Personnel changes at Faithlife

135

Comments

  • Yasmin Stephen
    Yasmin Stephen Member Posts: 1,767 ✭✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    "Some customers, especially pastors and those involved in ministry, can be extremely rude/condescending." That I can well believe, having seen it often enough right here. It was very disconcerting when I first started frequenting the forums but now it's just par for the course, which is sad.

  • (‾◡◝)
    (‾◡◝) Member Posts: 927 ✭✭✭

    Hmmmm, let's compare ... human sales force v. online sales:

    does exactly what it is instructed, without error       winner: online sales

    works long hours, never late for work        winner: online sales

    one time training cost with minimal ongoing maintenance costs     winner: online sales

    no salary           winner: online sales

    no health insurance costs per the [anything but] Affordable Care Act    winner: online sales

    no 401k costs           winner: online sales

    no cappuccino, pop, &etc. costs         winner: online sales

    no whining [incl. via Glassdoor]        winner: online sales

    no paid vacation, no holidays, no personal days off      winner: online sales

    no misc. HR overhead costs         winner: online sales

    From a human perspective it's a brutal assessment, yet, survival is priority no. 1 for any business.  And if significant revenues can be saved and used to boost the viability of a small company ... well, it is only a matter of time until even the most kind-hearted, Christian employer will be forced to switch from flesh and blood to bits and bytes.  We had to say goodbye to buggy whips, elevator operators, carbon paper, slide rules, paper telephone books, and so forth, too.  My guess is, for the foreseeable future, there will always be one or two, maybe a few, sales people standing by, ready to take your call.  However, like it or not, the world moves on.

    Instead of Artificial Intelligence, I prefer to continue to rely on Divine Intelligence instructing my Natural Dullness (Ps 32:8, John 16:13a)

  • Stephen Terlizzi
    Stephen Terlizzi Member Posts: 204 ✭✭

    JRS said:

    From a human perspective it's a brutal assessment, yet, survival is priority no. 1 for any business.  And if significant revenues can be saved and used to boost the viability of a small company ... well, it is only a matter of time until even the most kind-hearted, Christian employer will be forced to switch from flesh and blood to bits and bytes.  We had to say goodbye to buggy whips, elevator operators, carbon paper, slide rules, paper telephone books, and so forth, too.  My guess is, for the foreseeable future, there will always be one or two, maybe a few, sales people standing by, ready to take your call.  However, like it or not, the world moves on.

    I would agree if the Sales team are only order-takers; however, if they explain the products, facilitate the customer getting to a purchase decision, etc., then they add a value that is sometimes difficult to deliver with online sales alone. Unfortunately, I did not see much of that from my Logos sales encounters – maybe I had the wrong sales representatives. 

    Nevertheless, just moving to online sales doesn't instantly generate sales. There needs to be an increase in marketing programs to attract, educate, and convince shoppers to buy. Faithlife's new 30 day training series is an good example – they are showing new resources through actual usage. I have already bought new resources because of this video series. Faithlife will need to continue to create these programs and that costs money, too.

    Just my humble opinion.

    Agape,

    Steve

  • Fasil
    Fasil Member Posts: 541 ✭✭

    JRS said:

    From a human perspective it's a brutal assessment, yet, survival is priority no. 1 for any business.  And if significant revenues can be saved and used to boost the viability of a small company ... well, it is only a matter of time until even the most kind-hearted, Christian employer will be forced to switch from flesh and blood to bits and bytes.  We had to say goodbye to buggy whips, elevator operators, carbon paper, slide rules, paper telephone books, and so forth, too.  My guess is, for the foreseeable future, there will always be one or two, maybe a few, sales people standing by, ready to take your call.  However, like it or not, the world moves on.

    I would agree if the Sales team are only order-takers; however, if they explain the products, facilitate the customer getting to a purchase decision, etc., then they add a value that is sometimes difficult to deliver with online sales alone. Unfortunately, I did not see much of that from my Logos sales encounters – maybe I had the wrong sales representatives. 

