Temp license for PoC for large company!

[bstrydom]

Hello,

I have already sent my requirements and concerns for a temporary license to the vBulletin Support Team ([email protected]). I have been commissioned by our director to set up a proof of concept for a discussion board for all our staff in our company and when asking vBulletin support, I have been told flat-out NO by the support staff with NO further replies to my queries or emails thereafter.

I am extremely disappointed and stunned by the level of support I am receiving via email that I have now come to this forum based environment in the hopes that I will be put in touch with someone more competent!

I think that the original reply came as a standard default response from one of the support engineers and I would like to be put in touch with one of your Sales Directors to have a more intimate discussion on this topic.

Our Company Name: MMI Holdings
Company Staff Compliment: +-16000 employees
Website: http://www.mmiholdings.com/
Share Price History of Company: http://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/quickshare.php?scode=MMI
Total Value of Company: Over +-R35 Billion Rand (+-$11 Billion)

Reason for license:
We are investigating the preferred discussion board platform for our company where vBulletin and phpBB is currently on the table. We would prefer vBulletin as it has paid support as well as a much more stable and user friendly system for our needs. However, if we are unable to obtain a temporary license for the POC, we will be forced to settle for phpBB which we do not want.

Please let me know who I can discuss this with as I am sure you are familiar with internal politics before making any type of purchases within a massive organisation such as this.

Thank you in advance.

Regards
Brett

[Zachery]

We have never issued temporary licenses. The cost of a license is tiny, 250 USD, esp for a large company.

[bstrydom]

Wow! LOL!! That's a sure fire way to get clients. ok then....

[donald1234]

You can try out the trial version here. https://www.vbulletin.com/en/vb5-trial/

[TLMD]

Well, if there are no remporary licenses available, what else can they say other than "No"?

But: Maybe vBulletin Cloud is an option for you? I'd consider this as some sort of "temporary license", since you subscribe on a monthly basis.

[bstrydom]

Well, if there are no remporary licenses available, what else can they say other than "No"?

you haven't done much corporate negotiating? have you?

but thanks, I got my answers.

[TLMD]

Negotiating about a §250 investment as a huge company (actually it is just §20 for a 1-month vBulletin Cloud subscription), just to get around an existing business model, which doesn't suit my needs? No, you are right: I haven't done that.

[donald1234]

you haven't done much corporate negotiating? have you?

but thanks, I got my answers.

If Vbulletin were to allow you to trial a full blown version of their software, what would stop you from cloning the forum onto a different domain and server and then saying no thanks it's not for me?

[pelican]

if you are just getting 1 license, it doesnt matter you are representing a billion-dollar company or a one-man hobby enthusiast.

if you are getting 50 or 100 licenses, then negotiation of any sort will make more sense.

[durruti]

I'm trying to calculate the balance from $11 Billion minus $250 with my 50 cent calculator.
Hmm, how many zero is $11 Billion?

[bstrydom]

Wow, I thought I said I had my answers, but people still feel the need to express their inner emotions.....drama......woop.........Let me get the popcorn...

[captainslater]

As the question is answered and before we getting too much popcorn, I'll close this topic.