Self-sabotage is when a entity makes misguided decisions that reduces their ability to survive.
Giving customers a reason to look at the competition is already something you should never do, but actively ignoring customers is persuading them to leave, they won’t leave happily, which leads to more negativity.
This self-generated negativity may not effect a new customer when they first see it, but it creates doubt in their mind and as time goes by, they’ll see more and more of this negativity, building more doubt. When something impacts them in a negative way, they conclude that Xojo is what t’others have said.
I have seen people who thought API 2.0 was good, get really pissed off after Web 2.0, DesktopControls, new LR and finally closing unresolved API 1.0 bugs. These stupid decisions, coupled with how Xojo handled existing customers has seriously damaged Xojo’s standing in these people’s minds. It reduces the chances of them renewing, while at the same time increases their interest in alternatives.
Xojo’s decision on how to handle customers, has nuked a number of advocates. People who would publicly talk about Xojo, assist other Xojo customers and have the knowledge to solve problems that Xojo can’t. These advocates are a form of marketing, if they’re happy, they’ll promote that their products or services are made with Xojo, this allows people to see what is truly capable with Xojo, it gives customers reassurance that it’s not a toy and that there are professional developers who can help them achieve the same level of quality applications.
I receive several e-mails a year from people saying “I can’t believe you made this in Xojo, I should take another look”. As Xojo doesn’t value me as a customer, I have begun removing references to Xojo from my products and site. Sure, I am not directly responsible for a single sale, but my examples of what can be done, have helped to improve Xojo’s reputation.
