Renewal Quote Rant
Renewal Quote Rant
As usual, it is totally unclear as to what I need to buy.
They give two items:
"RAD Studio Premium Update Subscription Software License Platinum Support"
and
"RAD Studio Named Support Renewal Maintenance & Support"
I feel like I am getting tricked into buying more than I need.
I ONLY need updates / upgrades to all versions of RAD Studio released during the contract period (including major releases).
I do not need support. I just need to keep my Rad Studio up to date.
They both mention support, and one has "Update Subscription" and the other has "Renewal Maintenance".
See how unclear that is? Seems like a trick to me!
"Maintenance"??? What the hell is that?
The email mentions multi year option with savings, yet gives no info. They probably are not going to sell a lot of that without a bigger carrot.
I don't know what I need to buy to keep my RAD studio up to date.
And an upsell for previous version bug fixes? To be truthful, these versions are knowing sold as defective products from the start. That's against the law in many locals. Just ask your state's attorney general's office. I should not have to pay additional money to get defective product fixes, and I feel like it is a slap in the face to ask for it. Someone needs to invent a TClassAction(TBugFix) type.
Every year, it's the same old crap... they change everything up, and confuse the heck of me, and lately, my reply has been "down sell me please", cause I don't trust your selling model (remember recharge?), I don't trust your "buy it now cause this deal will never be repeated (it was many times), "BOGO is BS", and add on's bonuses amount to almost nothing. Style sheets?? really??? Konopka Premiere Controls... how's that working in Berlin? Konopka controls don't seem
so special anymore.
Every year, we downsell to a lower level, yet every year, the price somehow goes right back up.
I have a lot of customers running old versions that won't update for these reasons. And more and more are moving off to Lazarus. I sure wish they would get their act together.
I did see a special price the other day for "one day only". It reminds me of Black Friday sales... That's when you find out the real price a retailer can really sell an item for and make the profit they need for the rest of the year. And the rest of the year? Well, you're just getting screwed.
I so wished Rad Studio would get sold at a nice consistent price, without all the slick deals. Instead, I feel like it's sold like a car... "Today Only"... Did you need wheels with that? A warranty?
Grrr.
Joe
As usual, it is totally unclear as to what I need to buy.
They give two items:
"RAD Studio Premium Update Subscription Software License Platinum Support"
and
"RAD Studio Named Support Renewal Maintenance & Support"
I feel like I am getting tricked into buying more than I need.
I ONLY need updates / upgrades to all versions of RAD Studio released during the contract period (including major releases).
I do not need support. I just need to keep my Rad Studio up to date.
They both mention support, and one has "Update Subscription" and the other has "Renewal Maintenance".
See how unclear that is? Seems like a trick to me!
"Maintenance"??? What the hell is that?
The email mentions multi year option with savings, yet gives no info. They probably are not going to sell a lot of that without a bigger carrot.
I don't know what I need to buy to keep my RAD studio up to date.
And an upsell for previous version bug fixes? To be truthful, these versions are knowing sold as defective products from the start. That's against the law in many locals. Just ask your state's attorney general's office. I should not have to pay additional money to get defective product fixes, and I feel like it is a slap in the face to ask for it. Someone needs to invent a TClassAction(TBugFix) type.
Every year, it's the same old crap... they change everything up, and confuse the heck of me, and lately, my reply has been "down sell me please", cause I don't trust your selling model (remember recharge?), I don't trust your "buy it now cause this deal will never be repeated (it was many times), "BOGO is BS", and add on's bonuses amount to almost nothing. Style sheets?? really??? Konopka Premiere Controls... how's that working in Berlin? Konopka controls don't seem
so special anymore.
Every year, we downsell to a lower level, yet every year, the price somehow goes right back up.
I have a lot of customers running old versions that won't update for these reasons. And more and more are moving off to Lazarus. I sure wish they would get their act together.
I did see a special price the other day for "one day only". It reminds me of Black Friday sales... That's when you find out the real price a retailer can really sell an item for and make the profit they need for the rest of the year. And the rest of the year? Well, you're just getting screwed.
I so wished Rad Studio would get sold at a nice consistent price, without all the slick deals. Instead, I feel like it's sold like a car... "Today Only"... Did you need wheels with that? A warranty?
Grrr.
Joe
Steering wheel? Or even... a debugged IDE?
ReplyDeleteBlack Fridays follow their own rules and you can only see what you have to pay for that item on that special day, not more not less. And its the same with that special offers for a limited time, they also have their own rules. You cannot see anything from that except what you have to pay.
