On 8/1/2015 12:09 AM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Fri, 31 Jul 2015 19:47:14 +0100, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:
>
>> Selling "support" also works. Provided you have the staff to actually
>> deliver support.
>
> The problem with this is that if you're selling support, your product is
> poorly designed and difficult to use.
>
> If you're a software company that depends on support and training as
> bottom-line revenue figures, you're doing software wrong IMHO.
>

To add to Francois and Clipa’s comments (I hope I got the apostrophe right).
ERP software is initially configured with the help of the customer’s 
management and key users. They know what they want and outline their 
requirements. By the time the blueprint is designed, and implemented. 
The customer knowns more about how the software works and often redefine 
their requirements. This can extend the implementation to the extent it 
will never be finished. (At BASF the German branch took 10 years on a 
pilot project and they were still not finished.) So there is generally a 
“Freeze” where there are no more changes allowed. After the “Go Live” 
the support company will make the changes wanted. This can be quite 
extensive.
These programs are quite complex and it is not normal for the company to 
do them as they generally do not have the expertise. If the company is 
regulated by, say the FDA, Financial authorities, Nuclear regulators 
etc. It has to be done by an authorised external company.
User support is almost a freebie.



-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message