Both Sage and IRIS demonstrated large wads of cluelessness this week. Earlier in the month, Sage launched its StartUp service which is due to go live 28th April. OK – so they want to help new businesses plan and want to make some coin in the process. Nothing wrong there. But…while they offer a free newsfeed, it’s crap. No links, no sources against which to test ‘facts’ no-one identified as author. It won’t get my attention until these basic details are sorted out. What’s more, Sage is leading with an enticement for users to go to email subscription. Bad idea. They say it’s a community. Err – no it’s not – or at least not in the sense I understand the term. It’s a Sage controlled community where they tell you what’s happening. Sage includes a handful of podcasts. Except that they’re not really podcasts as I understand the term but irritating monologues. I listened to about 90 seconds of one before ripping out my earphones. It’s audience are going to be confused because Sage doesn’t offer an explanation of podcasting, how it works or links to podcatchers. Sorry guys – no cigar.
IRIS – following the monumental payroll debacle, IRIS chose to jump up and down in its own mess with the result that it managed to garner 80+ comments for John Stokdyk’s article. That’s got to be close to an all time record. What’s worse is that customers are making it clear they’re voting with their feet and taking their clients with them. For instance, David Allman said:
Following repeated software problems we have now purchased software from PTP, who offer superb support. IRIS failed to support their product, telephone support impossible and email support is a joke!
Next we have to move our clients over who operate their own payroll.
OK – so let’s assume only 20 firms move from IRIS and each has say 50 IRIS Payemaster clients. That’s 1,020 customers it’s just lost. IRIS remains clueless on the issue of customer service. But then they’re not so different to other software vendors who manage issues from the assumption the customer has screwed up. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But it helps to put your own house in order first.
UPDATE: The Sage site isn’t accurate. Check out this profile (4-partner firm), then check out this (3-partners?) - and no website link at Sage? But – they do offer 5 new businesses the chance to win £2,000 each. Nice one – if buried in the site.
UPDATE 2: I’m wrong – SL site DOES show 4 partners. Can’t read. Eyesight going – again. What threw me was no pic of 1st partner – didn’t even notice. Sorry. Apologies all around.
Technorati Tags: client relationships, IRIS Payemaster, Sage payroll
UPDATE 3: I’m wondering when this starts to impact the Exchequer crew or the practice automation sales folk.