    Nevertheless, just moving to online sales doesn't instantly generate sales. There needs to be an increase in marketing programs to attract, educate, and convince shoppers to buy. Faithlife's new 30 day training series is an good example – they are showing new resources through actual usage. I have already bought new resources because of this video series. Faithlife will need to continue to create these programs and that costs money, too.

    Just my humble opinion.

    Agape,

    Steve

    👍 It's time for FL to make changes. Please again remove the current method. Whatever sales you have make it online like Amazon. Thank you!

  • C M
    C M Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    Nevertheless, just moving to online sales doesn't instantly generate sales. There needs to be an increase in marketing programs to attract, educate, and convince shoppers to buy. Faith life's new 30 day training series is an good example – they are showing new resources through actual usage...Faithlife will need to continue to create these programs and that costs money, too.  Just my humble opinion. 

    You may be on to something. Products will drive sales. Faithlife needs to focus and speed up contracting and digitalizing the millions of religious books (old and new) from around the world to Logos customers, waiting to snap them up. Newcomers will be added, small libraries will become big, large libraries will become bigger.

    While they are at it, they should consider creating new bundles and repackaging some current packages. They should, even, consider having a Customer’s Cafeteria Package (I think I can come up with some guidelines, if Bob is interested). It could be an annual sale or something fixed.

     

    Faithlife is in the season of change. Why not change for the good of all (Faithlife/Logos customers) and the better (variety/choice)? Faithlife wants to generate funds? Books, books, books, and millions of books!

     

    Trust me Bob, “there is gold, in them” books. 

  • C M
    C M Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    "Some customers, especially pastors and those involved in ministry, can be extremely rude/condescending." That I can well believe, having seen it often enough right here. It was very disconcerting when I first started frequenting the forums but now it's just par for the course, which is sad.

    MJ,

    "Pastors and those involved in ministry" are like any other people without the influencing power of the Word. Many people with holy titles have displayed very unholy behaviors far beyond being "rude/condescending." Vast sums of monies paid out and jailed clergymen in the "Freedom loving" USA, because too many have not been transformed (Romans 12:1-2) by the very Word (Bible) that they handled. Be not dismay, there is still hope for change and them. Let's pray that the Christians, working around or with the people mentioned above, will be "living" Epistles (2 Cor 3:2-6).

     

  • David Ames
    David Ames Member Posts: 2,971 ✭✭✭

    Products will drive sales.  

    BUT only if the customers know that they exist.  

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    Products will drive sales.  

    BUT only if the customers know that they exist.  

    Under the current model this cannot work... for millions of books to added millions upon millions of users have to pre order them before faithlife will even consider digitizing them. I have asked in the past if the concept of PrePub in someways might be a broken system. I look at the Paulist Press Classics of Western Spirituality Bundle (126 vols.) this set has new and good translations of  almost every significant spiritual classic. Everyone of these books should be available in FL library and I am positive at least half of them would be very big sellers. Trouble is this collection is so big and expensive and in no way available quickly to offer promise but cause people to go off and find it elsewhere. Obviously FL cannot simply release every book available, but at times I wonder if they might shoot themselves in the foot a bit by this system.

    -Dan

  • SineNomine
    SineNomine Member Posts: 7,012 ✭✭✭

    Trouble is this collection is so big and expensive and in no way available quickly to offer promise but cause people to go off and find it elsewhere.

    Significantly smaller parts of that collection are also available on Pre-Pub, and none of them are doing too well.

    “The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    Significantly smaller parts of that collection are also available on Pre-Pub, and none of them are doing too well.

    Very true and perhaps i perhaps value these spiritual masters more than most. I just think it is ashame that most of the works i want to buy in Logos are not yet available.

    -Dan

    PS:I say that now but at the same time I could not afford the package if it was released soon...

  • David Carter
    David Carter Member Posts: 1,099 ✭✭✭

    Obviously FL cannot simply release every book available, but at times I wonder if they might shoot themselves in the foot a bit by this system.

