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What part of FREE don't
you understand?
Worldwide users have downloaded more than one thousand copies of
BASICS software and their frequently asked questions about the
concepts of this giveaway are quite interesting:
Is it really free?
Yes, and there are no strings attached -- no trial period,
deposits, renewal fees, etc. We want you to succeed and will even provide free email
support. This free offer is limited to single-user systems. As your company
grows, we look forward to you becoming a paying customer for a networked
version. Larger companies are invited to
download and use this free software but with
the same single-user restriction.
How much does it cost?
Not a trick question as cost and price can be quite
different. Our software is free (see above) , but how much is your time
worth? Maybe, a better question is: what is it worth to mess around with a
dead-end system or no system at all? You probably can't afford the cost of
limping along without knowing your true costs and/or making promises to
customers that you can't keep! No system is going to provide meaningful
information "out of the box". To create a database that reflects your company,
you will need to input information about your product line, manufacturing
processes, purchased materials, etc. Outsiders can help, but for the system to
really fly you can't farm out the defining of the unique factors of your
company.
Is support free?
Yes. Email support is free to single-user systems but on a
non-priority basis. (We take care of our network contract customers first.) We
reserve the right to terminate free support at any time to any user.
In North America we will provide limited telephone
support (primarily a walk-through of system features) and can also help users
who run Windows XP with "Remote Assistance" or with CITRIX, if their
server is so equipped .
Network users pricing:
The free, single-user, system that you download is
BASICS. It includes most of the features of our network version and
there are no charges and no time limits. If you need more then follow this
link to our Pricing Chart
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WHY?
When Feldman
Engineering celebrated its 25th year we wanted to do something better
than just throw a party. We looked back to see how manufacturing has changed and I am glad to say that most of our clients
are still major players. What was most disturbing was how much more difficult it
is today for small shops to grow into manufacturing companies.
(The days are long gone when you simply built a company in the shadow of
a lumbering dinosaur – outmaneuvering him with quick delivery and lower labor
and overhead costs.)
Small shops can still get their foot in the door by
finding a niche (including being a
local supplier). If the owners want to do more than “buy themselves a job”
they eventually need to grow their
shop into a manufacturing company. The barriers to growth, however, are not
equipment, space or factory flow but simply smarter competitors. To prosper,
companies need to know their true costs and price products accordingly.
They need to effectively control inventories
and their labor forces. In the
beginning, you can do this by “hands-on” management but sooner or later you
must stop operating out of your head; standardize procedures,
pricing, and measure results against projections.
To
help small companies in this transition, Feldman Engineering gave away
twenty-five “Basics” manufacturing business systems.
These were not “demos”!
.
It was a great
promotion and an opportunity to help these manufacturers get their feet on the
ground. Looking back, we realized that it didn't take much support effort
and decided to continue this no-charge program hoping that some of these
companies would grow into customers for our networked software.
Incubator
companies are the future of manufacturing.
Barriers to growth and long-term profitability have never been greater.
If we just sit back, we will watch the surviving dinosaurs convert themselves
from manufacturers to mass-market importers, and in doing so, destroy the
necessary infrastructure and consumer demand (for specialty and individualized
products) that sustains small manufacturing companies.
Although
our software can benefit most companies, the one's
that we’d really like to help are those with a “product line”,
more than ten employees but fewer than forty and, in business for three
or more years. We'll give you not
only the software; but email and phone support to get you started.
Incidentally, BASICS was originally developed for furniture and cabinet
companies but it really helps any manufacturer whose products have a lot
of options and features. Our systems are being used at companies producing
fabric, plastic and metal products in sizes ranging from trinkets
to trailer trucks..
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