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

[Martin Jules]

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!

[Petar]

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.

[Martin Jules]

@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!

[ryejuan]

and most important is to listen to users feedback. 😎 

[Martin Jules]

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. 

[Karl Ottenstein]

---

@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.

[Martin Jules]

@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.

[Martin Jules]

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.

[Karl Ottenstein]

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?

[Martin Jules]

@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?