What Turns You Off About Evaluation Software?

An Anonymous Coward asks: "I work at a mid-tier software company (which shall remain nameless, lest I draw attention to myself). Recently we have started making 30 day evaluation versions of our software available for download after prospects register. An email containing a username and password is sent to the registrant a few hours after submission. We have been surprised to find that not a few registrants don't actually go on to download the software. We make the file size and system requirements clear up front. I would guess some slashdot readers get involved in evaluations. What process do you go through? Why might you stop short of actually downloading the software?"

Comments

I dont enter my email

[reptilian biotech]

If it wants a valid email addy, I forget it and find something else. say no to spam

Re:I dont enter my email

[TedCheshireAcad]

If I am going to use commercial software, it means I gave up trying to find a similar product under the GPL. I have only come across this problem in several instances, all times when I needed something for a Windows network.

How to turn customers off:
1. Make them enter an e-mail address.
2. Make them fill out a form. See 1.
3. Make them wait for registration info.
4. Use a 30 day limit. 90 sounds better.
5. Make them do all that crap for software they didn't need or like anyhow.
6. Have you sales staff hound them nonstop by phone and e-mail and personal visits. (Will you folks at StorageSoft get the point?)

How to turn customers on:
1. 90 day or unlimited trial only with the stupid features turned off.
2. No registration crap.
3. Precise product description, no lies.
4. Screenshots, my god, screenshots.
5. Multiple fast download sites. I should be able to get 150k/sec at least.
6. No hunting for downloadable files. This goes for you too, Real.
7. Upfront licensing policies and prices. Tell me on your website how much I have to pay for 1, 10, or a site license.
8. I will call you if I want to buy it. Don't feel free to bother me during my lunch hour. Your voicemails get deleted, too.
9. If you must have my e-mail address, remember this: My inbox is a sacred shrine, none shall enter that are not worthy.

-my $.02

Re:I dont enter my email

[Anonymous Coward]

How to turn customers on:
1. 90 day or unlimited trial only with the stupid features turned off.

In other words, pretty much give it away for free. (90 days apart to uninstall/reinstall or in some cases reformat is not much of a pain in the ass.) Not that this surprises me coming from Slashdot, News for People Who Don't Want To Pay.

2. No registration crap.

If you're serious about trying out the software and would seriously consider purchasing it, giving them an e-mail so a representative can contact you for support makes sense. Not really for like winzip, but if you're downloading a trial of a professional software package it's more professional, in my opinion, if after downloading it you get an e-mail from Bob Soandso and his phone number if you have any questions about how to use the software, etc.

Re:I dont enter my email

[DahGhostfacedFiddlah]

Ummm....then how is it different then the full version? Evaluation software is supposed to be used for *evaluation*. Not for five-nines critical applications. On a server the popup messages will go unnoticed, and the startup sequence will appear almost never. If you want to use it longer, then maybe it's time you paid for it.

the wait....

[Pfhreakaz0id]

In the words of Veruka, "but I want it NOW!"...

If the link/password/whatever hasn't hit my inbox in a minute or two, I'm probably moving on looking for another thing to try. Welcome to the short attention span decade.

Joel's rule

[blacksqr]

Joel's rule: every barrier to implementation reduces your customer base by 50%

http://www.joelonsoftware.com

Your product is not unique enough

[AtomicBomb]

The simplest reason is the users have found something else in the mean time. It is particularly true if your product is mainstream (eg virus scanner, compression program, image viewer and the like).

Say, they are looking for jp2 viewer, they will go for shareware first, then evaluation ware. If nothing is found, go for evaluation ware that need registration. As long as they find something okay, they will stop searching. (Of course, if your software is unique, and some customers really need that, then they will wait.... Maybe more common in some sector of the research community. Not so in the commerical world.)

The better approach is to allow the user to download first. When they want to evaluate more advanced function of the software, pop up a window to lure them to register. If you really want to validate their email address in advance, please use automatic mail reply and ensure the avg time taken in within 5 mins rather than a few hours...

Fake addresses

[anthony_dipierro]

Why might you stop short of actually downloading the software?

Why do you think the people gave you their real email address in the first place?

I'd say most of the non-downloaders simply didn't give you their real email address.

Spam in e-mail or telephone form is EVIL

[hendridm]

> If you're serious about trying out the software and would seriously consider purchasing it, giving them an e-mail so a representative can contact you for support makes sense.

No, it doesn't. If I'm looking for a solution, I might try a ton of demos until I find the right one. I don't want to be hounded by all of the ones I discounted as crap.

It's like shopping at JC Penney or Sears and the salespeople hound you EVERY 3 MINUTES. Thanks, but I already know how to shop and you just turned me off to your store.

Here's a shocking idea - How about if I need help I'll ask?