Why Enterprise?
Updated 02/01/2013: As mentioned at the close of this post, we are constantly tweaking and pushing changes to our web site as we measure its effectiveness. The Enterprise Partners section ultimately did not meet our goals, and continued to confuse our customers as to what our focus is, so we have removed it. We look forward to the new Pro Network program and hope it addresses this goal, but without the added confusion.
One of the features of our new site is a small list of “Enterprise Partners”. Combined with starting our Pro Network program over from scratch, this has understandably led some to speculate whether EllisLab is gunning for the enterprise market.
However, in our Manifesto, we shout proudly that one of our primary purposes is:
...enabling the cottage developer to stand toe to toe with Goliath, sling armed with our stone.
If that’s true (it is), then why have Enterprise Partners on our site?
The short answer: enterprise is a thriving market that we get a lot of external pressure to be in, and we’re happy that ExpressionEngine is capable. But it’s not a space we enjoy working in, and chasing enterprise contracts is a distraction from our core purpose.
Having these partners in place means that when an enterprise request comes in, I can say, “Yep, ExpressionEngine can help you, but you need to talk to one of these companies.” Having them in place allows us to keep the laser focus we’re dedicated to as stated in our Manifesto.
What about the Platinum Support plan? This allows agencies who use our product in that space to compete on equal footing when bidding against agencies using other platforms that have service contracts. It’s a business agreement with certain guarantees, it’s risk mitigation. That’s the language those clients speak.
We’ve added the Platinum Support plan at the request of reputable agencies that have expressed the need over the last four to five years. If it turns out that they were wrong, or that it doesn’t help them, or that serving the needs of the plan cuts into our primary support work, we’ll make adjustments. But it’s still worth trying to help these agencies go where they want to take ExpressionEngine.
These are both new programs, and we will be monitoring closely whether it meets our goals of helping agencies that want to compete in the enterprise space, while simultaneously helping us stay out of it. The starting seven companies have initiated and established long working relationships with us. Les and Marcus got to know these companies closely and felt they’d be a good starting point for the program. A specific company’s absence is not an indication of being excluded from having a similar relationship with EllisLab in the future. How that criteria and selection process works will be shaped based on the initial program’s success.
Most importantly, the partners list is not the primary way that agencies and small shops will be able to demonstrate association with EllisLab and proficiency in the ExpressionEngine ecosystem. Feedback on the Pro Network has started to slow, and patterns are emerging in the center. Soon we will be inviting all who submitted suggestions to a discussion to solidify what will be best for them and what EllisLab is capable of doing to support those needs.
In a way, we are treating our web site as a private SaaS application, and are constantly tweaking and pushing changes to it. This past Sunday was our starting point, and it was important to put that stake in the ground. As it continues to evolve, we think any confusion will be absolutely dispelled as to where the product is going, who its primary audience is, and how we plan to grow and remain competitive in the increasingly crowded CMS space.
Comments & Feedback
I don’t see an issue with what you’re trying to do on the Enterprise front. But maybe a dedicated Enterprise page might be a better way forward, rather than putting the Enterprise partners within the Community page? Although you can argue that the Enterprise partners are a part of the ExpressionEngine community (so that’s why they’re there), I see them as two distint areas/markets so think it’d make sense to split these pages up.
sm9
As a “cottage developer” I don’t want to stand “toe-to-toe” with Goliath. I want a company that will understand the needs and workflow of the “cottage developer” to put their “laser focus” back on the little guy.
If you want to create a competitive space for enterprise fine. You’ve created a multi-tiered support system for them. Why not just create a multi-tiered license system and use a $2,000 and up enterprise license to subsidize a nonprofit license?
You’ve talked about simplifying the licensing system to reduce confusion, yet the desire to create a complex support system has created a lot of confusion there, not to mention the community’s push to serve their own needs (once met by EllisLab) with things like Stack Exchange.
You talk about “laser focus.” So drop all the fancy metaphors (who wants to “Join the Party” when they head to the forums???), and focus on the needs of those who brought the company to where it can be a competitor in the enterprise space. And quit assuming us little guys want to go toe to toe with bigger agencies.
I just want to make a living providing solutions to small businesses and nonprofits. My community is small and tight knit. I don’t want to drown in the enterprise and big city pro network market just to get the tools I need for the job. Quit making assumptions about what you think is best for the little guy, and find a way to learn. Communication has been declining recently. You will never know what the little guy needs if you don’t provide avenue to listen and learn. And taking support staff out of the forums did exactly the opposite of that need. Support staff presence in the forums was one powerful way that the little guy could communicate with the company about his needs.
What you going to do to replace that? Where’s the “cottage developer” (note, not a new pro network) to go to get the company to listen to him?
You know, maybe I’m just a little bitter this week because I lost a client due to EllisLab restructuring, and I’ve got too much time on my hands, so to keep my fingers busy I’m releasing frustration here, because there’s really no other way for us little guys to get in a word edge-wise with those in the enterprise and pro network crowd.
JC
FeralStone
Hey JC, can you drop me an email with a link to your business and brief overview of the type of work you use ExpressionEngine for?
Derek Jones
Derek, I’d be glad to participate in a public discussion between outfits (not enterprise or Pro Network) like ours—small one or two person shops/freelancers, etc.—where we felt that our opinions were important to EllisLab. Right now it seems like most small outfits are feeling pretty ignored and dumped on.
I don’t want to be a squeaky wheel—or for EllisLab to become a company that only responds to the squeak—as my view here is no more important than any other. Also, I feel like I’m being called out for posting semi-anonymously, and I don’t want my harsh opinions to reflect on either my clients or my employers. I’ve been working with EE for 5 years, and have developed close to 20 licensed sites, so I’m not trolling.
Create a fair & open system of communication between the company and it’s customers, and you might be surprised at how it might benefit all.
wildrock
I’m not sure I follow, wildrock, though I’m sorry if there’s been some misunderstanding. As for the rebuilt pro network, please drop me an email and I’ll send you to our survey. I’ll be wrapping up the feedback this evening.
Derek Jones
Well, there’s the first problem, Derek. I just spent 10 minutes looking for your email address, and as far as I can see, there’s no way to find your email address from website that I can tell. None of the EL employees (including you, and except for James) have public email addresses. I suppose I could continue to poke around for it, but I’ve got other things pressing on me right now. EL feels pretty insulated from its customers.
wildrock
Sorry about that wildrock. Our contact info is available on the site but it may not have been clear that those would be routeable to me, I didn’t mean to make you feel like I had sent you on a goose chase. Anyone on staff can be reached at firstname dot lastname at ellislab dot com, but you can also always email team at ellislab dot com and it will quickly get routed to the correct person.
Derek Jones
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