Re: CL enhancements

[mcrump@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

>>" Take a look at the Microsoft marketing machine and you'll have your
>>answer:  Better customer stisfaction, more sales!"<<
>I didn't realise that Microsoft offered free upgrades, last I heard every
time
>they come up with new features in Office etc. you had to pay through the
nose
>to get them.  How do you get on the "freebie" list?  <vbg>

It happens on occasion.  Who knows, we might just hear about IBM giving
something away for free soon.  :-)  And something of value too.
>PS.  Customer sat figures on most AS/400 products are among the highest in
the
>industry, so I don't think Customer Sat is part of the picture.  A
Monopoly
>position, "interesting" marketing practices, and world-class hype have far
more
>to do with it.
'Interesting' market practices is being too nice.  Hmmm, can you say strong
arm?

I think the biggest issue that can be so tough for certain AS/400 products
is just
as you aluded to - economics.   Having a market of 500,000 vs 100,000
customers
can allow you to price things just a little bit differently.  Giving the
product away for
free is not something that always has benefits.  I would not want to be the
one
determining prices - we are never happy.  First we don't like flat charges,
so we
get tiered charges, then we don't like tier charges, so we get user based,
then
we don't like user based, so we get so on and so on.

There are many marketing approaches to take but I think the biggest thing
beyond
a great product is programs that minimize the up front investment as much
as
possible.  Despite being an advocate of cost of ownership analysis, the
reality
is that selling to management can be tough.  It's easier for me to sell '
we are using
this great product and it's helping us.  Can we spend $10,000?' than 'if
you give
me $10,000 dollars we can use this great product and it will help us'.

Sorry for rambling.  Just thinking about future freebies....






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