IonSteve
Member
Folks--
My annual maintenance was due this week and I dutifully paid up. But not without some feedback to the gentleman from Sales whom I spoke with. We actually had a very long and positive talk about the Geomagic rebranding, during which I explained to him that the word Geomagic is a meeting killer and is costing me business (this is true). He asked me to send my comments to him in an email he could forward along to the decision makers. I did that, and I pasted my note below.
I want to emphasize, again, that the guy from Alibre/GM was quite understanding and he initiated the email move from me. He assured me that it will go upstairs and I believe him.
Do I think I can talk them off the ledge and back to sanity? Probably not. But I consider it time well spent to tell them the truth, that the emperor has no clothes, and that Geomagic is flat-out harmful as a brand name.
I do know that others here on the forum have done the same thing and have mentioned it before; my only goal here is to keep attention on the situation. I am not holding my breath on this, but for me it's just a small investment of electrons and key clicks that could maaaaaaaybe have a positive result.
Steve
********************************
Dear xxxxxx:
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me this afternoon. As we discussed, it would be very beneficial for those of us on the consumer side if you would pass this along to decision makers.
Dear Folks at 3DS/GeoMagic/Alibre:
Like many of your long-term consumers, I originally purchased Alibre (the full-boat Expert package) because it was excellent value for dollar. The software could do 95% of what I needed it to do and was affordable. That equation has held true for the 6 years I have been using the software, paying my annual maintenance each and every year.
However that situation is no longer true--the value equation has shifted overnight. At the stroke of a pen, you might say. The change is not in the software; indeed the software has steadily improved over time and in particular I've been pleased with progress in the last 18 months or so.
The single factor that has changed the entire value equation is the rebranding of Alibre as GeoMagic. Put very succinctly, the brand name GeoMagic is costing me business. For real.
As you probably know, during a new business meeting, it is very common to be asked what software package is being used. In fact it is becoming common to see this as a line item on quote forms. The "right" answer is Solid Works. That is what the customer wants to hear. Over the years I have been able to master the art of saying, "We use Alibre, which is a solid modeler similar to Solid Works but is a better value for me, and makes me a better value for you." I throw in some screen shots of Alibre and generally the meeting moves along.
GeoMagic is a total meeting stopper. Now when I answer the question "What software package are you using" and I reply "We use GeoMagic, which is similar to Solid Works . . ." etc. they aren't listening by the time I get to the end of the sentence. The meeting is effectively over. Every time.
Two stories illustrate this in a nutshell. During one meeting, upon hearing the word GeoMagic, one of the execs on the other side of the table said, and I directly quote, "Sounds like something you'd get at K Mart." That is a hole that I cannot dig out of.
Second meeting, which was a three way meeting between my company, a competitor and the contractor. After I answered the software package question with the Word of Death "GeoMagic," my competitor said, "Aww, that's cute. Is it made for kids?" Everyone in the room laughed their butts off. Meeting over.
Alibre saved me money. GeoMagic is costing me money. It is that simple. That is not a sustainable equation.
We just paid our annual maintenance, but we are giving ourselves the year to investigate other software packages. For example, at the moment we have downloaded the trial version of IronCAD. I would prefer to stick with Alibre/GM, but IronCAD does the job just was well. It does cost more, which is unfortunate, but GeoMagic is painting me into a corner.
If you've visited the Alibre forums you may be aware that this rebranding has been extremely unpopular, for many of the reasons I've given. My aim with this letter is to help you realize that the situation has transcended unpopularity and has moved into tangibly problematic.
As the marketing folks say, the paint isn't dry on this. The window is still open. I beg you to consider changing the name back to Alibre, or at least anything that I can use in a pitch meeting that isn't GeoMagic.
All the very best. Respectfully--
Steve
My annual maintenance was due this week and I dutifully paid up. But not without some feedback to the gentleman from Sales whom I spoke with. We actually had a very long and positive talk about the Geomagic rebranding, during which I explained to him that the word Geomagic is a meeting killer and is costing me business (this is true). He asked me to send my comments to him in an email he could forward along to the decision makers. I did that, and I pasted my note below.
I want to emphasize, again, that the guy from Alibre/GM was quite understanding and he initiated the email move from me. He assured me that it will go upstairs and I believe him.
Do I think I can talk them off the ledge and back to sanity? Probably not. But I consider it time well spent to tell them the truth, that the emperor has no clothes, and that Geomagic is flat-out harmful as a brand name.
I do know that others here on the forum have done the same thing and have mentioned it before; my only goal here is to keep attention on the situation. I am not holding my breath on this, but for me it's just a small investment of electrons and key clicks that could maaaaaaaybe have a positive result.
Steve
********************************
Dear xxxxxx:
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me this afternoon. As we discussed, it would be very beneficial for those of us on the consumer side if you would pass this along to decision makers.
Dear Folks at 3DS/GeoMagic/Alibre:
Like many of your long-term consumers, I originally purchased Alibre (the full-boat Expert package) because it was excellent value for dollar. The software could do 95% of what I needed it to do and was affordable. That equation has held true for the 6 years I have been using the software, paying my annual maintenance each and every year.
However that situation is no longer true--the value equation has shifted overnight. At the stroke of a pen, you might say. The change is not in the software; indeed the software has steadily improved over time and in particular I've been pleased with progress in the last 18 months or so.
The single factor that has changed the entire value equation is the rebranding of Alibre as GeoMagic. Put very succinctly, the brand name GeoMagic is costing me business. For real.
As you probably know, during a new business meeting, it is very common to be asked what software package is being used. In fact it is becoming common to see this as a line item on quote forms. The "right" answer is Solid Works. That is what the customer wants to hear. Over the years I have been able to master the art of saying, "We use Alibre, which is a solid modeler similar to Solid Works but is a better value for me, and makes me a better value for you." I throw in some screen shots of Alibre and generally the meeting moves along.
GeoMagic is a total meeting stopper. Now when I answer the question "What software package are you using" and I reply "We use GeoMagic, which is similar to Solid Works . . ." etc. they aren't listening by the time I get to the end of the sentence. The meeting is effectively over. Every time.
Two stories illustrate this in a nutshell. During one meeting, upon hearing the word GeoMagic, one of the execs on the other side of the table said, and I directly quote, "Sounds like something you'd get at K Mart." That is a hole that I cannot dig out of.
Second meeting, which was a three way meeting between my company, a competitor and the contractor. After I answered the software package question with the Word of Death "GeoMagic," my competitor said, "Aww, that's cute. Is it made for kids?" Everyone in the room laughed their butts off. Meeting over.
Alibre saved me money. GeoMagic is costing me money. It is that simple. That is not a sustainable equation.
We just paid our annual maintenance, but we are giving ourselves the year to investigate other software packages. For example, at the moment we have downloaded the trial version of IronCAD. I would prefer to stick with Alibre/GM, but IronCAD does the job just was well. It does cost more, which is unfortunate, but GeoMagic is painting me into a corner.
If you've visited the Alibre forums you may be aware that this rebranding has been extremely unpopular, for many of the reasons I've given. My aim with this letter is to help you realize that the situation has transcended unpopularity and has moved into tangibly problematic.
As the marketing folks say, the paint isn't dry on this. The window is still open. I beg you to consider changing the name back to Alibre, or at least anything that I can use in a pitch meeting that isn't GeoMagic.
All the very best. Respectfully--
Steve
