Stardock (better company in the future)
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First, I would like to comment on the decision to delete iVAN WILDER's latest post and also decision to lock the thread created by sc456a.
I did read iVAN latest replay (from the name, I will assume iVAN is a he) in https://forums.wincustomize.com/313265/page/3. The replay was an explanation to his situation, which was confusing to me. However, the replay has been deleted. I do not know what iVAN did in the past, but it seems people here (mostly fanboy) are ganging against iVAN, including some officials. I didn't read any rude or inappropriate words that made the reply deserve to be deleted.
By deleting iVAN's reply, it seems Stardock wants to hide something or afraid others would know iVAN's bad experience with the company.
This could affect the view of others regarding the level of this company professionalism.
Really, you need to have staff or personnels that can keep your company's good image. Especially, personnels that are related to public relations.
And also by locking the thread, I feel, that the person does not respect my sincere opinions and suggestions. And it seems, the person that locked the thread has hijacked sc456a's post even worse than iVAN. I just remembered, someone needs to apologize again to sc456a because of another (empty?) promises.
All this happened because iVAN has not been satisfied with the product that he bought. How do you make unsatisfied customer to become content? By giving some compensation or by sacrificing something accordingly. Deleting posts and ganging on unsatisfied customers (so from outside it looks like nothings wrong with the company), will not solve the problem. If a fix cannot be delivered, talk in private with the customer to discuss a possible compensation. IVAN's replays from the flaming posts show that he is a quite considerable person, I'm sure satisfaction for both sides can be reached. There are many possibilities that could satisfy customer without making loss to the company, especially for a company that sells software.
Remember, additional fee is needed to upgrade to the next version. Does iVAN need to pay additional fee for the new version so he can use the software that he bought 1 year ago? Doesn't it mean that iVAN had spent money for nothing? Have you ever imagine what if you were treated like that by a company?
Oh.. oh, I have just found an interesting thing.
https://forums.wincustomize.com/312371
It looks like each time Stardock could not answer or lost an argument, the moderators would just lock the thread.
Here is one of iVAN's last reply on that thread, that couldn't be replied by SD, before the thread got locked:
"As I stated in the previously locked thread, I have sent many pages of feedback, not to mention almost daily crash reports, screenshots, detailed explanations and did everything that was asked of me to better determine the problem. It has literally been one way traffic so ..."
IVAN wanted to have personal communication with SD by specifically addressing SD on the title of that thread. But, it is also useless. And here is one answer he got:
"We've heard your complaint. Nothing has changed. Nothing will change."
Based on iVAN's experience, it seems, above is the polite-version of:
"We've heard your complaint, we cannot fix the problem. But, who really cares? We are already busy with other projects and we have lots of customers. We already got your money, we don't care you're satisfied or not, wait and buy the next version. Or get lost... sucker".
I want to know what SD thinks about its customers.
Do you think by deleting and locking iVAN's posts would make iVAN stop? Maybe. But, if I were iVAN, I will never stop. Because I felt I have lost time and money for nothing. Further more, treated unprofessionally with rude gestures.
Let me ask you, if someone stole your money, what would you do?
I believe, if SD were being honest by telling iVAN that they are too busy with other projects at the moment and promised to compensate with something. I'm sure, iVAN willingness to complain would be gone or much less. And SD won't have to show its tyrant's face (lock thread and delete important explanation post).
I just remembered, if I'm not mistaken someone said that SD aren't afraid to let people speak their minds at all. It seems that someone is wrong.
The key here is to respect each other and sincerely try to give good service for the customers.
SD have never think about giving some compensations. It only shows that SD do not respect their customers and their focus is not to give good service or customer satisfaction.
Actually, now I can't help myself to think that SD only goes for the money.
Why?
1. Additional fee for new version. (Bug in old version is kept so users would eventually need to buy for the new version)
2. Long update. (Try to get money from other products, and abandon the ones that already sold). SD could work on other projects, while keeping OD customers on the leash for the next version.
3. Solve the problem of unsatisfied customer by locking and deleting posts. (The easiest way to silent unsatisfied customer without sacrificing any resource)
4. Never think about giving compensation or sacrifice for the customers. (Because always think about profit or company personal gain)
But, I hope those bad thoughts are wrong though.
For all fanboys, be grateful your system and your working habit are not conflicting with OD. And keep hoping that the next version won't be buggy on you, or you will see how nice Stardock is.
For Stardock, keep hoping that the next version of OD won't be too buggy. Otherwise, you will lose fanboys, if you do not change your attitude and respect you customers more.
Suggestion for OD to prevent future incident:
Create a trial version for each update. So, when a user is experiencing bugs, he or she could wait for the fix before deciding to buy or not. If the bugs still exist, just don't buy the product. Easy and everybody happy. Except, OD would have less buyer, if it's buggy and being abandoned by SD.
It means SD need to be more organized.. if it cannot be done, then it's the company's fault.
For iVAN:
IVAN, you have my sympathy. I can see that you really like OD and really want it to get better. Actually, the OD fanboys should be grateful to have you here, because you try to push SD to improve and work on OD. But, I know how someone could be a hypocrite, lost sense of justice, and weak only because wanting to be accepted in a community. Maybe karma point also takes part, I don't know how it works, perhaps discount for having high karma point? Nevertheless, I believe, the main reason is that the fanboys do not experience problems with OD like you do. In that case, they are just being insensitive or just have no imagination.
Anyway, Good luck and I hope, eventually, you could get what you've paid for.
Phew, that's all, folks. Quite long, but I hope it worth it. We all want the best for OD. So, we all hope Stardock could be a better company in the future. I would like to see SD to be fair and square with the customers, so the customers could understand and accept the facts. Think of my opinions as an introspection tool, instead as something that is bad or against.