    They could remove an obvious bullet if only they could come to an agreement with Moody. I'm sure there would be a significant level of sales if and when they did.

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    They could remove an obvious bullet if only they could come to an agreement with Moody. I'm sure there would be a significant level of sales if and when they did.

    From my understanding it was such an acrimonious break I wouldn't expect it anytime soon...

    -Dan

  • Matthew C Jones
    Matthew C Jones Member Posts: 10,295 ✭✭✭

    I see this thread has veered off course from the title.

    Logos 7 Collectors Edition

  • GaoLu
    GaoLu Member Posts: 3,518 ✭✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    That's an interesting thought. It makes me wonder what percentage of Logos uses are forum users.

    Forum Activity: 186,437 users have contributed to 101,098 threads and 769,461 posts.

    IIRC a couple of years or more ago we were told there were > 1 million users.

    My case may be unusual, but I likely have half a dozen forgotten former ID's as I sniffed at Logos on and off for quite a few years before the hook finally set.     

    With great respect and concern for those laid off, positive changes often comes when we are motivated by events such as layoffs.  That has happened to me, anyway.  God is in control and will take care of His children.  

    To be candid, my personal experience with sales was never positive.  I only used sales assistance a few times and my experiences were like this:

    1. Just got an ordinary deal, same as online. No benefit.

    2. I got misleading help from a person who knew less than I did about a some products and insisted they were right.  Details aside, they were quite wrong, which was verified after I made the purchase on my own without so much "help."  

    3. I was offered a good deal--better than online. My sales person for reasons perhaps related or unrelated was let go before the sales was even completed.  Another person came alone and tried to undo the deal. I dug my heels in a bit since the salesman's offer was already committed by email. l got the deal I was offered but never felt good about it for myself or Logos or the salesperson.

    4. Excessive pressure and sort of mustard yellow plaid panted used car sales feel techniques.  I wanted advice on putting together overlapping resource packages, figuring out actual prices, not all that other hype and nonsense.  (I canceled the sale in 2 cases and figured out on my own).

    All my experiences fit those categories.  Of course not only phone sales staff were laid off. Yet, as wonderful as some of the sales staff were, maybe everyone would have a better experience with some changes.  I will likely not bother with sales staff any time soon, but stick with my own figures online.  Maybe someone can offer better experiences.  I am grateful for the great reviews of some former staff.  

    I have a lot of confidence in Logos, appreciate Bob's statements and don't feel the worries some express.  

    Peace.

  • C M
    C M Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    I see this thread has veered off course from the title.

    Back to the purity of the thread:

    Given that a lot of the "big" salaried workers were let go, could some of them be replaced with younger or part time workers without the pressure and quotas?

  • C M
    C M Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    Significantly smaller parts of that collection are also available on Pre-Pub, and none of them are doing too well.

    Is it possible for us to discuss this collection elsewhere finding it possibly that it lacks quality, to explain why it's not doing well?

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 54,937

    finding it possibly that it lacks quality,

    I was a subscriber to the series from the first volume to 80-something when I became to busy to read them. I assure you that quality is not the issue. I suspect that it is the makeup of the user base as the original target market has little overlap with Logos.

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • SineNomine
    SineNomine Member Posts: 7,012 ✭✭✭

    Significantly smaller parts of that collection are also available on Pre-Pub, and none of them are doing too well.

    Is it possible for us to discuss this collection elsewhere....

    Yes.

    “The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara

  • Tony Thomas
    Tony Thomas Member Posts: 445 ✭✭

    It is sad to hear that such a large percentage of the Logos staff has been laid off (about 16%).  It signals a dramatic shift in their business model.  I sense that the web will now be their primary transactional vehicle.  As I did not place orders through their sales force, this change will not impact me.  Because of the obvious underlying financial downturn (probably fueled in part by their recent changes to the "buy now, pay later" policy), it is my hope the Logos will pay more attention to the voice of the customer and focus on their core product rather than going off in so many directions.  And they really need to improve and expand the functionality of Biblia (web) for their primary user base.

