I’ve used Homegauge software for a long time for my commercial inspections. In the past, you’ve paid for your services and if you’d paid for your license, your upgrade to next version was provided, this was how the software was pitched or basis for selling when I bought it. If this doesn’t change, I’ll personally be walking and will incorporate a different platform for my commercial inspection software needs.
Over the last several months or so, many questions have been asked to HG about the new product and specifically if we are still paying for services, if such will change. No indication of such or direct response from them, which in my opinion isn’t a new thing, HG hasn’t always been a stellar performer in the communications department.
Today, like many of you, I received a notice of their changes to pricing and services, and sure… we all raise our prices from time to time…
BUT
Now they have changed HOW you own the product. As mentioned, if you’ve paid for services and own the product, you’re entitled to the next version… now, that policy has been disregarded despite months of people asking about it (sneaky I think).
Correct and that is no more. You are entitled (per HG) to keep your owned or bought version but you will NOT receive an upgrade to next version if you’re paying services. Per their email / bulletin, you would need to upgrade to a subscription.
If someone never bought the program and just leased it, maybe not a biggie, but if you’ve bought it like I did, it’s a significant change and disregards how they’ve operated, for as you mention the last decade or more.
Sure thing! It’s pretty clear in the link I shared… and here.
If you currently have a perpetual license for our software nothing will change. If you decide to upgrade or add services to your account then you will be paying for a subscription at the 2020 rates.
Even in that instance it is a 15% rate increase with very minimal product changes over time. I still feel like I am working in windows NT when using this software. I typed up a long response earlier but didn’t post it as I doubt it will matter in the slightest. I will be shopping for new software over the next month which is painful as we are slammed busy and moving software at this point seems insane.
Considering they are still trying to figure out iOS for companion, ya or their calendar or their scheduler or … Either way, the HG that was… well, was and those days and people are gone.
I’ve heard that… but not sure as to the who and what exactly. I also (as you’d guess) opt out of any/every 3rd party nonsense to keep noses out of my customer’s info.
Maybe someone has some concise info about HG and the homeowner insurance info. As mentioned, my use was long time but limited to commercial. Unless I find a reason otherwise, I’ll move on I think… kind of one of those “it’s not the money it’s the way they did it” kinda things.
HG had reigned supreme in regards to copy/paste sections and such, which made duplicating units and sections for commercial really easy, but even Spectacular that I use for Residential does that on the fly… I’m just being lazy to not make a new library and dump them.
I’ve also found the email when I originally bought my software offering “Free software upgrades” if services was maintained…
Now and after the fact and maintaining my services subscription, they are changing how I am to be treated, I think an explanation or concession is owed.
Maybe when they bought they were allowed some lateral or similar changes, but can they change the TOS of something I’ve already bought? As mentioned, I’ve got the email asking me to sign of for their “services” and that I’d receive free upgrades. I’m sure there are bunches of us having been offered the same… I may think I’m special but I doubt it hahaha
Like all your other electronics and service plans… “30 days advance notice”! I bet if you dig and read through the HG contract you likely signed without reading, there’s a clause in there somewhere. Remember, Russell is Russell, and he’s a greedy SOB. He’s the number one reason I dumped HG about 12 years ago when we had the original NachiGauge!
I’m not sure as to Russell’s role with HG anymore, I think more of a backseat one but I could be wrong. The email is pretty clear, maintain services get free upgrades. I’d think if I decided to change my ownership type from owned to leased, that’d give them the right to pull the rug out from under me, but not so sure. I provided them a screenshot of one of the emails I’d received, asking for clarification, we will see what their response is, from their FB group page, it looks like I’m not the only one to have something substantiating what I’m saying here.
I could say the exact same thing. They simply don’t care what their paid clients want or wish for overall.
I hope Russell got a good buyout, they have gone in a weird direction lately.
IMO the majority of HG “upgrades” over the last few years have been related to scheduling and other add-on services. That I have no use for.
Not much with the report writing software. I’ll keep using what I have before I will pay any additional fees. Their pricing for yearly subscriptions for new customers is insane in my opinion. I’ll switch before I pay that.
I use HG, and the companion glitches with iPhone and the failure to address them for the last however many years has had me looking for other options anyways. Since it has been mostly functional, I have not been as motivated to switch and learn a whole new platform.
I’ve always liked their software, but it’s pretty clear they are going in whatever direction they feel is best for HG and inspectors input is not a consideration. I started seriously looking for other options with the announcement of the insurance offers to users. So they are soliciting our clients whether we want them to or not? I know they say you can opt out, but let be honest, they have the info. No wonder they’ve been pushing everything towards the uploading and backup of reports. Now they have your contacts…
I hate change, but sometimes it makes the most sense. Why complain about it, you know they don’t care. The insurance company bought the software for the marketing they could do from the contacts accumulated by the uploads. Their solicitations come from the same place the consumers trusted home inspector uses, so it’s like a warm lead for them courtesy of the honest inspector who would never agree to share their clients info. Everything they are or plan to be doing just seems geared to what will allow the new HG owners to profit on insurance or other related leads rather than what will work best for the inspectors and their clients who use it.
Anyhow, don’t want to get on a rant about HG, but for me it’s time to move on to another platform. There are so many options out there, all have a monthly subscription option that makes it easy enough to switch. I’ll be loading a couple different options this week to decide where to take my business.
Will Tim retain exclusive ownership and user of the converted template, or will you be sharing it with all other spectacular users? What in it for Tim other than your FREE conversion to something he will need to purchase at his expense??
or their calendar or their scheduler or … Either way, the HG that was… well, was and those days and people are gone.