GDPR & Communications Compliance
How ClubPilot helps you communicate with members responsibly.
Who’s responsible for what?
| Role | What it means | |
|---|---|---|
| Your club | Data controller | You decide what to send, who to send it to, and why. You’re legally responsible for how member data is used. |
| ClubPilot | Data processor | We provide the tools and store the data on your behalf. We follow your instructions and help you stay compliant. |
What ClubPilot does for you
- Consent capture at registration — Members tick opt-in at signup. That preference is stored immediately.
- Per-channel opt-in controls — Email consent is tracked separately from future SMS or WhatsApp channels.
- Immutable audit log — Every consent change is timestamped and stored permanently — your evidence if challenged.
- One-click unsubscribe — Every bulk email includes a link that unsubscribes instantly with no login needed. Email clients like Gmail can also trigger this automatically.
- Hard-bounce suppression — If a member’s email address is invalid, we stop sending to it automatically. This protects deliverability for you and across the platform.
- Admin visibility — You can see each member’s consent status and full history in their profile.
What’s still your responsibility
- The content of what you send — ClubPilot doesn’t review or approve messages.
- Keeping member data accurate and up to date.
- Responding to data subject requests (access, erasure, portability) within the statutory timeframe.
- Maintaining your own privacy policy that covers your use of member data.
- Ensuring any consent you collected outside ClubPilot (e.g. paper forms) meets the required standard.
Marketing vs service emails
Not every email to a member is “marketing.” UK law treats them differently.
Marketing — needs opt-in
- Newsletters and club updates
- Event invitations and announcements
- Promotional offers
- Bulk emails to lists of members
Service emails — no opt-in needed
- Renewal reminders and membership confirmations
- Invoices and payment receipts
- Booking confirmations and cancellations
- 1:1 admin emails about a member’s account
ClubPilot enforces opt-in for marketing emails automatically. Service emails (booking confirmations, renewal reminders, etc.) are always sent regardless of consent status.
Further reading
ClubPilot provides tools, not legal advice. For authoritative guidance:
Need help?
If you have questions about compliance or data handling, contact us at [email protected].