Richard Haldenby, a long-time user of Harvest software, expressed his disbelief over a staggering price increase of 1500% for the invoicing platform that his company has relied on for over 15 years. “I am in shock… it feels like daylight robbery,” he stated, voicing the frustration of many businesses affected by this sudden change. Up until now, companies paid a flat monthly fee for each user, which allowed them to scale their user base according to their staffing needs. This flexible model enabled businesses to pay only for those who needed access to the platform. But now, everything has flipped upside down.
Under the new pricing structure, companies will be charged based on the number of active projects, clients, and tasks they manage, as well as the total revenue invoiced through Harvest. Can you imagine the chaos this could bring for small and medium-sized enterprises? Haldenby contacted the company to express his firm’s refusal to accept these new terms. He was offered a discounted upfront price of $1,309 for the coming year, but he felt this was merely a temporary fix. “It’s just delaying the inevitable,” he lamented.
The backlash on social media has been fierce, with many users criticizing Harvest for what they see as an “extremely bad practice.” Mark Peacock, head of PriceMaker, a consultancy focused on pricing strategies for SMEs, weighed in on the matter, stating that this price hike would catch businesses off guard when they receive their bills at the end of the month. “It’s going to cost them dearly,” Peacock warned. Meanwhile, Damian Foks from Valueships described the price increase as a clear indicator of a shift in Harvest’s strategy, moving from growth to monetization.
The tech community is buzzing with concern, as many believe this could signal a broader trend of companies prioritizing profits over customer loyalty. The question that looms large now is: what does this mean for the future of invoicing software in the UK? Will other companies follow suit, or will there be a pushback from the businesses that feel betrayed?
Kaynak: Orijinal Haber
