The pricing is too low. It's a niche market, people are prepared to pay more for things that work. However, you need to offer desktop clients to upload the files, because I would believe that architects work with pretty large files - uploading using a webform on a website is painful.
Also, it's easier to sell an actual piece of software to old school companies than a pure web service. Throw together a 'POST' client in C# and you're done in a day.
Niche market? The construction related part of the economy is huge! I think their pricing is just right. By charging more for additional storage space, they have an ideal "try before you buy" situation.
Mobile clients might be very useful. Missed collaboration in construction often results in stuff that cost money to put there and more money to correct. The ability for those in the field to get clarification quickly could save lots of money.
We are looking at the mobile market, but rather than simply adding another interface to access Woobius we are looking at how we can really make mobile technology work for us and our customers. With the inclusion of technology such as GPS receivers, compasses and high speed internet now as standard, we can do much more than mobile voice communication.
Exactly. If a foreman can pass a request for clarification up quickly, this can save a lot of money. If you can use GPS to determine the context/location quickly -- that could be very sexy!
Were any of you guys trying to do this in Cincinnati, OH 10 years ago?
Also, I think you already have the idea, but don't forget that you can also make money selling disk space. Those who need a lot more of it may well be willing to pay for that at premium rates!
Mobile is a waste of time. Mobile apps are too cheap, people can just call each other. And the construction industry is a niche, because we're talking about the intersect of construction and web apps here.
The web designer industry is a niche in the overall economy, but it's one of the largest in the web based economiy. The reverse is true for the construction industry.
I have experience in selling B2B. Their pricing is wrong.
By the same token you could argue that burning CDs and printing out reams of paper to send via couriers is adequate, and that a system of distribution via the internet is a waste of time. Mobile applications aren't necessarily a replacement for voice communication, but rather an enhancement to.
For example, what better way to communicate information that pertains to a particular geographical location than providing a map with the location clearly marked on it? Add photos into the mix, taken on site with their positions marked and even the direction in which the photo was taken and you can save yourself a thousand words.
As for the price of mobile applications, only a small percentage of mobile applications are stand-alone anyway, the majority being integrated with much bigger systems in order to expand, enhance and mobilize the workflow. We don't expect to butter our bread with mobile applications, but we do intend to increase the usability and usefulness of our system.
Without a doubt, mobile applications make sense. But the amount of time you would put into this at this fledgling stage of the business would be a big mistake - one should first focus on the web based part of things, iterate till it matches the needs perfectly, then make a simple mobile app and expand from there.
Trying to make some large mobile app would bog down the business, and it will not pay.
The misconception there is that a mobile app need be large, or indeed that we are (or intend to) plough effort into one while we still have more important things to do.
But that doesn't stop us planning, theorizing and experimenting. How else is innovation manifested? :-)
I think joel_feather has 2 points: uploading via web is painful and niche pricing will be accepted by woobius target market. (This is also just an opinion, but I honestly believe those 2 points merrit some consideration).
Also, it's easier to sell an actual piece of software to old school companies than a pure web service. Throw together a 'POST' client in C# and you're done in a day.