "Press" in the subject. Include your outlet, deadline, and the angle. We'll route you to the right person.