Frustrating split of functions vs cost of license types

Mattias

One very interesting thing for me is the curiosity I get from people around me when they see me using Smartsheet. The low threshold of knowledge to get into it and the "mimic" of spreadsheet (excel) view behind it makes it so much more attractive than MS Project for example. Often when I bring up MS Project as a possible tool in a project, I can see many people starting to look for the emergency exit...

Since I am a one-man-band in my work and get contacted by clients to solve project related work within their organisation I do my bulk work when it comes to pre-planning in Smartsheet and my individual license.

I do find the step up to the next license (Business minimum 3 licenses purchase) to be a frustrating step. The features located in this license would be super to have when people ask me how they could use Smartsheet within the organisation once I am no longer there, and also things like reports would be excellent to have for me in the starting phase before the projects kick off.

But the thought of sitting on 3 licenses for me when the need for the features within that license is only used part time within a project, and the rest of the time I am flying solo in setting projects up makes it a no-go...

It also means I cannot show them the collaboration-possibilities without telling them to register for a demo-licens, which of course never happens for most people. 

The thing that happens now for me is that I use Smartsheet for the things I can do within the individual license and then export it and keep working in a different tool, once people are brought into the project.

Frustrating to be almost there...

J. Craig Williams

Even with three licenses, it is difficult to give customers an adequate "playground".I use Smartsheet in much of my consulting work, but I also put off upgrading from the individual to the team license when I started out.

I spent a lot of time determining the ROI before making the purchase.

I empathize.

Craig

Mattias

Thanks for the input, Wrike has the same pricing/user but not the 3 user purchase threshold. The big show stopper right now for me to test that platform is the lack of Leads and Lags...

Once that is in place it might be a nice alternative.

Mattias

Might have jumped the gun on my thoughts around Wrike... Seems like they have a minimum purchase of 5 licenses once you start to fiddle around with the pricing settings...

Thats another no-go...

J. Craig Williams

It is fairly standard business practice these days to have 3 tiers.

Dan Ariely discussed this in one of his books (I forget which one, but it might also be on his website: http://danariely.com/

Craig

 

Mattias

Seems like it, there are those who are going away from that though,

I think MS-project is 1-user licence purchase, (not 100% sure)

and https://clickup.com/ is as far as I understand 1-user licence. 

Lets hope this is the future and then as option a 3-user deal then...