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From your experience, as entrepreneur or as user, please order from the most important (1) to the least important (6) these features for a software product...

  • A) Support (mail, chat or phone)
  • B) Community forum
  • C) Nice/cool looking
  • D) Easy of use
  • E) Documentation
  • F) Other (please specify)

Thanks!

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This is a useless question and impossible to answer objectively. The answer depends on the domain, type of use, the environment it is going to be used in and the domain of the software. This is impossible to answer and highly dependent on what the software is for. – TimJ♦ Nov 5 '11 at 3:45
This is a generic question, as the other business questions asked here. I tried not to restrict it to my particular niche, nor platform or business model. – Nestor Sanchez A Nov 5 '11 at 18:09
Well in that case, what use is the question and answer other than just a discussion? It is interesting in a forum, however, not suited to a Q&A site like this. If you did make it specific it would be a lot more relevant. The point is that any answers provided here are just opinions - and can't be useful for anyone other than for entertainment. – TimJ♦ Nov 5 '11 at 20:13
Questions are not only to solve specific problems, they are also for see other perspectives and improve criteria. – Nestor Sanchez A Nov 5 '11 at 20:26
I agree - but that is not the purpose of this site. Please see the FAQ. answers.onstartups.com/faq#dontask – TimJ♦ Nov 6 '11 at 2:31
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2 Answers

up vote 1 down vote accepted

This is what I've done and found very successful with my software product:

  1. Ease of Use - actually reword that as "logical to use" so that it follows the OS standards (e.g. acts like you expect a Windows or Mac or Web or Portable product should)

  2. Mail support - After having the product itself, top-level support is essential. And email is still king. The others (phone and chat) hardly compare. Promptly respond to all contacts. Some will be people just emailing to see if there is a real person there before they buy.

  3. A professional-looking website - You make your product professional by appearance. It's just like making yourself look professional wearing a nice suit.

  4. Real user testimonials - Once you get some people who like your product who give you nice comments about it, ask for their permission to post what they said on your website. I've never had anyone say no to that when I've asked. And that is one of the first things people look for when deciding to buy - other people's opinions.

  5. A Blog - You need activity to show you are there and make you a real person. If they like what you write, they'll buy your product.

  6. A full-featured free trial of at least 30 days.

  7. A secure and trustworthy order page that accepts all kinds of payments and offers a no-hassle moneyback guarantee.

  8. Documentation - Full documentation. It is not often used by your users, but lack of it can be a show stopper.

  9. Community Forum - This is good once you've got a reasonable sized user base that can keep conversation flowing.

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up vote 1 down vote

Nestor had top split support as for me all the ways you mentioned are not equal.

This is what I'm looking for when I evaluate software (your criteria)

  1. Ease of Use
  2. Nice/Cool Looking
  3. Support Chat
  4. Support Phone
  5. Community Forum
  6. Documentation
  7. Support Email

Let's say I'm looking for online software, here's the thought process I go through

Can this fulfil my needs? (Demo / $1 Trail / watch videos)

  • if yes...

Can I use it? (Especially my "Napoleon's Idiot")

  • if yes..

Is it worth it? (Will the cost exceed value for me)

  • if cost is OK...

What support is available? (Live chat? Phone? Forum? FAQs? KB?)

  • if good support available...

What do others think of the company / product? (reviews, testimonials, social feedback etc)

  • if all OK .. then they stand a chance.

Sometimes I'll get all these answers right on the home page of a product... both all "Yeses" and both all "Nos".

Hope this helps

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