Well Scott, I'm all for separating out the tyre kickers, but lets look at this in some more detail:
(a) I'm a developer, hoster, recommender, influencer. I have clients I'm advising whether or not to migrate to CFMX. I WAS about to move my hosting business to CFMX, because I want to get into this Flash Remoting. IF I can't get it to work on my own system, then first of all I'm not going to move my hosting business to a server that doesn't match mine, and second I'm not going to recommend to my clients that they move and potentially face the same problems. (b) The point of evaluation, when a prospect has a severe intractable problem with the softare is NOT the time to ask for money. At that moment they're feeling pretty grumpy about the product. That's the time to be showing them how good your backup and support is. Look at it another way. US$500 is AUD$804 today. Firmware put the retail price of CFMX Professional at $2497. Therefore this fee is about a third of the price, and this is BEFORE the prospect has decided to buy. Computer store: "Excuse me, I'm wanting to see if this $4500 laptop will do what I need but when I turn it on, nothing happens." "Pay me $1500 and I'll turn it on for you." "Forget it, there's another store down the road. I'll go there." Car dealership: "excuse me, I wanted to take this $45,000 car on a test drive, but when I turn the key, it doesn't start. I don't know what's the matter with it," "Pay us $15,000 and we'll fix it so you can take it on a test drive." "Forget it, there's another dealership almost next door. I'll get a car there." Camera dealership: "I'm looking at your $1200 Nikon XV400 to see if I should upgrade my cameras for my photography business. But when I look through the viewfinder, I cant see anything. I've taken the lens cap off, but there must be something wrong." "Pay us $400 and we'll fix it for you." "Forget it, I can get a Canon instead just down the road." DO you know anyone who would pay up under those circumstances? Would you? Why would we ask our clients to pay? The only reason I'm trying to talk to someone in support is because I have exhausted everything else I can think of. I'm a reseller of Macromedia products. I sell and recommend them. I guess I'm not allowed the backup of the official Macromedia processes. Yes, I know if I asked Robin, I'd get help. He's a helpful guy, but I wanted to see how the official process goes. Cheers, Michael Kear Windsor, NSW, Australia AFP Webworks. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Scott Barnes Sent: Tuesday, 11 March 2003 3:46 PM To: CFAussie Mailing List Subject: [cfaussie] Re: Macromedia support for partners - is this really the policy? Comes down to cashflow, if you have people out there wanting free support for a product they are thinking of buying, how do you justify a return on that product? $500 sets the tyre kickers from the buyers. Scott. "Michael Kear" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Just to elaborate a little . this is NOT intended to be slamming > Macromedia, even though reading it back now it looks like it is. That > was NOT intended, and if anyone is offended by it I'm sorry. > > > I am astonished that I am asked to pay US$500 to even talk to a support > person if I call the 1800 number in the white pages for Macromedia > support. > > > What is really the process that we should follow? Surely it can't be > true that if someone is evaluating the product (and therefore by > definition has NOT yet decided whether to buy ) they're going to be > charged US$500 to help set it up so they can decide whether to buy or > not. That would kill the sale for sure .. wouldn't it? Is this 1800 > number the place where users who download the package from the MM site > would be sent in all cases? > > > Sorry if it seemed like I was lashing out. I guess my well-known > diplomacy is somewhat strained these days since I've spent at least 30 > hours now trying to install CFMX, and all I've got for my trouble is no > server at all, not even the CF5 I had previously. > > > Cheers, > Michael Kear > Windsor, NSW, Australia > AFP Webworks. > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Michael > Kear > Sent: Tuesday, 11 March 2003 3:13 PM > To: CFAussie Mailing List > Subject: [cfaussie] Macromedia support for partners - is this really the > policy? > > AMAZING > > Regular readers to CF-Talk will be aware that I have been wrestling with > installing CFMX since last Friday to no avail. Despite everything that > has been suggested, it just wont set up jrun so it works. I can't make > CFMX work with IIs and it can't get the internal web server to set up a > virtual directory. I've installed, removed, reinstalled, removed > again, eliminated every trace of ColdFusion, cleaned the registry, > reinstalled a dozen times. I've had several people doing remote > sessions on my desktop. People like Dave Watts can't find the problem. > > > So I decided to see if Macromedia would back me up as a reseller and > developer, and I called their support line at 1800 001 014 > > I got connected to their Manilla office and Pauline's response was that > I couldn't even talk to a support person unless I paid US$500. > > In other words, I have downloaded the CFMX, it doesn't install > correctly, for whatever reason, I can't make it work, no one else can > either apparently, and Macromedia aren't going to try unless I cough up > nearly 2/3 of the cost of a server. That's to evalutate it!!! Imagine > if I was a potential customer. I have to persevere with this damn thing > because a substantial part of my business is based around COldFusion. > But if I was a web site owned, I'd have dumped ColdFusion days ago. And > I certainly wouldn't continue after learning I had to pay all that to > even get someone to hear what my problem was!! > > I guess I'm just not meant to be in the MX world. > > > Cheers, > Michael Kear > Windsor, NSW, Australia > AFP Webworks. > > > > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to cfaussie as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > MX Downunder AsiaPac DevCon - http://mxdu.com/ > > > --- You are currently subscribed to cfaussie as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] MX Downunder AsiaPac DevCon - http://mxdu.com/ --- You are currently subscribed to cfaussie as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] MX Downunder AsiaPac DevCon - http://mxdu.com/
