Mike, Some thoughts on this and the software business in general:
- can you determine if he's really struggling with his business? Going the extra mile for good customers who are going through hard times but are likely to survive (all in your opinion) is good strategy. - If he's (in your judgement) a "bad" customer, take the opportunity to say goodbye. - don't be overly influenced by consultants, who tend to focus on the short term. A software mfg is building "good will" and ultimately the asset value of long term customer/partner relations. This is an intangible, but so are the ways a good customer can help you. A good tip, a good connection, maybe a heads up on a problem instead of a lawsuit, etc. - if you give on this, what can you take in trade? If he hasn't given you a really good testimonial, that's worth something. Does he have some equipment to trade with? Something else? - a general rule I've adopted and am promoting to folks like us: never sell your time by the hour to individual customers for specialized projects that do not apply to all customers. You've got limited hours and they should mostly be devoted to work that all customers will benefit from. Give the specialized stuff to contractors. - Create and package new features for sale as extra-cost add-ons, or even separate products (without going against your own license and maintenance plan). A product development/distribution/maintenance system that works is an engine for growth. Bill > I offer to support my app he's had since 2005 (and not paid > anything yet > received upgrades for free in past 3 years). There was no extended > support contract. I had an initial contract to provide > software and did > so. I'm now trying to get clients to sign on for annual > support so my > work is compensated (rather than just for the good of the > software and > cause anymore). I offer to client for $2000. He says no way > more than > $1500. I had thought $3000 was fair and felt I was giving > him a great > deal at $2000. His investment in it is about $15k-20k? since 2005. > Last payment made on contract back in 2007. Well, as the > story goes, he > now tries to get my app to work on his Windows 7 box and can't get it > running. I'm pretty confident I could get it running for > him, but don't > really want to do the "ala carte" support fee so as to open doors to > other clients who want the ala carte option as well. Now he > emails me > with the following: > > "We are having a challenging year as everyone seems to be having. > Looking to help you out, but I also need help. Need to know > if you can > get the program to work on latest window version? What can > you offer? > Let me know what your thought are." > > His remarks of the past were that he'd gladly test my software for me > and provide feedback and insight "in order to help make it more > marketable for MBSS." I basically told him that I had another > individual that was going to be my tester and although I > gladly welcomed > his testing and feedback so that the app was better for him and other > customers in the long run, he'd have to pay for support. (No > more "why > pay for the cow when you can get the milk for free" going on here.) > > The software really hasn't done anything and nor do I expect it to > without me putting a much more significant time (& more -- like > advertising/marketing/sales) investment in it. I've put > significant $$$ > into it already and am not willing to work on it for free any more. > Time to better manage my time, or at least enjoy life a bit more. > > My initial thought is to simply say: "Sure, I can get it > working on the > latest Windows version. Just renew at the $2000/annually and > you'll get > 24 hours of support for the year, and whatever hours aren't spent in > support, I'll gladly credit towards any future development work you'd > like done." > > Girlfriend advises me to just let him hear static for a few > days. I'm > usually on top of this stuff and don't keep people waiting. > What do you > think? What would you do? > > TIA! > > > -- > Mike Babcock, MCP _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/82539f8b0c244547b0b35a188d554...@bills ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
