NB: These are good examples of how to tick off your customers (perhaps others can avoid them!)
- Start charging for features that were previously free. I'm specifically thinking about the Encrypted File System (EFS), which was included in Windows XP Pro, but now costs $ in Vista.
- Add injury to insult: Put EFS only in the Windows Ultimate Edition.
- Require all OEMs to ship only Windows Vista (but not specifically the Ultimate Edition).
- Inflict a complete Windows recast on the customer, followed by a robust, reliable version a year later (e.g., Vista -> Windows 7) Therefore, after already spending more $ to upgrade to Vista Ultimate, I have nothing better to do than spend $ to upgrade to Windows 7, too, right?
My point: Customer satisfaction is a many-faceted gem. It not only includes product features, reliability, and a timely delivery - but subtle factors as well - such as perceived value, clear messaging, and keeping migration and upgrades simple.
To Microsoft's credit, I like the way they implemented the "try to buy" path for Office 2007. I had to put Office 2007 Home edition on a notebook in quick fashion, so I downloaded the Office 2007 Home/Student edition, installed it, and ran with it. In a few weeks, they sent me an upgrade offer, with a nice $99 discount, to buy and download the permanent copy. All worked nicely, and the upgrade reminder with discount incentive was a nice touch, too.
ReplyDelete