NemoPS Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Hi everybody, I'm talking especially to the developers who contribute to Prestashop with their modules published on the Addons Site. Often times happens that a customer has problems with one of our addons. Most of these times is just their fault, caused by not following readme instructions as suggested. Or maybe it's just a specific problem with their prestashop configuration, or conflicts with other modules. So, it's not the developer's fault, as i said. In this case, if the customer complains to you asking for help, how do you behave? Where is the limit of your support for modules/themes if you are sure the problem is not caused by a bug? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kranzler Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Hi everybody, I'm talking especially to the developers who contribute to Prestashop with their modules published on the Addons Site. Often times happens that a customer has problems with one of our addons. Most of these times is just their fault, caused by not following readme instructions as suggested. Or maybe it's just a specific problem with their prestashop configuration, or conflicts with other modules. So, it's not the developer's fault, as i said. In this case, if the customer complains to you asking for help, how do you behave? Where is the limit of your support for modules/themes if you are sure the problem is not caused by a bug? Cheers Ahhh the eternal struggle . This is a very complex issue, and I personally don't believe that there is a one-size-fits-all solution. In the end, it should be up to you to determine what you are willing to do, and to make that clear from the beginning. The complaints crop up the most when the terms of support are not especially clear, so they come into it with a mistaken concept of what to expect from you as the developer. -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NemoPS Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 So you'd put something like "Support terms and conditions" in the module/theme's page? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kranzler Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 So you'd put something like "Support terms and conditions" in the module/theme's page? That's definitely what I would recommend. If you frame the expectations early on, you'll have less disputes about it later. Plus, anything you do beyond the stated terms is going above and beyond your promise, which is usually much appreciated by your customers. Every developer is different, and I believe that each one has the right to draw his own line in the sand when it comes to support. Of course, if this is a module submitted to an external marketplace (like the Addons store, for example), that marketplace's rules may supersede your own . -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OC2PS Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 @Nemo1: Depends on the customer rating you are willing to live with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Patron Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 customers should not be at fault if our modules allow them to break it. we must write better modules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurray Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Completely agree with elpatron. And Mike could not have said it better. He's one of the most helpful members in the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NemoPS Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 @Nemo1: Depends on the customer rating you are willing to live with Are there customers rating? Now that's a news. how can i know if a customer rated one of my modules? Or... is it rating my support? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurray Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Hi Nemo, There are many add-on and template sellers who after installation of their product do not propose any supprt. They install it or tell their customers how to install it and then if anything goes worng they leave the customers alone. So to avoid this kind of issues, I think you should mention beforehand the kind of support you are willing to give. And if a customer has tons of problems with you product then your product is not very good to start off with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NemoPS Posted April 19, 2012 Author Share Posted April 19, 2012 Hi hurray, Of course if the module has tons of bugs and the majority of customers is having problems with it, then it's the developer's fault. I was talking more about other kind of problems, like if the customer has some other buggy modules installed and conflicting with yours. That's all Anyway, customers should also follow reame files, isn't it? That's why thery're included. Once in a while a customer reports a module is not working. I ask him "Did you read the readme file" and i.e. "As stated in the readme, did you place the override in the correct folder?". Answer is "no, i didn't". In that case, it's not the developer's fault......or is it? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OC2PS Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 Yes, there are ratings. Yes, customers SHOULD read readme files. But don't expect them to do it. Also, once the WordPress-like auto-install and auto-update feature is completed, customers won't really have the opportunity to read it. If there is pertinent information or help/documentation you want to provide, you should do it inside the PS BO. As several folks have said previously, before you commit to becoming a module developer, set aside time for creating a robust, self-contained module, provide a detailed description of how it works on the PS addons page, and provide support to such customers as might still need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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