    Director of Zoeproject 

    www.zoeproject.com

  • Joseph
    Joseph Member Posts: 91 ✭✭

    And they really need to improve and expand the functionality of Biblia (web) for their primary user base.

    They are doing so. Biblia.com remains a place to access books and read the Bible for free. However app.logos.com will be where additional functionality is to be found. They already have some interactives, various guides from the desktop, the atlas, etc. there. To access the beta version, you must have a Logos Now or Logos Cloud subscription. 

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    Joseph said:

    And they really need to improve and expand the functionality of Biblia (web) for their primary user base.

    They are doing so. Biblia.com remains a place to access books and read the Bible for free. However app.logos.com will be where additional functionality is to be found. They already have some interactives, various guides from the desktop, the atlas, etc. there. To access the beta version, you must have a Logos Now or Logos Cloud subscription. 

    At the risk of jumping into another rabbit hole and moving this thread off topic again.... There is a small hope that the web app may be released to a no subscribing public. Part of the NOW model is to develop things, some items like new features that are very data intensive will likely always remain inside the NOW model... Other things like RSV OT interlinear I would expect to find it's way into Verbum 7.0 Libraries/Logos 7.0 Libraries. The WEB APP is something I am not sure if it has been decided yet if it will always be subscription only or once finished will be made available to all users. There is no doubt it is sever intensive being done completely on FL servers, but then most all the heavy lifting of the mobile APPS are using the same servers to get their results. This is the one thing that gives me hope that this one day may replace Biblica and be the natural web access for all FL customers. But as said above as far as I have heard no decision has yet to be made on it, but until it is fully fleshed out and functioning it will remain within the NOW model I am sure.

    -Dan

  • Tony Thomas
    Tony Thomas Member Posts: 445 ✭✭

    Joseph said:

    And they really need to improve and expand the functionality of Biblia (web) for their primary user base.

    They are doing so. Biblia.com remains a place to access books and read the Bible for free. However app.logos.com will be where additional functionality is to be found. They already have some interactives, various guides from the desktop, the atlas, etc. there. To access the beta version, you must have a Logos Now or Logos Cloud subscription. 

    At the risk of jumping into another rabbit hole and moving this thread off topic again.... There is a small hope that the web app may be released to a no subscribing public. Part of the NOW model is to develop things, some items like new features that are very data intensive will likely always remain inside the NOW model... Other things like RSV OT interlinear I would expect to find it's way into Verbum 7.0 Libraries/Logos 7.0 Libraries. The WEB APP is something I am not sure if it has been decided yet if it will always be subscription only or once finished will be made available to all users. There is no doubt it is sever intensive being done completely on FL servers, but then most all the heavy lifting of the mobile APPS are using the same servers to get their results. This is the one thing that gives me hope that this one day may replace Biblica and be the natural web access for all FL customers. But as said above as far as I have heard no decision has yet to be made on it, but until it is fully fleshed out and functioning it will remain within the NOW model I am sure.

    -Dan

    Yeah, but functionality like this should be available to customers who have already invested, in many cases, thousands of dollars in Logos products and services!!  

    Director of Zoeproject 

    www.zoeproject.com

  • C M
    C M Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    /quote] Yeah, but functionality like this should be available to customers who have already invested, in many cases, thousands of dollars in Logos products and services! !  /quote]

    Some changes cost. All changes are different. The sooner they are identified, the greater the peace.

  • Stephen
    Stephen Member Posts: 201 ✭✭

    Only a customer since Logos 4.  Anyway I am a civilian user (not clergy, teacher, preacher, etc) and have the software for my own enjoyment.  I have not spent thousands but it might be a little over a thousand over time.  Regardless, I trust Bob and company not to leave me high and dry.  I do wish them the best of luck and reading all of this makes we want to go find something I want to buy even if it is not in the thousands of dollars category.