ReplyDeleteJust an example: I bought a server machine with 2 Xeon 6-Core, 512GB RAM, 512GB SSD (direct attached to PCIe) in a rackmount case for just 1€ instead of 8500€. So you are telling me 1€ is the real price and they will earn 8499€ on each?
No, it is a strategic offer to convince the customers to buy the server machines from them. We bought a lot (500+) desktops from them but no servers.
You never know whats behind the price unless you know the calculation and the strategy
And this: "RAD Studio Premium Update Subscription Software License Platinum Support"
ReplyDeleteSeriously? I can just hear the support call now, in which both you and the support agent must repeat that mouthful several times in the course of the discussion.
Oliver Münzberg I will tell you that you made a ridiculous example of from a $1 sale.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am trying to say is that RAD Studio probably needs no "car lot" promotions to sell it.
I will never forget the "this offer will never be repeated" then it was... many times. I fell for it. Now, everytime I see an Embarcadero sale, I am suspicious, I remember getting mislead, that feeling will never pass, and that does them more harm than good.
The Konopka controls were a "premiere bonus" given out... thier very best... One release and now just broken and forgotten. Not very valuable, and certainly make a lasting statement about their commitment when it comes to these sort of things.
Customers remember this sort of thing.
They would have sold me the RAD Studio regardless of the promotion. I may have even bought Konopka controls separately.
But what do I remember? Getting charged extra to downgrade versions, fine print, never to be repeated offers that did, "hurry buy now" when waiting would have been better, and a yearly aggravation. I have been at this for many many years.
A good promo should bring good feelings, not suspicion.
Either my opinion is worth something, or, it's not, and everyone can decide that for themselves.
TJoe
Bill Meyer Well, I'm happy I don't have to say that, although I do miss working at "Borland Support". Sometimes, when I look at my inbox, I feel like I still do!
ReplyDeleteI have three incidents I am working right now that passed though the official support channels, and sadly, more than one customer regretful they upgraded. I may never hear the end from that recommendation.
hmmm... thinking I should get a cut from the sales I cause.
TJoe
Joe C. Hecht You should know this marketing game because it is not limited to Emba.
ReplyDeleteMy decisions are not marketing offer driven but on my own calculations.
Oliver Münzberg I do know marketing, I don't need to be told that, Embarcadero does not need a lame excuse about how it it's not just them, and all buying decisions are based on some sort calculation, with a promo often part of the calculation. You speak logic in a programming forum. Somehow, that seems unnecessary.
ReplyDeleteJoe C. Hecht If someone claims to know the real price of an item from a Black Friday offer I am not very convinced he knows enough about marketing and calculation
ReplyDeleteOliver Münzberg Here in the U.S., many retailers survive (or don't) from the profits from black friday sales. Lower prices equate to volume. Sure, some items are priced to get folk in the door, but rarely, they are sold at a loss. But these stores loose the rest of the year, because places like amazon sell the items everyday for that "black friday" price. Me? I just like a good price for a good item, and if someone adds too much fluff or fanfare to a deal, then I suspect something is wrong. I think Embarcadero would do well by shooting straight, no nonsense, clear and concise. No need to be confusing, as I will buy what I need, and if confused, will buy less or nothing at all (aNd that not good for them). I do wish them the best... hey, I worked there, and I still promote (and apparently support) the product.
ReplyDeleteAnd all of that having been discussed, the Black Friday mechanism is largely a deflection from the issue of unclear communications.
ReplyDeleteThey have an affiliate program if you want a cut of sales. https://store.embarcadero.com/542/?scope=affiliatesignup&id=3ClZBNUbhJ
ReplyDeleteIf it bugs you that much, stop renewing. If you really have a problem with their sales model, stop supporting it. If they keep adding things you don't need, don't pay for them.
ReplyDeleteThe only way this is going to change is if we make it absolutely clear that this behavior is unacceptable and we will not enable it.
Joe C. Hecht "I don't know what I need to buy to keep my RAD studio up to date."
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same state of mind. I'm interesting in Delphi for Linux, and this month my subscriptions ends.
An Emb partner give me an estimated in june:
Support Renewal Delphi Ultimate - ESD
Period Support : 7/27/2016-7/27/2017
~US$1520.00
I didn't use support for my current subscription.
I just want updates and bug fixes.
I wonder, if I stop renewing, then when Delphi for Linux arrives I can get a "something ...renewal.. something" with a good price/cheap/discount, or is more convenient to renew now?
Mr. E ! I liked the idea of the recharge. And I really dislike the idea of 2 releases per year. It's way too hard to keep up with (I have to keep all versions available, so its a real resource hog).
ReplyDelete