topic Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers) in Modeling

Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers)

Martin Jules — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 15:52:51 GMT

I don't need to be an Archicad tester every year. It's not about the main goal. However, as an ArchiPlus' subscriber, I have the right to know the new features of each new version of Archicad as long as I keep my subscription active.

To that end, I would really appreciate to receive an electronic pamphlet every year from Graphisoft regarding this matter while keeping this information secret.

The company must have confidence in its active customers who love its Archicad product!

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Petar — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 16:46:21 GMT

This goes hand in hand with the open public roadmap. I strongly believe users should have a say and have the ability to follow development.

Even revit had to follow this idea.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Martin Jules — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 16:58:44 GMT

@Petar Yes! We fight for what we love!

Archicad is a great software. We thus care of its future. That's why we want to stay active and be informed on a timely basis!

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

ryejuan — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 07:58:33 GMT

and most important is to listen to users feedback. 😎

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Martin Jules — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 13:56:16 GMT

Keeping good relationships with active clients who pay a regular subscription to the software development every year is paramount. These clients, including myself, have the right to be informed, through a special channel of communications, on the new features expected to be integrated in the software.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Karl Ottenstein — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 14:40:41 GMT

@Martin Jules wrote:

However, as an ArchiPlus' subscriber, I have the right to know the new features of each new version of Archicad as long as I keep my subscription active.

No, you don't. Since when have new features been announced prior to the product release? All information about the new version is confidential information that is not available to ArchiPlus/SSA subscribers at all and never has been. It is only available to testers and certain consultants under a nondisclosure agreement.

Subscribers, like anyone else including me, will find out the new features when the product is announced some time this year.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Martin Jules — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 15:32:14 GMT

@Karl Ottenstein I understand your point. You're talking about policies, but my point is about a winning marketing strategy through which the company could use to build trust with its active existing clients.

Building trust with them, including myself, would be powerful because we pay the price for that every year. We should be informed before new prospects or the general public.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Martin Jules — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 15:00:02 GMT

In addition to that, precedents are not necessarily the best way to go. What I am proposing here would be part of an innovation package that Graphisoft could use to gain the trust of its active existing customers in terms of powerful marketing strategies.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Karl Ottenstein — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 18:27:32 GMT

If it makes you feel good to express these opinions pretty much every spring, please continue. But, there is nothing Graphisoft does or doesn't do that is any different from similar major software vendors with subscription models. For example, Adobe - far larger than Graphisoft - releases Creative Suite updates on a frequent basis - each including new features to each product, as well as bug fixes. Yet, they don't announce what is coming. Does that affect my trust in Adobe? Why should it?

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Martin Jules — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 21:45:18 GMT

@Karl OttensteinI hope my opinions don't bother you about what Graphisoft might do differently.

Adobe is not a direct competitor to Graphisoft. Anyway, if you look closely, the two companies have not implemented the same marketing strategy and the subscription plans are very different. As an Adobe client, I have always received information from the company regarding potential updates and reasons for them.

Many companies give more importance to new customers than existing ones. In these companies, as in Graphisoft, these existing customers complain a lot. I think Graphisoft can do both by consolidating its client base while looking for new prospects. Would it not be an opportunity to do that with this proposal? Clients, including myself, like when they are recognized or appreciated by their companies. This boosts their trust or self-confidence.

If Graphisoft makes this difference, maybe it will become in the medium term a competitive advantage in the sense that happy repeat clients will help acquire more new clients. What do you think?

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

runxel — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 16:42:15 GMT

Karl, I think we can refrain from that kind of whataboutism here.

Adobe is not a good example, people have the same opinion on this topic over there, too.

Its just... that it actually doesn't matter too much?! I mean, I'm pushin' some pixels around. There is not much left to be desired. (Different topic for apps like InDesign)

Jules is not alone with his resentment. This is shared by many members of this community. It is also actually one of the key demands of the BIM Alliance, at least their German members.