  • Michael March
    Michael March Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    Thank you Bob, for your honesty, integrity and transparency. Thank you for providing such a quality product that I use every day and which has helped me share the Bible with thousands of people for over two decades. My ministry and teaching and capacity to study has been enhanced beyond measure by your product. It gives me the ability to work and prepare in different places with far greater resources than ever before which are always with me on a desktop which looks the same wherever I go. This is to say nothing of the search ability and the tools you have placed at my disposal from atlases to original language work. I can't fully describe what a blessing this company and this product has been to me, and through me to the members of my churches. I am thrilled to see that you'll be here for many years to come.

    With many of you I lift up prayers for those without jobs.

    Windows PC - Android Phone - Surface Pro 4

  • C M
    C M Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    You're going to be fine, and we're going to be here to support you. 

    To Bob, The Laid-off workers, and Logos users,

    Worry is a deceptive luxury we must not covet. One unknown source gives a breakdown of what the average person worries about:  

    • 40% focus on things that will never happen.
    • 30% deal with the past that can’t be changed.
    • 12% concern criticism by others, mostly untrue.
    • 10% relate to health, which worsens with anxiety.
    • 8% are about legitimate concerns that require action. 
    • Statistics aside, the observation confirms that worry is an exercise in futility. There are two things we should never worry about: 
      • (i) Things we cannot change  
      • (ii) Things we can change. 
    Think about it! Then reflect on Christ’s words in Matthew 6:25-34. Worry is shortsighted and blind, but faith has vision. So, why worry?—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim
  • James Fowler
    James Fowler Member Posts: 16 ✭✭

    Always a great reminder for times like these:

    Psalm 107:28-30 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven

    Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/10-awesome-bible-verses-about-the-power-of-prayer/#ixzz3xEm6GvH5Psalm 107:28-30 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven

    Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/10-awesome-bible-verses-about-the-power-of-prayer/#ixzz3xEm6GvH5

  • Matthew C Jones
    Matthew C Jones Member Posts: 10,295 ✭✭✭

    One unknown source gives a breakdown of what the average person worries about:  

    This sounds like Dale Carnegie from How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

    Logos 7 Collectors Edition

  • Nathan Parker
    Nathan Parker Member Posts: 1,755 ✭✭✭

    Due to the server issues that happened tonight, I wonder if anyone in the "server management department" was on the list. :-)

    Nathan Parker

    Visit my blog at http://focusingonthemarkministries.com

  • Tony Thomas
    Tony Thomas Member Posts: 445 ✭✭

    Due to the server issues that happened tonight, I wonder if anyone in the "server management department" was on the list. :-)

    It might have something to do with this: http://www.zdnet.com/article/serious-security-flaw-found-in-openssh-puts-private-keys-at-risk/

    Director of Zoeproject 

    www.zoeproject.com

  • C M
    C M Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    This sounds like Dale Carnegie from How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

    Thanks, Super.Tramp.

    If you are sure of the source, I will pass it on to the compiler who sent it to me. Regardless, the principle message remains.

  • Matthew C Jones
    Matthew C Jones Member Posts: 10,295 ✭✭✭

    If you are sure of the source, I will pass it on to the compiler who sent it to me. Regardless, the principle message remains.

    I can not check my paper copy to be sure because I can no longer read the printed page due to visual impairment. I agree the principle is true.

    Logos 7 Collectors Edition

  • Mark Barnes
    Mark Barnes Member Posts: 15,432 ✭✭✭

    Due to the server issues that happened tonight, I wonder if anyone in the "server management department" was on the list. :-)

    It might have something to do with this: http://www.zdnet.com/article/serious-security-flaw-found-in-openssh-puts-private-keys-at-risk/

    Faithlife don't use OpenSSL - they're on a Windows stack. 

    This is my personal Faithlife account. On 1 March 2022, I started working for Faithlife, and have a new 'official' user account. Posts on this account shouldn't be taken as official Faithlife views!

  • C M
    C M Member Posts: 237 ✭✭

    Faithlife don't use OpenSSL - they're on a Windows stack. 

    Does this have anything to do with "personnel changes at Faithlife?" 

