An open letter with my concerns about Aerosoft and apology

[mpo910 2,112]

My post on Aerosoft Forum section general discussion which has to be approved by a moderator over there and therefore may not be visible to you all for an amount of time or even, in case of an reject, at all. 

Dear Mister Kok!

 

First of all I would like to introduce myself.

My name is Marcus Pohlmann. In private I am a "hardcore-simmer" and in Business I am a Business Analyst. Currently at a smaller German Bank, but I also worked for big companies like ABN AMRO, FERCHAU Engineering and so far, and so on.

I did spend round about TEUR 10 to TEUR 12 in 2 years only at a PC and some software, pure for flight simulation. I started round about 2 years ago. This "thing" got me caught at day one. Especially as VR came in, I was sold and very interested in how this simulation-world got as real as it gets. I bought FSX years ago...but it got shelved due the lack of Microsoft support. 3 years ago, I bought X-Plane first. I got curious and bought LM P3Dv4 and after that v5.

My last platform purchase was MSFS. I became a BETA tester and surely, as we all assume, this is a "game" changer. No question about this.

But for me P3D will be my main platform because it simple fits my requirements the most.

 

Why do I write you this "open letter"?

First reason, because I am concerned about the sudden and somehow harsh shift from some 3th party companies regarding the change about supporting diverse platforms like X Plane and LM, shifting to a newcomer called MSFS from ASOBO Studios and Microsoft.

Second reason, because we, Aerosoft and me personally, did obviously "ran" into a communicative issue which was not my intention at all. But it happened and I would like to apology if that was due negative communication here at Aerosoft’s support, written from me. Aerosoft`s employees got me "caught on a bad foot". 

I got I lifetime penalty for that. I am not happy with that. But that´s the status at this moment.

I will start with the “second reason” and explain what happens from my point of view. Then will jump to “first reason” and write something about my concerns as a customer, as Aerosoft´s customer, regarding buying further products.

 

What did happen at Aerosoft support forum?

I don´t really know if you remember my post, out of probably "thousands" of posts. It was the one in which I asked for Aerosoft support regarding an issue where simobjects are shining through "fog and clouds" at the LM P3D V5.X platform, since LM did probably delivered major changes on their lighting system due DX12.

I opened this topic and you also replied on this. I would not go into further details about the issue here because I think you have the possibilities to find it if it´s needed. Some other users did react also. Some where polite some where not. 

Mister "oPABST" did also react and used some words in his post which I found not positive and polite either. He called this whole thread a "hyped thing". I did not know why. My intention was and is to get transparency regarding an issue which where mainly 3th party products related. At least from a customer point of view.

This support feedback from Mister oPABTS triggered me. I then reacted in a way which was obviously not appropriate in an open space. I would like to apologize for that. I am Sorry! I did it once and it will not happen again! 

My point of view as a customer about MSFS and 3th Party business

I do understand that revenue and margin are the driven factors in business. At least they are the important ones.  

But for me, and a lot of other customers/simmers, trust, long duration partnership, quality and support counts too.

Since MSFS announced the new sim, something happened which hopefully will not happen again. For a lot of 3th party dev companies revenue shrunk to probably zero. Simmers stopped buying platforms and/or products from existing platforms, which served us for many years and brought us a nice hobby and joy. The platforms got “shelved”, or at least, simmers talked very negative about them. As they where never ever happy with them right from the beginning.

All of a sudden the single point of truth was called “MSFS”. That probably counts for many, but definitely not for all of us. And many who acted like this, are coming back “to roots” because MSFS has it´s own issues as well. And some will use both platforms now.

I think all platforms have their strong and weak points. But most likely all will grow and expand further. It has gone exactly like this for many years and I don´t think this will change in near future. But that is my personal point of view. It will most likely leverage somehow someday.

I think it is important to build a business based on more than one platform. For sure it looks like this will make no sense at this moment. But the shift back to “roots”, or at least “grab my old roots again”, is already ongoing.

And I do think also, that LM will provide further “big updates” the coming period. So MSFS and LM will enhance and go forward incl. their strong and weak points as this will always be also coupled to personal views and requirements.

This shift is clearly visible at forums like AVSIM, which is one forum where all platforms are well  presented and gives us a good 360° view.

I am one of those who never left the platform LM. I bought MSFS in addition. I beta-tested it as well. But I see that MSFS will not provide me with things LM provides already.  Even not the next 6 months at least. This is due the lack of Airliners, lack of performance, lack of integrated products with other addons like between FSLabs-GSX and GSX-Airports. Or the lack of  addons (like Aerosoft) and system depth like products from PMDG, ZIBO, etc.

