Call for Comments: Alibre Design Registration Process

[matthere]

Call for Comments: Alibre Design Registration Process

All --

In the continual effort to improve communication, we are updating and refining our registration process, for both trial users and customers.

Please post your comments, criticism and creative ideas regarding our registration process. Any specific experiences with the current registration system, good and bad, are also appreciated.

Your input helps us improve our product and processes and ultimately your experience!


Matt Milliken
Inside Sales Manager
Alibre, Inc.
mattm@alibre.com

 

[jwknecht]

Matt,

Please define what you mean by "registration process."

Regards,

 

[Gaspar]

Hi Matt,

I hope I'm not out of subject here (if so, you're welcome to erase my post to keep focus on your thread). :wink:

I've always thought you should be able to download a trial version (as it happens today) and if the trial expires and you don't think you're quite ready to buy, instead of the software just dying, it should loose all editing capabilities. This way, it would become the ultimate Alibre viewer.

Why is this good:

:arrow: Makes it easy for Alibre users to colaborate with non Alibre users.
:arrow: I find it very unlikely big comapanies would download and install Alibre in any other way.
:arrow: By using the "truncated" full version to review and convert third party designs, people get used to the software and would clear up doubts about its capabilites. When they're ready to buy new seats, they will surely cosider Alibre.
:arrow: There has been enough talk here about neutral format translation for collaboration (stp, igs, acis). The truth is that when you need to monkey around with parts and parameters and formats, its easier to do it on the import side.
Today, each trial and error cycle includes an email from the Alibre user with the translated solid, an import attempt by the other CAD user, a bad word when the import fails, and an email back to the Alibre user (the bad word thing happens again and its back to step one).

 

[scarr]

Re: Registration

I'm spitballing here, but this might be something to think about. After a prospective buyer has downloaded a trial version of Alibre and if at the end of trial period they haven't been able to devote the time or effort to really evaluating all of Alibre's capabilities it would be possible to extend the evaluation period for a nominal fee. This sets up a psychological link between the customer, the product and money. The fee should be reasonable enough so that a small shop or individual won't balk at it, but at a level that generates a sense of comittment on their part.

Another suggestion is allowing people to use Alibre and it's add-ons on a pay as you go basis, per use, weekly, monthly, semi-annually, etc. For example, some users might need the sheetmetal package on a very limited basis and could open up the license for it as needed. Every user would have an account backed by a major credit card that would be billed for each use or period of use. Rather like how you're billed for cell-phone use.

Like I said, I'm spitballing here but it might open up some alternative avenues of revenue and make it easier to get prospective users to transition into the full blown yearly license package.

 

[joeprizzi]

My brother is mechanically inclined, creative and looking to change his line of work. I thought that he would enjoy trying Alibre, and that it might provide a potential career path for him.

He did enjoy the trial, but it lasted only 3 days. I thought it would last 30 days.

THis may have been some sort of foulup, but it wasn't enough time to get experience with the software.

Also, my Pro version upgrade to 8.2 wasn't a simple process. I didn't get the option to upgrade. I had to uninstall and install the new version, then redo my settings.

Now that I'm on a roll, I also don't like how long it takes to load up the new software compared to 8.0, especially if I don't want to work online.

Joe

 

[matthere]

Thanks All for the feedback. We will make changes accordingly.

Joe,
I will personally correct your brother's issue with the software evaluation. The first inital phase is for 3 days and then we extend the trial for 30 days after the evaluator attends an online demonstration.

All feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt Milliken
Alibre Inc.

 

[McCrimmon]

Call for comments: Alibre Design registration process

I am a new user and just got thru registering. I came up against some "fill in the blanks" that I did not understand:
1. What is an 'ICQ' number?
2. What is an 'AIM' address?
3. What is an 'MSN' messenger?
For that matter what is 'BB'code?

 

[Gaspar]

Do not mind most of that.

ICQ, MSN etc. are your user names for chating services. That is not required for this forum, its just extra info if you want to be easier to get in touch with.

As for BB code, the whole forum is a freeware application developed by phpBB (link at the bottom of any page in the forum). BB stands for Buletin Board and BBCode is the what you use to include colors, smilies , font types, images and other kinds of formating to your posts.

Its very easy to manage. Use the FAQ link at the top to review some of this. If you need extra help, send me a Private Message (just hit the PM button below this lines).

Good luck and welcome!

 

[moyesboy]

The user evalation trial should run for 30 days from installation/activation of the software. As it is it runs for 30 days from creation of the account.

Better still would be to allow a limited number of startups for the program rather than a time limited trial. I know alibre are pretty good at allowing you more time to make a decision, much better than most CAD suppliers, but 30 days is something completely different to one person than it is to another.

...but maybe X-CAD is the new way to deal with evaluations
:lol:

 

[matthere]

Evaulation activation

Thanks again for the comments everyone.

Moyesboy, actually the way the evaluation currently works is as follows:

1. Alibre Design is made available for 3 days after signing up on our website. No communication with anyone at Alibre Inc is required.
2. EVERYONE is contacted and scheduled for an online demonstration of Alibre Design. People needing apparel design and architectural design software, for example, are weeded out. There are many of them.
3. After attending the demonstration the trial is activated for another 30 days.
4. If there are reasons one cannot attend the demonstration, the person's contact at Alibre Inc determines the length of evaluation. We are realistic, and realize not EVERYONE needs to or can attend the online demo, e.g. dial up Internet access won't cut it.

We found that demonstrating the product for evlauation users creates more successful and productive evaluations.

The "limited startups" idea is something we will discuss.

Thanks again,

Matt Milliken
Alibre Inc

 

[jss87]

Registration

I registered far enough to get a trial copy, but could not use this forum. After looking around, I found a place to re-register for this section. Is that really necessary?

I got the program running on three PC's and it seemed to be a different process on each.

 

[bscott.arc-tech.com]

Re: Registration

I registered far enough to get a trial copy, but could not use this forum. After looking around, I found a place to re-register for this section. Is that really necessary?

That's normal, and I don't expect it to change. This forum is a third-party package (called phpBB) that Alibre installed on their web site. The rest of Alibre's site (tech support, software download, etc.) appears to be custom, in-house software. Since phpBB is Open Source, Alibre could write some custom "glue" to tie the forum registration to the main site registration, but I doubt they'd bother.