    However, is there any truth to the content of this website? https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Faithlife-RVW9169552.htm

    I tried to respond to the individual directly, but unable to do so.  If this site is so, or partially true, we have been misled. I am not worried, but I am concern about those laid off (frequency and treatment of workers). I am the let Bob, be Bob person. However, this in no way I endorse  him or anyone to exercise unchristian behaviors or create a hostile work environment.

    Who is James G. Fowler? He claims to present "another perspective of the recent lay-offs"   I don't want to be the source of fear mongering, but have we been sold a "bill of goods" on the laidoffs?  

  • Paul Caneparo
    Paul Caneparo Member Posts: 2,752 ✭✭✭

    Bob

    You seem to be keeping an eye on this Forum Post.  I live in the UK, so I rarely contacted the sales office and on the occasions I did, they weren't able to offer me deals that I could get online, so I'm more than happy to continue to do all of my dealing online.  However, as my library has grown, I find that my purchases are increasingly driven by offers, such as the Monthly Sale, Daily Deals and ad hoc publisher promotions like the recent NIVAC sale.  I'm sure I can't be alone in this respect.

    Therefore, given you seem to encouraging online sales, it seems a shame that the Daily Deals seem to have fallen by the wayside or at least become erratic.  Can I please encourage you to resume 'normal service' with the Daily Twitter and Facebook Deals?

    PS  My wife will be grateful if you don't!!

  • Mark Barnes
    Mark Barnes Member Posts: 15,432 ✭✭✭

    However, is there any truth to the content of this website? https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Faithlife-RVW9169552.htm

    I tried to respond to the individual directly, but unable to do so.  If this site is so, or partially true, we have been misled. I am not worried, but I am concern about those laid off (frequency and treatment of workers). I am the let Bob, be Bob person. However, this in no way I endorse  him or anyone to exercise unchristian behaviors or create a hostile work environment.

    Bob will probably respond on Glassdoor fairly soon. He normally does. He's probably waiting for the dust to settle a little.

    A great company doesn't become a terrible company overnight. As I understand it, two major decisions have been made in recent months — the first to dramatically downsize the Verbum department, and the second to dramatically downsize the marketing/sales department.

    With regard to the former, whilst the Catholic focus has been very much appreciated by many, it's taken a massive marketing push to get where it has, and it's still less popular that Logos Reformed and Logos Baptist, which don't have their own branding, blog, videos, training materials, etc. It looks like Faithlife may have taken the view that whilst they want their Catholic market to continue to grow, a massive marketing push is not the way to achieve that.

    With regard to the latter, the majority of complaints about Faithlife over the years on the forums have been to do with marketing — over-promising and under-delivering, or simply poor communication. Plus, the 'salesman' model is surely dead in 2015, isn't it? So we shouldn't be surprised that there have been big job cuts in sales, and we shouldn't be surprised that people leaving the marketing department are generally negative (sometimes very negative). Most of us have been negative about the marketing department at some point.

    You can take this one of two ways.

    On the one hand, you can conclude the company is in crisis, and disaster is around the corner. On the other hand you can applaud  the company for finally attempting to fix a long-standing problem. Probably the truth is somewhere in between, although I'm inclined to believe it's nearer the latter than the former.

    I hope that Bob and others will be taking the opportunity to ask, "How did we get here?", and the lessons learned through that should serve the company well into the future. The need for better HR oversight and more honest marketing/sales seem to be two recurring themes. But there are other things too, no doubt.

    This is my personal Faithlife account. On 1 March 2022, I started working for Faithlife, and have a new 'official' user account. Posts on this account shouldn't be taken as official Faithlife views!

  • PL
    PL Member Posts: 2,159 ✭✭✭

    These are very serious allegations on Glassdoor. Hope Bob will respond and change their ways where change is necessary, and do it in a humane and biblical way.

  • Doc B
    Doc B Member Posts: 3,642 ✭✭✭

    is there any truth to the content of this website?

