Here’s is the FNAQ for our web-based trucking and logistics ‘software as a service’ business.
These questions are frequently not asked by our customers.
But a traditional client server software provider gets asked these questions quite often.
You can decide whether they are of any value, or if you want to even ask these questions at all.
How much do I pay for Maintenance each year?
Nope. Don’t ever get asked that anymore. Its because ongoing Support and Development is included in the monthly subscription fee for ‘software as service’. Software as a Service is a subscription based product.
How much does a license cost?
No, don’t get that anymore. It’s a monthly subscription so you no longer have to purchase licenses. None of those BIG CAPITAL PURCHASES you have to disgorge from your budget… you know, the ones you have to pay upfront… even before you really know if the software is going to work for you.
How Long Does It Take to Install?
Sorry, hate to disappoint you again. But you don’t have to install the software on your servers on your network. You don’t need to go out and find someone to do it either. It’s in ‘the Cloud’… on the Microsoft Azure platform which powers 11% of the Internet. Think of that – 11% of the Internet is on Azure.
What type of Server do I need to buy?
Well, there you go again. No server needed. Perhaps you would need some if you were installing some big client server system for your office. Again, Tailwind is online – so hosting is included. Oh… and it’s not like you have to pay a separate hosting fee where a Client Server Software provider hosts it somewhere and makes you download a remote desk-top app to access it. It’s a browser based system.
When is the next release of your latest version?
Well. It’s not like we have these big, big release dates every three years. We find that we are constantly updating and improving the application – so you don’t need to wait years to get some version improvements. And on top of that, you won’t have to adjust all your surrounding technology – computers, networks, applications – to stay compatible when we upgrade. Just continue to login with your username and password.
Boring I know.
Can someone come onsite, and install it, and train us?
Well, I guess we could. Depends on where you live and what festivals, events and games are going on that particular weekend in your town. You see, our folks don’t get out that much. It’s ‘software as a service’ and we work together, collaborating on how to better service our customers and how to build a better application. We support it with online training sessions, videos and self-help documents and with an industry leading ‘in-app Customer Support’ tool, backstopped by a great group of customer success agents.
But, let’s say if you were in Hawaii, I am sure Jon, our guru trainer, wouldn’t mind coming to see you for a week… or two… or three… that is as long as you are picking up the bill for travel, accommodation and her time.
Can you send me a Proposal?
Sorry, can’t do that. I can’t even get down to one knee anymore these days. Are you looking for something really special? Say a 30 to 45-page document that you can regale your management team with? Not to mention the great excitement your legal team will have (at your expense) as they go over the ‘notwithstandings’, ‘subject to’s’… all in an effort to mitigate your risk in making a bad purchase of some trucking software or freight brokerage software system, costing you tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars?
Sorry for that, but all you need to do is take advantage of our FREE trial and see if it works for you before you have to put down your credit card. Heck, you pay for it ‘month to month’ so it’s not like you are stuck with some client software application that is a ‘square peg in a round hole’ after spending scores of thousands of dollars.
But if you really want a proposal, I can get some great pictures, a really nice leather binder, and fly down to California, or Florida, or Hawaii to deliver it to you… on bended knee. I will arrange a massage the night before – it should help.
Can you send me a Reference?
Well, our customers are busy making money with our system so we don’t like to bother them. But you can find all sorts of testimonials and references on our site. What’s your risk though? You get access to the system and you get to try it yourself free for 30 days. What other company is going to make a better decision for you than the one you can make for yourself?
Oops, you are right – your competitor. He or she is SURE to lead you down the best path for their.. ahem, your business…
But if you want a reference please connect with a Client Server software vendor. They will be sure to set you up with someone who will have nothing but good things to say about them. It’s not like you would want to find out what people are saying on the Internet about some company – where thousands can weigh in. That one guy you are directed to is sure to have the defining word on the application you are going to buy.
What if someone leaves my company, or things get slow, can you buy back one of the licences I am not using – one that is just laying around?
Ooh boy. That IS a tough one. We don’t hear that one – hate to hear it. Bet you have to pay maintenance fees on that license too?At Tailwind we have a subscription model so you can adjust your user counts up or down depending on your situation – business circumstances, personnel changes, etc. We just need to provide 30-days notice so it can be administered.
Can you send me a quote for an Integration with another application?
Sorry – don’t hear that either. You see, we are constantly building out integrations, adding them to one the three subscription tiers of our products. We just keep increasing the value of our platform so you can improve along with us.
And we have an Application Programmable Interface – or API – which allows our web-based software to more easily integrate with other applications or third-party services. We even have these ‘Web Hooks’ that allow you to integrate a system that may be unique to your particular company to our platform – giving you the power to deploy your own development resources on our platform as you see fit.
For the most part we are going to be building and building these integrations to the benefit of all of our customers. But if you want to pay us extra dollars that you typically pay to your client server software provider, we would be willing to take it.
How are you guys going to make money?
No – we never get asked that. I wish someone would ask it though. I really think we have a symbiotic relationship with our customers and its mutually reinforcing. They get successful and we get successful, and then we move in a lock stop manner.
And unlike client server software vendors that want to make their money up front – and foist the risk on you – we are going to make money over the longer term. When our customers are successful, then we will be successful because they will be adding users as their business grows and as they say nice things about us – on the Internet – so others can see what we are a good and fair dealer, that we deliver on our promises, and we don’t try to make a ‘quick buck’ – are in it for the long run.
As one guy said at a SaaS seminar we attended last week.
“There’s no shame in getting rich slowly!”
We just need to do it together is all!