So, I don't think we should invalidate the demand of paying customers. People are not willing to go in blind anymore. And of course the people, who are actually using the product should have a voice in what resources are used for. (E.g. the SAF debacle)

Just because this is not the current situation it doesn't mean it should stay like that. 😉

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Martin Jules — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 17:53:31 GMT

In other words, we only need to be happy as the Graphisoft's active clients! As simple as that, Mr. @Karl Ottenstein.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Karl Ottenstein — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 21:50:56 GMT

@Martin Jules wrote:

In other words, we only need to be happy as the Graphisoft's active clients! As simple as that, Mr. @Karl Ottenstein.

I suspect you are as happy as them 🙂 You are an active client, right? Perhaps you mean their largest clients? There has always been the suspicion that those huge firms hear more sooner than we do and influence the product more. I have no idea if that is true, but it would make sense to me.

As to @runxel 's comment - people using the product do have a voice... there are the various user group meetings with developers on the product roadmap... the next one is scheduled for next week, and yet very few (only 75 total in all four time-zone groups as of just now) have signed up - including you and @Martin Jules . But, if you feel that there is some better method for 100 or 200,000 users (whatever the number may be) to communicate their voice ... in a way that can be properly weighed by Graphisoft, do suggest it. Who knows, they might consider it.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Laszlo Nagy — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 22:26:17 GMT

Yes, guys, 2022 Q1 User Group events will be held on March 29-30, four events so all time zones can find the one most suited for them.

You guys should participate, engage with Graphisoft Product team, ask your questions, make your voices heard.

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Graphisoft-User-Group-Webinars/eb-p/hub_Graphisoft_User_Groupoccasion-board

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

DGSketcher — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 22:44:12 GMT

@Karl Ottenstein I am beginning to see a generational shift in expectation here. For those of us who have been with AC a long time it has been a beneficial tool that has dramatically improved old practices. The new generation of users have grown up with advanced software without an appreciation for how far things have developed, many live in a virtual world with no practical construction site experience, they sometimes have higher than realistic expectations for the software, little patience for learning and are living with global economics that have destroyed the concept of loyalty. How GS adapt to that is up to them, but I do foresee that companies that aren't seen to engage positively with their user base and simplify workflows either through AI or just simplified tools that work without a manual will start to lose out to other companies that can deliver solutions with minimal financial and learning requirements. GS are currently heading in the wrong direction with expensive, bug filled software filled with irrelevant tools and a detached attitude that assumes they know what we need.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

hevi — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 23:04:55 GMT

@Karl Ottenstein wrote:
But, if you feel that there is some better method for 100 or 200,000 users (whatever the number may be) to communicate their voice ... in a way that can be properly weighed by Graphisoft, do suggest it. Who knows, they might consider it.

Well, maybe we should remind them of this project about which we six months later still haven't seen or heard anything.

The user groups have potential and I look forward to the upcoming one which is explicitly stated to contain a section on the roadmap.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Tim Ball — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 16:16:58 GMT

Lasso that link is blocked

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Laszlo Nagy — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 16:32:22 GMT

Lasso?

Anyway, so you say you cannot access this page? (Are you signed in when you try? - When I am not signed in, I cannot see it either):

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Graphisoft-User-Group-Webinars/eb-p/hub_Graphisoft_User_Groupoccasion-board

How about this one? This is the European session of the User Group event:

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Graphisoft-User-Group-Webinars/Graphisoft-User-Group-Webinar-EMEA-session/ec-p/332040#M3

Does anyone else have problems accessing these pages while being signed in?

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

runxel — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 17:25:37 GMT

What you and Karl both seem to have missed is that those user groups are hidden and can only be viewed after an invitation.

So Karl saying that only so few people would be active there... well go figure.

Re: Archicad Beta: A little respect for Archicad's existing customers (Active ArchiPlus' subscribers

Tim Ball — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 17:32:12 GMT

Yes I am logged in