    Charles,

    I have tried to avoid even posting a emoji on this thread, but I'll jump in here.

    First, everyone who is a regular on the forums knows I'm not a Faithlife Fanboy. I have been critical of FL where I thought it was warranted (and perhaps overly so on a few occasions). I quit playing the trumpet 30 years ago, so I'm not about to jump on any bandwagons.

    But as a manager of people, I'm going to have to come to FL's defense on this one (particularly Bob's, even though I'm sure he doesn't need my help). Without going into a treatise, let me simply say that if you manage anyone or anything and don't tick somebody off, you aren't doing your job. If you do your job well, you will really make someone mad, and if you do your job exceptionally well, you'll piss someone off royally (pardon my French) [6].

    That's to say this: Take everything you see posted on a review site with a grain of salt, if not a teaspoon full. (Yes, that'll make you throw up, which is a fair response to much of what is posted on review sites.) We don't know the whole story. Remember the proverb about one man's story seeming right until the other side is heard? That proverb was written with managers in mind. Yes, there are bad managers and there are good managers that make bad decisions. But in 20-something years of managing, I can't recall ever seeing one of these types of accusations that didn't fall apart when more of the story was revealed. Remember, patience is a fruit of the Spirit. I have yet to find a translation where jumping to conclusions is listed as a fruit. (Truth be told: the way I've learned to be patient on these issues is by jumping to conclusions and then losing a chunk of my behind as a result. I may gain weight as I age, but I'll never have a big butt.  Too much of it has been bitten off over the years. [:P] )

    Hope this helps. I appreciate your concern for folks, or I wouldn't have bothered to write this.

    Eating a steady diet of government cheese, and living in a van down by the river.

  • Steve Maling
    Steve Maling Member Posts: 737 ✭✭

    Doc B and Mark Barnes, many thanks for the perspectives you bring.

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    However, is there any truth to the content of this website? https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Faithlife-RVW9169552.htm

    I tried to respond to the individual directly, but unable to do so.  If this site is so, or partially true, we have been misled. I am not worried, but I am concern about those laid off (frequency and treatment of workers). I am the let Bob, be Bob person. However, this in no way I endorse  him or anyone to exercise unchristian behaviors or create a hostile work environment.

    Who is James G. Fowler? He claims to present "another perspective of the recent lay-offs"   I don't want to be the source of fear mongering, but have we been sold a "bill of goods" on the laidoffs?  

    There are 2 sides to every story... I feel it is important to hear the people at the glass door but we are only herring their experience and it very well might be only a partial truth (their truth fully as it is known but does't take FL side into account. Is FL a perfect place to work.. probably not, is Bob doing his best to make it better, I would hope so. I have heard rumours outside of the forums from former employees but do not repeat them here. I hope we have not been sold a "bill of goods", time will tell... I wish noting but the best for all the employees who have been let go from FL in the past few months.

    -Dan

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 14,333 ✭✭✭✭

    Independent of glass-door representativeness, my concerns:

    - A significant firing, to include families and children in mid-school year, should give pause to hiring good people in the future.  That is worrysome for the amount of sophistication Logos tries to deliver.

    - Mark (other Mark) is pushing Strack & Billerbeck. I appreciate his efforts. But I went ahead and bought the german version and will struggle. I've no confidence in future Logos projects that operate at the margins (if unloading so many employees is necessitated). And I'm still awaiting products paid for from 5 years ago (sold, not pre-pub'd).

    - I agree with the issue of 'marketing'. Early on, I suspected that issue is at the top level at Logos, and not solvable. I remain impressed that Olivetree, ChristianDiscount and LitPress can exude a Christian-ish way of communicating, but Logos can't. I don't know why.

    "If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.

  • Jack Caviness
    Jack Caviness MVP Posts: 13,603

    Doc B said:

    I have tried to avoid even posting a emoji on this thread, but I'll jump in here.

    Glad you did, and I appreciated your insight. Thank you.

