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I disagree with them here, but I think their point is that they're aiming for a certain type of customer, and you aren't a good fit for their business. Not eve

I disagree with them here, but I think their point is that they're aiming for a certain type of customer, and you aren't a good fit for their business. Not every business wants every customer. Some businesses know they can do very well if they keep their costs-per-customer low and their revenue-per-customer high, even if they have to have fewer customers to do it. Some of those "contact us" companies are in that situation. I think that most of them aren't, but wish they were.

ginko 2y ago
>Not every business wants every customer. Some businesses know they can do very well if they keep their costs-per-customer low and their revenue-per-customer high, even if they have to have fewer customers to do it. So they forego customers that just want to pay $N amount of money to try&use their software/service in favor of customers that want touchy-feely phone support at every step?
- lee_ars 2y ago
  They forego the customers (like you) least likely to be vulnerable to soft-touch upselling, yes.
- satvikpendem 2y ago
  Yes they do, because you will likely pay less than people who go through the sales process and can be convinced to pay much more. Sticker shock is a real thing, it is very difficult to convince someone to pay $10k for example through their credit card if they see that price on a landing page, whereas it is easier to convince them if they can talk to a real human in the process.
mitthrowaway2 2y ago
However, by leaving some customers to feed the competition, they're also providing an avenue for their competitors to grow stronger and also take away the customers they currently enjoy having. In particular I find that Chinese companies are hungry for all business, more willing to provide up-front information, and more willing to send a direct quote no-questions-asked rather than scheduling a meeting with a sales rep. I'm not surprised when I see them win.
- satvikpendem 2y ago
  Yes, product led vs sales led growth. But note that even then, as the former grow larger and target more enterprise, they shift to a "contact us" model anyway over time, until yet another competitor comes in, rinse and repeat. Intercom has this model, their pricing used to be very simple and now it's not, because it's tailored to enterprise, and now a lot of upstart competitors exist with that simple pricing.

ginko 2y ago

>Not every business wants every customer. Some businesses know they can do very well if they keep their costs-per-customer low and their revenue-per-customer high, even if they have to have fewer customers to do it. So they forego customers that just want to pay $N amount of money to try&use their software/service in favor of customers that want touchy-feely phone support at every step?

lee_ars 2y ago
They forego the customers (like you) least likely to be vulnerable to soft-touch upselling, yes.
satvikpendem 2y ago
Yes they do, because you will likely pay less than people who go through the sales process and can be convinced to pay much more. Sticker shock is a real thing, it is very difficult to convince someone to pay $10k for example through their credit card if they see that price on a landing page, whereas it is easier to convince them if they can talk to a real human in the process.

mitthrowaway2 2y ago

However, by leaving some customers to feed the competition, they're also providing an avenue for their competitors to grow stronger and also take away the customers they currently enjoy having. In particular I find that Chinese companies are hungry for all business, more willing to provide up-front information, and more willing to send a direct quote no-questions-asked rather than scheduling a meeting with a sales rep. I'm not surprised when I see them win.

satvikpendem 2y ago
Yes, product led vs sales led growth. But note that even then, as the former grow larger and target more enterprise, they shift to a "contact us" model anyway over time, until yet another competitor comes in, rinse and repeat. Intercom has this model, their pricing used to be very simple and now it's not, because it's tailored to enterprise, and now a lot of upstart competitors exist with that simple pricing.