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The conversations below are actually a synopsis of email communications and phone calls which took place over several hours yesterday and this morning. The first SC is mine and he seems to have gone away. The second one is Mark's and he's still dealing with the SC as I write. I shortened them up and put them in conversation form to allow you to savor the essence without the fluff.
We'll start with SC#1
SC#1: How much for an update?
Me: It's been over three years since your last purchase. The price is $300.
SC#1: That seem's expensive. Why so much?
Me: Updates are free for one year after a purchase, after that they are $200 up until the third year, then they are $300. Even the most expensive update is a bargain compared to buying a new copy, which is $600.
SC#1: That doesn't seem right.
Me: I double-checked for you. $300 is the correct price.
SC#1: FINE! I don't want it. I hope other good customers like myself aren't confused by your confusing prices.
Me: I'm sorry about the confusion. Here's a link to a better explanation of our prices. If you don't feel the update is worth $300, we completely support your decision not to buy it.
SC#1: Well, I want it. But I want to pay $200.
Me: I'm sorry, but the price is $300. We don't give discounts to anyone.
SC#1: How can you charge so much? It's not fair that I have to pay the same is everyone else.
Me: We charge everyone who has gone more than 3 years between purchases the same price. It would be unfair to give discounts to some people and not to others.
SC#1: I'm just a "plain-old" customer. I'm not some rich corporation who can afford $300.
Me: Ummmm. Actually the license belongs to your employer [insert name of large well-known communications company, aka "a rich corporation" here], not to you. Even if you pay for an update out of your own pocket, your employer will still own all rights to the license, including the update you paid for. Are you SURE you want to do that?
SC#1: Why can't I have it for $200? You people are extortionists [blah, blah, blah].
That was the end of it, because my boss told me not to bother replying. The reason is that I've answered his questions already several times and the SC was starting to get abusive. [YAY boss!] SC#1 hasn't written back so far.
Let's move on to SC#2. Mark has been dealing with her, but giving me updates and cc'ing all emails to everyone at the company to make sure we know the scoop if she tries calling someone else for another answer.
SC#2: Hi. I use the Mac version and want to trade it in for the Windows version.
Mark: You did that already, about five years ago. You HAVE the Windows version. When you traded in your Mac version we gave you a $200 credit toward the price of the Windows version. It cost you $400 instead of $600.
SC#2: Well I want to trade it in to get another Windows version for $400.
Mark: No. You had one Mac version. You traded it in for $200. You don't get to trade it in twice. If you want another Windows version, it's $600.
SC#2: I'm running a small business and can't afford $600.
Mark: May I ask why you want a second copy of the Windows version?
SC#2: One of my clients is upset with the quality of the work I produce with your software and keeps rejecting it. I was hoping to get the latest version to improve quality.
Mark: That's strange. The quality should be fine with the version you have. If you need help using it correctly, I can help.
SC#2: No. I want the latest. The old version doesn't work on Windows XP.
Mark: OK. That makes sense. But actually, if you just want the latest version, you can update the Windows version you have for only $300 instead of buying a second one for $600.
SC#2: Weeeellllll. We kind of want to have five people using a one-user license at the same time. I just want more activations.
Mark: No. No you don't. That's piracy. I suggest you trade your one-user license in for a 5-user license. We'd give you a discount for trading in the one-user, but it would still cost $2000.
SC#2: I can't afford THAT! Can you give me 4 extra users for $400?
Mark: No.
SC#2: How about I do some work for you for free?
Mark: [Thinking: After you just admitted that the quality of your work is poor enough that a client rejected it?] Um. No.
SC#2: How about I do some work for you for free and give you $100?
Mark: No.
SC#2: Hey! I just found another copy of the Windows version. Can I update both for $200?
Mark: What is the serial number of the second copy?
SC#2: [give serial number]
Mark: Ah. That serial number belongs to someone else. Not only can you not update it. You should even be USING it.
SC#2: It's OK. The owner let me borrow it.
Mark: No, it isn't. The owner is still using it himself. Two people cannot legally use the same copy of our software at the same time.
SC#2: No, it's OK. The owner told me I could keep it.
Mark: That's nice. But the registered owner has not contacted US and informed US in writing on HIS letterhead that he has transferred all rights to the software to you. He also has not verified that he has removed all copies from his computer. So, as far as WE are concerned, HE still owns it. You could buy an update for it, but he'd retain all rights until HE tells US otherwise.
