Pardon my French, but I get aggravated when I see companies pissing away their franchises because they're either lazy, they just don't get it anymore, or they're in-different to what they know their customers need. It's 2007. If you're a player in tech or software, you don't get a pass for Web incompetence. You've had ample time to figure out what your browser-based customers need today? Who's pissing away their franchise? I can't say, in deference to friends. But here's the deal.
I’m using a new Web service for a function that is “core” to my business. You tell me what you would think under these conditions:
- Supports Windows only. Seriously.
- Runs in IE only with an ActiveX install (wasn’t ActiveX like ‘98?). Forget Firefox.
- No Mac support so I can’t use it from my preferred iMac or potentially from the MacBook I hope to buy next month. This is an on-line service, remember.
- Could do a Mac desktop version, but the frustration of the Mac community at large over this company and the quality of its products and support for Macs is tangible.
- Finally, the interface is just plain sorry. I hate it when I sign up for a service with serious horespower in functionality, but is DOA because of the interface. Another service, Hitbox did the same for me last year.
But there’s more to this. The company itself is living in the stone age. They have no APIs, no web services for their on-line application, which simply means I can’t integrate my website with it. Any company building a business from the Web would find this problematic. Worse, I don’t get the sense they have a Web strategy or any intentions of fixing these issues, including the ones I noted above.
I get the feeling they’re just ringing the register on their franchise, year after year. But it’s not like shareholders are reaping any great rewards. They’re stock has only appreciated about 66% over the past five years, and this is tech, remember?
I’m digressing.
The point is they’re fiddling away their franchise with an antique business model. They’re either lazy, arrogant or scared. I don’t know. But I do know my situation will change and I will find a way to integrate my website into this particular function of my business. If not with this vendor, then someone else will come along, and I’ve already got thoughts on who that might be.
Posted by Todd
