CADDManager on December 30th, 2008

A CAD Rant Warning… I am about to go off on an issue.

Where is my money back guarantee on software (CAD or whatever)?

When I buy most things – I can return them.  When I put out my money to select a piece of software based on marketing promises, I want a guarantee.  If it fails to do what it promises to do – I get my money back.

I know that Autodesk does provide (I think) a 30 day return policy.  If you bought the wrong thing or want to upgrade you can return it.  I have never tried that policy out yet.

How can you find out in 30 days if the software can do what it says it can?  It takes me that long to install it and settle in to using it.  Most folks don’t install it on the day they buy software like CAD.  It takes a little while.  And sometimes we have to upgrade our systems to get it to run effectively.

So 30 days is not enough.

Should there be a refund policy if you only get 50% productivity out of the software?  What if you only use 35% of the commands?  What happens if you do not get all of the productivity that you think you should?

What if you could buy only the commands you use?  What if the software checked in and reported the commands that we actually used and your cost was based on that?  I am not saying we go to Software as a Service model for CAD, but sometimes it may be kind of enticing.

What do you think?  Do you want your money back?  Do you want to only pay for what you use?

Post a comment…

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3 Responses to “CAD Money Back Guarantee”

  1. Wow, sounds like you have really been bitten badly when you last bought CAD software? Whilst I understand you sentiments it would be difficult to monitor such things as “…all the productivity that you think you should” or even a percentage as you have muted. Having been involved with developing and selling CAD software for the last 17 years i have noticed that whilst one person can improve productivity by 500%, another person using the same software for the same task may only acheive a 50% increase. Pretty much the same as anything really. you only get out as much as you are ready to understand and put in.

    We offer a 30 days money back guarantee on the software we produce, and that is after we have also supplied the software on a full timeless trial period with some size restrictions on saving. We know this is enough for almost everyone as we seldom have requests for refunds.. and most people are appreciative of our refund policy. It takes the heat off making a wrong decision.

    If the CAD software you have chosen is taking you more than a week to evaluate then it is the wrong software, or you don’t need it yet and should buy it yet.

  2. I agree with Mark. If you think 30 days is enough to evaluate software, you’re not living in the real world. In the real world we have to be fiscally responsible and we have multiple tasks and job duties. We don’t get to put everything else aside and only play with new software. We don’t need most of the updates software companies are pushing. And that’s why software companies try to strong arm us for our hard earned $.

  3. I have to agree.

    In real world production enviroments, where we pay people to create drawing and meet deadlines, 30 days isn’t alot of time. They should stand by their product. Enough of it being acceptable to push software onto customers knowing that it is possibly bug riddled and could even lower performce.

    How about a bug free or money back guarantee from someone like AutoDesk?

    Speaking of AutoDesk in peticular, how about it’s free if they have to release an SP. That rhymes.
    Or there a credit from time of installation to the availability of SP2. When most of the bugs are really worked out.

    I don’t know about everyone else but if I release a product that doesn’t work as promised and the customers have to figure out what’s wrong with it. Chances are we don’t get paid.

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