SC#: How about one update for $100 and I do some work for you for free?
Mark: No.
That's where it stands so far. If more updates come in, I'll post them.
We'll start with SC#1
SC#1: How much for an update?
Me: It's been over three years since your last purchase. The price is $300.
SC#1: That seem's expensive. Why so much?
Me: Updates are free for one year after a purchase, after that they are $200 up until the third year, then they are $300. Even the most expensive update is a bargain compared to buying a new copy, which is $600.
SC#1: That doesn't seem right.
Me: I double-checked for you. $300 is the correct price.
SC#1: FINE! I don't want it. I hope other good customers like myself aren't confused by your confusing prices.
Me: I'm sorry about the confusion. Here's a link to a better explanation of our prices. If you don't feel the update is worth $300, we completely support your decision not to buy it.
SC#1: Well, I want it. But I want to pay $200.
Me: I'm sorry, but the price is $300. We don't give discounts to anyone.
SC#1: How can you charge so much? It's not fair that I have to pay the same is everyone else.
Me: We charge everyone who has gone more than 3 years between purchases the same price. It would be unfair to give discounts to some people and not to others.
SC#1: I'm just a "plain-old" customer. I'm not some rich corporation who can afford $300.
Me: Ummmm. Actually the license belongs to your employer [insert name of large well-known communications company, aka "a rich corporation" here], not to you. Even if you pay for an update out of your own pocket, your employer will still own all rights to the license, including the update you paid for. Are you SURE you want to do that?
SC#1: Why can't I have it for $200? You people are extortionists [blah, blah, blah].
That was the end of it, because my boss told me not to bother replying. The reason is that I've answered his questions already several times and the SC was starting to get abusive. [YAY boss!] SC#1 hasn't written back so far.
Let's move on to SC#2. Mark has been dealing with her, but giving me updates and cc'ing all emails to everyone at the company to make sure we know the scoop if she tries calling someone else for another answer.
SC#2: Hi. I use the Mac version and want to trade it in for the Windows version.
Mark: You did that already, about five years ago. You HAVE the Windows version. When you traded in your Mac version we gave you a $200 credit toward the price of the Windows version. It cost you $400 instead of $600.
SC#2: Well I want to trade it in to get another Windows version for $400.
Mark: No. You had one Mac version. You traded it in for $200. You don't get to trade it in twice. If you want another Windows version, it's $600.
SC#2: I'm running a small business and can't afford $600.
Mark: May I ask why you want a second copy of the Windows version?
SC#2: One of my clients is upset with the quality of the work I produce with your software and keeps rejecting it. I was hoping to get the latest version to improve quality.
Mark: That's strange. The quality should be fine with the version you have. If you need help using it correctly, I can help.
SC#2: No. I want the latest. The old version doesn't work on Windows XP.
Mark: OK. That makes sense. But actually, if you just want the latest version, you can update the Windows version you have for only $300 instead of buying a second one for $600.
SC#2: Weeeellllll. We kind of want to have five people using a one-user license at the same time. I just want more activations.
Mark: No. No you don't. That's piracy. I suggest you trade your one-user license in for a 5-user license. We'd give you a discount for trading in the one-user, but it would still cost $2000.
SC#2: I can't afford THAT! Can you give me 4 extra users for $400?
Mark: No.
SC#2: How about I do some work for you for free?
Mark: [Thinking: After you just admitted that the quality of your work is poor enough that a client rejected it?] Um. No.
SC#2: How about I do some work for you for free and give you $100?
Mark: No.
SC#2: Hey! I just found another copy of the Windows version. Can I update both for $200?
Mark: What is the serial number of the second copy?
SC#2: [give serial number]
Mark: Ah. That serial number belongs to someone else. Not only can you not update it. You should even be USING it.
SC#2: It's OK. The owner let me borrow it.
Mark: No, it isn't. The owner is still using it himself. Two people cannot legally use the same copy of our software at the same time.
SC#2: No, it's OK. The owner told me I could keep it.
Mark: That's nice. But the registered owner has not contacted US and informed US in writing on HIS letterhead that he has transferred all rights to the software to you. He also has not verified that he has removed all copies from his computer. So, as far as WE are concerned, HE still owns it. You could buy an update for it, but he'd retain all rights until HE tells US otherwise.
SC#: How about one update for $100 and I do some work for you for free?
Mark: No.
That's where it stands so far. If more updates come in, I'll post them.
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