Is the Logos business model really anti-customer?
Hi All,
I've seen quite a few folks post that they are less than thrilled with the recent change, some threatening to sell it all and leave, others threatening to move to other software, and many displaying feelings of disgust over loss of their former status. As a Logos customer, that works as a business consultant rather than as a pastor/seminary student/teacher, I'd like to echo some of what I've seen Logos employees try to say, yet from the other side of the relationship...as well as offer a few reflection points of my own.
-ALL businesses operate in the reality that: [Revenue - Cost = Profit]
-ALL businesses must achieve and sustain a PROFIT over the long-term, or they will cease to exist
-Providing FREE software is COSTLY, with ZERO revenue attached
-Logos receives revenue by selling a resource (not by: coding, storing, or supporting multiple downloads of them)
-When a customer buys a book it is a ONE TIME REVENUE with a PERPETUAL COST to Logos
-Over-time, Revenues received are spent on costs, reinvested, or distributed to shareholders...yet perpetual costs still remain (running the business, storing the software, keeping the website working, updating software, etc. etc.)
That said, I can fully understand and appreciate the need for Logos to get creative in how they continue to raise capital to support the ongoing costs of their business, and if that means that I pay a little every so often to get more resources or more functionality, then I say it's worth it to know that my software and Christian library supplier is stable and able to continue to supply me with the latest bible-software and Christian titles on the market (especially when the increased functionality and new titles are at the awesome deals that they usually are).
On another note...as a business consultant I've seen that it's very normal to see a small portion of the population dissatisfied with any change that occurs, in the same way you pastors have seen the small group of goats in your congregation get all riled up over a change in service structure...likewise we see a small group of fans that often comment like I do to try to combat those that are against the change...what we don't see is the majority of folks that will just skim over posts like ours and continue to purchase and enjoy the software, buy the upgrades, and move on with life. So I would encourage those that are frustrated about the change to sit back, think about it from the perspectives of others, remember how blessed we are to have access to the information we have access to, and then join the rest of us in gladly pay the additional funds to get the improved functionality.
Thanks,
Derek
Comments
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Derek I agree totally, but would just add one point, at least some if not much of the 'bad reactions' to the latest rollout has been due to poor communication from Logos. You really have to engage with the forum to get reliable info on upgrades etc. This is an issue that really matters to Logos customers, we need clear upfront information in order to make sense of what is being offered, and in order to make purchases or not as the case may be. The info on cross-grades and upgrades found in the forum and very very useful to me and others should have been made available on the Logos main site, from day one, or before day one. As a long suffering but loyal and grateful mac user I will continue to use Logos, it's the best for my needs even on a mac. Some people will never be happy with change, and some guys on the forum really do need to take a long slow read of their comments and ask themselves some serious questions. One thing is for sure change is here to stay.
A member of the newly formed, 'I appreciate Logos. Even when they don't get everything right.'... club.
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There are some good communicators among Logos staff, especially from the President. The problem is poor marketing. It was the same when L4 rolled out. It is on this front that Logos needs to improve.
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By all accounts L5 is flying off the shelves, so Logos is doing 'something' very well...[:)]
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Okay, so maybe I should say poor PR
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Derek Browning said:
So I would encourage those that are frustrated about the change to sit back, think about it from the perspectives of others, remember how blessed we are to have access to the information we have access to, and then join the rest of us in gladly pay the additional funds to get the improved functionality.
Just to note that it isn't even necessary to "pay the additional funds" in the sense of paying for one of the packages. There will be a free engine and a minimal upgrade (which will cost something, but the price is still TBD). I even suppose that it would be possible to install L5 and not get the minimal upgrade. I imagine what you would miss would be the bells and whistles that are being added. What you would thus have would be a (reportedly) faster edition of L4.
george
gfsomselיְמֵי־שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְאִם בִּגְבוּרֹת שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְרָהְבָּם עָמָל וָאָוֶן
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Derek Browning said:
So I would encourage those that are frustrated about the change to sit back, think about it from the perspectives of others, remember how blessed we are to have access to the information we have access to, and then join the rest of us in gladly pay the additional funds to get the improved functionality.
Thanks,
Derek
Thank YOU, Derek! Appreciated! *smile* Peace to you! and ... Always Joy in the Lord!
Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand..........
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George Somsel said:
I imagine what you would miss would be the bells and whistles that are being added. What you would thus have would be a (reportedly) faster edition of L4.
Actually the get some of the new capability even with the free upgrade.
In Bob's post at http://community.logos.com/forums/t/58259.aspx he said:
"Upgrading just the engine will let you use some new functionality, take advantage of the new user interface, etc. You'll get the search helps, bibliography report, and more"
For a fuller list please see the "New features (free)" section of the release notes at
http://wiki.logos.com/Logos_5.0
Graham
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Mark said:
There are some good communicators among Logos staff, especially from the President. The problem is poor marketing. It was the same when L4 rolled out. It is on this front that Logos needs to improve.
Amen. The simplest thing that Logos could have done is invent new names for the new packages. The new portfolio is a HUGE step up from the old Portfolio. If it had a new name (perhaps using jewels instead of metals) and if there had been a portfolio with a small upgrade (only the necessary resources for the new features) people would have understood what was going on. Then again, I upgraded from platinum to diamond to get the new resources, so not everyone was disappointed.
Bob - 17" MBP quad 2.3GHz 4GB and iMAC
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