But, if you are afraid of my opinions, then there really is something wrong.
Have a good day.
I did read iVAN latest replay (from the name, I will assume iVAN is a he) in https://forums.wincustomize.com/313265/page/3. The replay was an explanation to his situation, which was confusing to me. However, the replay has been deleted. I do not know what iVAN did in the past, but it seems people here (mostly fanboy) are ganging against iVAN, including some officials. I didn't read any rude or inappropriate words that made the reply deserve to be deleted.
By deleting iVAN's reply, it seems Stardock wants to hide something or afraid others would know iVAN's bad experience with the company.
This could affect the view of others regarding the level of this company professionalism.
Really, you need to have staff or personnels that can keep your company's good image. Especially, personnels that are related to public relations.
And also by locking the thread, I feel, that the person does not respect my sincere opinions and suggestions. And it seems, the person that locked the thread has hijacked sc456a's post even worse than iVAN. I just remembered, someone needs to apologize again to sc456a because of another (empty?) promises.
All this happened because iVAN has not been satisfied with the product that he bought. How do you make unsatisfied customer to become content? By giving some compensation or by sacrificing something accordingly. Deleting posts and ganging on unsatisfied customers (so from outside it looks like nothings wrong with the company), will not solve the problem. If a fix cannot be delivered, talk in private with the customer to discuss a possible compensation. IVAN's replays from the flaming posts show that he is a quite considerable person, I'm sure satisfaction for both sides can be reached. There are many possibilities that could satisfy customer without making loss to the company, especially for a company that sells software.
Remember, additional fee is needed to upgrade to the next version. Does iVAN need to pay additional fee for the new version so he can use the software that he bought 1 year ago? Doesn't it mean that iVAN had spent money for nothing? Have you ever imagine what if you were treated like that by a company?
Oh.. oh, I have just found an interesting thing.
https://forums.wincustomize.com/312371
It looks like each time Stardock could not answer or lost an argument, the moderators would just lock the thread.
Here is one of iVAN's last reply on that thread, that couldn't be replied by SD, before the thread got locked:
"As I stated in the previously locked thread, I have sent many pages of feedback, not to mention almost daily crash reports, screenshots, detailed explanations and did everything that was asked of me to better determine the problem. It has literally been one way traffic so ..."
IVAN wanted to have personal communication with SD by specifically addressing SD on the title of that thread. But, it is also useless. And here is one answer he got:
"We've heard your complaint. Nothing has changed. Nothing will change."
Based on iVAN's experience, it seems, above is the polite-version of:
"We've heard your complaint, we cannot fix the problem. But, who really cares? We are already busy with other projects and we have lots of customers. We already got your money, we don't care you're satisfied or not, wait and buy the next version. Or get lost... sucker".
I want to know what SD thinks about its customers.
Do you think by deleting and locking iVAN's posts would make iVAN stop? Maybe. But, if I were iVAN, I will never stop. Because I felt I have lost time and money for nothing. Further more, treated unprofessionally with rude gestures.
Let me ask you, if someone stole your money, what would you do?
I believe, if SD were being honest by telling iVAN that they are too busy with other projects at the moment and promised to compensate with something. I'm sure, iVAN willingness to complain would be gone or much less. And SD won't have to show its tyrant's face (lock thread and delete important explanation post).
I just remembered, if I'm not mistaken someone said that SD aren't afraid to let people speak their minds at all. It seems that someone is wrong.
The key here is to respect each other and sincerely try to give good service for the customers.
SD have never think about giving some compensations. It only shows that SD do not respect their customers and their focus is not to give good service or customer satisfaction.
Actually, now I can't help myself to think that SD only goes for the money.
Why?
1. Additional fee for new version. (Bug in old version is kept so users would eventually need to buy for the new version)
2. Long update. (Try to get money from other products, and abandon the ones that already sold). SD could work on other projects, while keeping OD customers on the leash for the next version.
3. Solve the problem of unsatisfied customer by locking and deleting posts. (The easiest way to silent unsatisfied customer without sacrificing any resource)
4. Never think about giving compensation or sacrifice for the customers. (Because always think about profit or company personal gain)
But, I hope those bad thoughts are wrong though.
For all fanboys, be grateful your system and your working habit are not conflicting with OD. And keep hoping that the next version won't be buggy on you, or you will see how nice Stardock is.
For Stardock, keep hoping that the next version of OD won't be too buggy. Otherwise, you will lose fanboys, if you do not change your attitude and respect you customers more.
Suggestion for OD to prevent future incident:
Create a trial version for each update. So, when a user is experiencing bugs, he or she could wait for the fix before deciding to buy or not. If the bugs still exist, just don't buy the product. Easy and everybody happy. Except, OD would have less buyer, if it's buggy and being abandoned by SD.
It means SD need to be more organized.. if it cannot be done, then it's the company's fault.
For iVAN:
IVAN, you have my sympathy. I can see that you really like OD and really want it to get better. Actually, the OD fanboys should be grateful to have you here, because you try to push SD to improve and work on OD. But, I know how someone could be a hypocrite, lost sense of justice, and weak only because wanting to be accepted in a community. Maybe karma point also takes part, I don't know how it works, perhaps discount for having high karma point? Nevertheless, I believe, the main reason is that the fanboys do not experience problems with OD like you do. In that case, they are just being insensitive or just have no imagination.
Anyway, Good luck and I hope, eventually, you could get what you've paid for.
Phew, that's all, folks. Quite long, but I hope it worth it. We all want the best for OD. So, we all hope Stardock could be a better company in the future. I would like to see SD to be fair and square with the customers, so the customers could understand and accept the facts. Think of my opinions as an introspection tool, instead as something that is bad or against.
But, if you are afraid of my opinions, then there really is something wrong.
Have a good day.