  • Paul
    Paul Member Posts: 83 ✭✭

    Denise said:

    Independent of glass-door representativeness, my concerns:

    - A significant firing, to include families and children in mid-school year, should give pause to hiring good people in the future.  That is worrysome for the amount of sophistication Logos tries to deliver.

    - Mark (other Mark) is pushing Strack & Billerbeck. I appreciate his efforts. But I went ahead and bought the german version and will struggle. I've no confidence in future Logos projects that operate at the margins (if unloading so many employees is necessitated). And I'm still awaiting products paid for from 5 years ago (sold, not pre-pub'd).

    - I agree with the issue of 'marketing'. Early on, I suspected that issue is at the top level at Logos, and not solvable. I remain impressed that Olivetree, ChristianDiscount and LitPress can exude a Christian-ish way of communicating, but Logos can't. I don't know why.

    Contrast Logos with YouVersion for example. At YouVersion home page, it reads: "God is near, and so is His Word. As you wake up. While you wait. When you meet a friend. Before you go to sleep. When the Bible is always with you, it becomes a part of your daily life." At Logos, the message can be paraphrased as: buy more, get a bigger library, and you will do better Bible Study.  

    YouVersion is missional, while Logos is a commercial enterprise.  YouVersion app will ask me: How is my walk with God? Logos homepage only asks me: "Have I bought any more resources lately?"

  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) MVP Posts: 36,523

    Paul Lee said:

    Contrast Logos with YouVersion for example.

    I like both Logos and YouVersion, but don't confuse a business with a church (YouVersion).

    macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
    Choose Truth Over Tribe | Become a Joyful Outsider!

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    alabama24 said:

    Paul Lee said:

    Contrast Logos with YouVersion for example.

    I like both Logos and YouVersion, but don't confuse a business with a church (YouVersion).

    Advertising within Bible software is a two edged sword... I enjoy hearing about new products and sales, but it can feel out of place. But I recognize that FL needs to make money and that thankfully I can turn off these adds by customizing my homepage.

    -Dan

  • Randall Cue
    Randall Cue Member Posts: 685 ✭✭

    alabama24 said:

    Paul Lee said:

    Contrast Logos with YouVersion for example.

    I like both Logos and YouVersion, but don't confuse a business with a church (YouVersion).

    How is YouVersion a church?

  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) MVP Posts: 36,523

    How is YouVersion a church?

    It's a ministry of LifeChurch.tv (Craig Groeschel)

    And Logos is a corporate sponsor! 

    macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
    Choose Truth Over Tribe | Become a Joyful Outsider!

  • Bootjack
    Bootjack Member Posts: 756 ✭✭

    Just scanning through all these posts, am I getting it correct that just sales people are laid off or does this include people who are working on the technical side of things.

    I for one am a bit nervous, having seen Biblesoft go through a similar (or not so similar path) suddenly & with a lot of hints that it would go down the tubes. 

    I've mentioned this before so suffer the repetition, but things that should have been addressed a year or go or more are still in limbo. Thus my question regarding the techies - have they been reduced in number also? Unfortunately, I saw this trend with Biblesoft, e.g. things which were being promised / suddenly people leaving or laid off and now we know, the rest of the story!!!  

    Again, pardon my ignorance, but if things were ever to go pads up at Logos, or is it now just Faithlife, does this mean what I presently have purchased / the program itself, is not going to work at all or as well?

    I'm not nervous at all ... just thinking of doing a few laps around Tim Hortons!?! 

    MSI Pulse GL76-12UGK Intel Core i7-12700H, RTX3070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Windows 11 Home

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 54,937

    Bootjack said:

    Just scanning through all these posts, am I getting it correct that just sales people are laid off

    Sales people are the individuals most visible to user and therefore comprise the primary data for this thread. We know that at least some other areas took hits. My advice ... ignore most of the thread because most of it is speculation not knowledge. And since we don't have the facts to see what is going on, we can scarcely say we've seen it before although we may have seen something that bore distinct similarities from the perspective of a user without knowledge of the innards of the company.

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."