Of course I think MSFS will probably get there. Why probably? Because I think the market/customers will decide the direction MSFS will head to. Maybe they will mature in VFR / VR but will not enforce the system depth SDK for long haulers, IFR, etc. Time will tell.

At this moment it is not sure what will happen. At least not for me and probably many others. But I have no insights which you probably may have.

And exactly THAT is the difference between a company like Aerosoft and customers like me and most likely many others.

Due the fact that we customers do not really know what will happen, some stopped investigating in existing platforms. They try the new MSFS, some of us try more, some of us try less, some buy more some buy less or even some buy nothing.

My concern as a customer

One thing that concerns me is the existing support. Some companies do support their existing customers regardless the “shift” and “shrunk” revenue.

These are devs from high quality products like PMDG, QW (comes back to LM again), AILRP, AI Light enhancement), AIGAIM (AI), HiFi weather addon, MADDOG, TFDI, PMDG  and many others for sure.

Some are also more vocal in forums and provide feedback, motivate us to investigate, give hints and insights and earn respect for this investment they provide. Even at hard times we all suffer from somehow. And also due this support and transparency, many of the shifted simmers are using LM P3D and those really professional addons again.

I did not mention Aerosoft in this summary before. Because my personal feeling is that I do not feel comfortable with Aerosoft and their support.

I really want to change it and I tried it often. I gave hints, I tried it polite and sometimes tried it more aggressive. None did work. That´s why I decided to write you this open letter.

I think Aerosoft is missing a chance and is currently losing some existing customers. The lacking support is why I am missing a provider which provides me with professional products AND professional support. Because me, and lot´s of other users, seek exactly that.

But only if products are being developed with high standards AND are good supported (long term spoken) I am, or we are, willing to investigate further.

And here I think Aerosoft is behind and lacking, at least at the moment. I do have the feeling that Aerosoft dropped product support for LM related products completely. That may not be the case in yours eyes. But as I wrote, these are my concerns from my point of view. And I feel free and confident do speak for lots of other customers. I got this feeling due the words you used in some open statements (about MSFS being THE future sim) AND in addition feedback I and others get at your support forum.

If you are further interested, you may head over to AVSIM and read the recent topics over there.  I do not know if you do it more often or not. That´s why I mentioned it here. I don´t want to be or sound unpolite.

“We” simmers do like lots of your products. But “we” don´t like Aerosofts support and sometimes we do criticize the quality (Wrong installers, wrong AFCADS, wrong taxiway signs, etc. etc.). This counts for supporting products generally and somehow also for the “attitude” which is indirectly a reason for not feeling comfortable at Aerosofts support forum. Of course I know that this “attitude” is a thing which should count for both sides, businessmen and customers. But like at my profession I am the professional as a businessman and I have to mind my words much more compared to a customer. My customers should be too, but that is a “customer”. He can act like that. But I can not be unpolite.

My view is that once MSFS has won many new customers the revenue can probably decrease too. As in addition MSFS offers a better chance to develop ”free” products. These developers are also competitors to Aerosoft, this will have most likely some influence on revenue to (flybywire, and for sure scenery and airports too). The market become to be shared with others. Others that did not harm you at LM-Times as they are not so many of them.

I hope Aerosoft will take care about his customers. The new AND existing ones. I hope you will support LM further. This will show us trust and transparency, long term partnership and confidence. Our investments are in good hands if that´s the case.

At this moment I have my concerns and hold back my wallet on Aerosoft products entirely. That means also for MSFS products. Others do probably also. More may come if this will not change as the market will most likely be shared and become more competitive. If LM provides further updates, which is obviously already ongoing, hence investment in DX12, truesky and NvidiaWaveworks, MSFS will probably not have the whole market for itself. Competition is less an issue at professional suppliers like Aerosoft. But only if your USP, “SUPPORT and QUALITY by profession”, are an absolute standard service. Which again is a topic for optimization.

Free addons are not necessarily supported and cheap on top. Quality may lack but must not necessarily suffer.

I would like to thank you for taking time to read this.

Maybe you will come back to us with an open statement. That would be a positive sign to all of us.

And most likely it will be heard and push Aerosoft further! Further for an even better customer relationship, quality and support!

As this is intended to be an open letter, I PM you and opened a topic at AVSIM with this content. Just because I am open minded and interested in their feedback too.

I invite you to join us there, as AVSIM is one of the biggest platform to get feedback about flight simulators.

With kind regards!

Marcus

 Link to another ongoing topic with concerns of customers:

https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/589960-mathijs-kok-feedback-on-pbr-issues-with-aerosoft-products/

 

 

Edited November 22, 2020 by mpo910