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OT: PIM Software Support and Responsiveness
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Posted by Paul Korm
Jun 10, 2015 at 11:20 AM
Maybe the developer is busy developing and deicded she didn’t have time to invest in a correspondence with somewho who already paid for the product and was unlikely to buy it again?
Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Jun 10, 2015 at 12:57 PM
I’ve experienced silence from a developer after encountering a major issue. I used to use Sandvox by Karelia Software to manage a website. The software was easy to use and did what I needed it to do, but something (don’t remember the trigger now) caused it to stop working. I presented my problem on both the user forum and via e-mail to support and got nothing but crickets. After a week with no reply in either venue, I dumped the software and moved on. That sad customer service is one reason I’m hesitant to adopt The Hit List (which Karelia acquired last year or so).
I can understand that a developer might find it too overwhelming to respond to every suggestion or question, but they should tell you that, either with an automated response or right on the support page. Simple silence just makes me think that I don’t matter to them, and when that’s the case, I dump the software ASAP.
Steve Z.
Posted by Garland Coulson
Jun 13, 2015 at 03:53 AM
Good support is critical when I choose an application. Like you, I send several support requests while testing to ensure the support team is responsive.
The task management system I use is Teamwork.com and they have been very supportive. They actually just added a new feature I had suggested of the ability to add tags to tasks.
One of the drawbacks of small developers is the lack of funds to support themselves and a support team.
Posted by Hugh
Jun 13, 2015 at 12:10 PM
I have always been impressed with the responsiveness of the Literature & Latte (i.e. Scrivener) team. For example, I remember that, several years ago, when Keith Blount was more or less the sole developer and customer-service responder, he used to alert users to his holiday dates and weekends away, in case they had problems, and even then he promised to respond and did so, just less quickly. Later he signed up AmberV, one of the cleverest Mac experts around - manifestly intelligent and articulate on Mac forums even in pre-Scrivener days. The service provided by Keith and AmberV is one of the reasons that I commended Scrivener on this forum. In the last eighteen months, Keith has suffered criticism over the delays to the launch of Scrivener for iOS, and the information updates he’s provided - but I have sympathy with his position. Despite the tiny size of the L&L team, the development demands upon them and what must have been a huge increase in users, help has continued to be swiftly supplied - and as Keith has always said: “Buy software for what it is, not for what you hope it will become.”
Posted by MadaboutDana
Jun 13, 2015 at 01:04 PM
Totally agree with you - Keith is brilliant, and if Scrivener for iOS is being slow to develop, it’s because it’s going to be reliable and sensational right from the off.
I can’t believe the level of badmouthing he’s had to put up with since he first decided to engage with iOS. But he’s always unfailingly courteous and patient, and always responds to inquirers.