Comments on: Scrybe, the Cool Stumbler http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/ Andrew weighs in on the ways in which the web and the world are changing Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:44:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Blank Scrybe « Changing Way http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-85 Wed, 28 Mar 2007 21:06:10 +0000 http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-85 [...] I’m not trying to jump on Scrybe. I have a superstitious feeling that I may have jinxed Scrybe with my recent rather upbeat post. [...]

]]> By: 37 Scrybes « Changing Way http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-82 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:45:54 +0000 http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-82 [...] But I still feel somewhat positive about Scrybe and some recent signs of increased responsiveness. For details, and for an example of someone who feels more positive than I, and an example of someone who feels less positive, see this recent post. [...]

]]> By: Andrew http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-81 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 13:49:00 +0000 http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-81 Simon,
Thanks for commenting. I think that Scrybe is heading in the right direction. I see your point that motion in that direction could be faster, especially giving the expectations of function, speed of development, and availability of beta that initially developed.

]]> By: Simon http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-80 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 09:40:19 +0000 http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-80 “Sabika, Scrybe’s main blogger, has I think eliminated the last of these bad impressions, and in doing so has also addressed the first. Scrybe is now more transparent about revising schedules, and about other things.”

Sabika makes a few blog entries and replies to a few forum posts and suddenly it’s all resolved? You might not have noticed but those blog entries have trailed off again, bugs are resolved very slowly, and there hasn’t been a decent update for Scrybe in god knows how long. Also note, it’s been 6 months since Scrybe opened their self-over-hyped beta.

PS: No I’m not an angry user without a Scrybe account, I’ve had one for the last 4 months.

]]> By: Andrew http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-78 Sun, 25 Mar 2007 03:49:02 +0000 http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-78 David,
Many thanks for stopping by, and for this thoughtful and thorough comment.

]]> By: David Gerbino http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-77 Sat, 24 Mar 2007 17:54:52 +0000 http://changingway.org/2007/03/22/scrybe-the-cool-stumbler/#comment-77 Andrew, I am a lucky and very happy Scrybe user. I have been using Scrybe since the beginning of November, 2006. I am also a frequent poster, when I have the time, to Scrybe’s forums. Your observations regarding Scrybe’s launch are very accurate. However, I would like to add the following thought regarding your comment “Second, it generated resentment among people who waited months for an invite to the beta”:

I wonder how much of this issue is attributed to Scrybe versus the voracious appetite of the user community. I stipulate that BOTH may be at fault. In Scrybe’s case, most of the basic information regarding their beta program was posted somewhere on their web site. The user community saw the awesome viral video and beta sign up link expecting to be able to use the product almost immediately.

Looking back I can see faults attributed to both groups. Scrybe should have communicated so clearly that by the time you submitted your e-mail address for beta sign-up you knew what was going to happen next. The user community needs to understand better that beta is beta and some times you have to wait before you are included.

Bad mouthing a company is destructive unless is is really warranted. In Scrybes case they brought much of this on to themselves via the lack of clear communications in multiple locations on their site, blog and forum. It also took them several steps and several months to start correcting this mistake. This delay fed the negativity and made it grow. I wonder how much of this negativity was born out of Scrybe touching a nerve with a potentially really great product.

I believe that as of now, they have corrected most of the major issues. There are still some minor communications issues that they need to work on. Namely communicating one on one with each and every nay sayer.

In the end Marketing is just as important as everything else in an organization. When you are ready to open your product to the public via a beta program, like Scrybe did, or for a full blown launch, your Marketing program better be rock solid. That means how do you handle mistakes in all their shapes and sizes.

Remember, if you have a “Really Great” product, it should be back up by a “Really Great” marketing plan, a “Really Great” beta program and a “Really Great” way for the company to communicate to its potential user community.

Warning: I am a marketer and my viewpoint is biased.

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