Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds • Hacker News Board

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#141

Post by jbail » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 3:22 AM UTC

vnchr wrote: post #137

jbail wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buying a domain and slapping together a one-page website hardly qualifies as working your ass off . This whole thing is childish on both ends and a crappy website just illustrates this overall immaturity.

Oh, that my own childish efforts and crappy web development would develop this much brand awareness, customer education and unpaid publicity!

You missed my point. A couple of kids name calling on the playground generates a lot of attention too, but it's not the right kind of attention. The brand awareness you tout is counter-productive to building a brand that I want to interact with (read: give my money to).

I'm aware of Freshdesk because they made a retaliation website in response to something stupid that somebody said on Twitter. It doesn't inspire confidence in their ability to provide help desk software. They are spending time worrying about what other people think of them and say about them instead of just rocking out their product. I'm not impressed by that at all.

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#142

Post by marcamillion » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 3:34 AM UTC

This is a stroke of PR genius.

Agree or not, look at the attention they are getting.

The sales numbers will tell whether or not it was worth it - given that this is essentially free...I can't see how it won't be worth it.

As for Zendesk, anyway you take it, they have a crisis on their hands.

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#143

Post by viveksec » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 3:38 AM UTC

I am Indian and I wish we would lighten up. Things aren't pure as milk here either. There are quite a few Indian companies which ask their employees to use Western names while creating online content such as on support forums, twitter accounts, etc.

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#144

Post by alex_c » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 3:55 AM UTC

dools wrote: post #130

alex_c wrote: post #126

All I see are a bunch of self-promotional trolls, on both sides of the "issue". Is setting up an entire website really a proportionate response to a dumb tweet? (Obviously, it is if you're stirring up controversy). Seriously, guys... don't feed the trolls. You should know better than this.

What's wrong with self promotion? Who else is going to promote you for free?

What's wrong with self promotion?

It can make the signal-to-noise ratio unbearable. It cheapens the community, and makes it less interesting and useful.

Who else is going to promote you for free?

People who genuinely like your product. It's even better than free, they're paying you money.

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#145

Post by techhacker » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 4:14 AM UTC

Any startup worth its passion will use these opportunities to grab attention (you will be a dumb fool if you don't). So arguing whether Freshdesk is right vs. wrong in putting up this site doesn't really mean a lot. The only person who has lost credibility in this entire episode is Ben Kepes (ofcourse he started the fire).

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#146

Post by larrys » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 4:14 AM UTC

jbail wrote: post #141

vnchr wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, that my own childish efforts and crappy web development would develop this much brand awareness, customer education and unpaid publicity!

You missed my point. A couple of kids name calling on the playground generates a lot of attention too, but it's not the right kind of attention. The brand awareness you tout is counter-productive to building a brand that I want to interact with (read: give my money to). I'm aware of Freshdesk because they made a retaliation website in response to something stupid that somebody said on Twitter. It doesn't inspire conf…

"I'm aware of Freshdesk because they made a retaliation website in response to something stupid"

I know and so am I (aware). But that's the point. You are aware and so are others. And a % of those people don't feel the same way and they have exposure now that they didn't have before. Net it will be a win. Not the strategy for everyone of course but in this case it's a win.

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#147

Post by techhacker » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 4:17 AM UTC

Stormbringer wrote: post #109

omarchowdhury wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is FreshDesk ripping off or poaching the customers of ZenDesk? Last time I checked, it was people connected to ZenDesk who are the one's talking trash.

Last time I checked, having a feature list where you compare your product with theirs, complete with little green ticks and all, it probably means your software is playing in the same space as theirs. That's the real essence of the "rip off" portion of the accusation. Copying your competitors features... well, that happens a lot. Copying their name and their features, and then acting surprised when people call you on…

"The Indians themselves say that cheating is blatant and pervasive." - how does that give one a license to call someone a 'rip-off'. Aren't americans cribbing of 'lack of culture' in America? So shoudl the world start calling them names,. "In other words, if the shoe fits, wear it. If not, then throw it." - But DO NOT throw it on other's face.

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#148

Post by techhacker » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 4:20 AM UTC

anthony_franco wrote: post #139

OpenAmazing wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you (or another SEO) comment on why the mini-site is better than just a blog post on their site? Don't they want the PageRank juice for their main site and not the mini-site? Or is the plan to redirect the mini-site at a later date?

Having it as a blog post would increase the domain authority in Google's eyes. But on the other hand, having a blog post dedicated to talking about your main competitor would probably be detrimental in converting more customers. This is the best compromise. A separate site to discuss the situation. With many links to the main product site to pass through some of the domain authority as well.

The domain will become irrelevant in a week's time. So where does this SEO story comes into the picture?

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#149

Post by adriarichards » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 4:21 AM UTC

jmedwards wrote: post #128

The whole thing is completely overblown (intentionally so and calculated, of course, by Freshdesk) and was very unnecessary to begin with (on Zendesk's part). As an Indian-started helpdesk software company ourselves, the 'Indian cowboy' comment raised our brows a bit. It was very unfortunate. But then I realised it was said by a relative nobody. That didn't stop it being used to inflame the situation, though. Disclos…

We all should realize it's Twitter, home of public flame wars.

Agreed. That comment was from a bystander and Freshdesk pulled it into the story to sensationalize.

Yes, I remember back in 2005 when there was Kayako, Cerberus, Activecampaign, Request Tracker and PHP Ticket. All required self-hosting of files and maintenance. A cloud based helpdesk just wasn't an option.

In the end, customers will select technology that fits their needs. Those needs may be completely technical in nature but more and more, customers are making decisions about technology vendors based on the ethics and relationship with that company.

Nice to see you contribute this thread.

Re: Zendesk CEO calls Freshdesk a freaking rip off - Freshdesk responds

#150

Post by billpatrianakos » Mon, Dec 05, 2011, 4:22 AM UTC

This is going to hurt Freshdesk more than help. Creating that site was an immature move. They're framing it like this is an issue that anyone besides the guys at Freshdesk cares about. And calling the site "ripoffornot"? Cheap move. I honestly thought I was about to visit a website dedicated to comparing products and deducing who is ripping of who. Then I saw it and I thought "damn, what a cheap, crybaby, attention whore move".

Freshdesk is playing dirty all while trying to convince us that it's the other guys that are playing dirty. I hope we all see through the BS. You don't win hearts and minds by being a bully and they're being bullies while trying to look like victims.

When I see a company do something like this, that's so cheap and obvious, I immediately wonder how desperate they are. They're also doing themselves a disservice by calling attention to the fact that they've been called a ripoff. People's first reactions will be to wonder why they feel the need to defend themselves so vehemently against that sort of thing. If they're not a ripoff then why do they have to work so hard to convince me otherwise? Am I saying they're a ripoff of Zendesk? No, but their actions have now put the idea in my head. Major backfire.