Comments on: Ben's in the Fold http://scorm.com/blog/2010/01/bens-in-the-fold/ We make SCORM easy Tue, 22 May 2012 11:50:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Ethan Estes http://scorm.com/blog/2010/01/bens-in-the-fold/comment-page-1/#comment-521 Ethan Estes Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:04:58 +0000 http://www.scorm.com/?p=4855#comment-521 I have to say as well in my one experience as a vendor to a former client (large auto maker) that had SumTotal in place-it's been exactly as Phillip described for that client. One never ending headache. The real question for SumTotal is: Is it technically an issue with the LMS or how they respond and treat their customers through the support process? I'd lean towards the second as my client was never able to get past that to even figure out if it was a technical issue. This tends to be common from what i see with the big LMS guys. I have to say as well in my one experience as a vendor to a former client (large auto maker) that had SumTotal in place-it’s been exactly as Phillip described for that client. One never ending headache.

The real question for SumTotal is: Is it technically an issue with the LMS or how they respond and treat their customers through the support process? I’d lean towards the second as my client was never able to get past that to even figure out if it was a technical issue. This tends to be common from what i see with the big LMS guys.

]]> By: John Campbell http://scorm.com/blog/2010/01/bens-in-the-fold/comment-page-1/#comment-520 John Campbell Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:14:46 +0000 http://www.scorm.com/?p=4855#comment-520 Having worked the last 5 years banging heavily on SCORM implementations, I can concur with Mike's statements. Rustici and SumTotal stand alone atop the 2004 mountain. I also don't judge the LMS outside of the SCORM functionality with this statement. For us, playing the content was key, and no LMS came close that we found (and our testing was pretty broad). FWIW, the 5-10 times I sent our clients through official support, we had no complaints. Feel free to contact me outside this thread for details. For SCORM 2004, we've had two real choices: SumTotal or LMS X + Rustici. I've watched countless organizations struggle solely due to the impact of their choice with this. Ben is a real win for you guys. He gets it and always has. Congrats. Now go change the world. Having worked the last 5 years banging heavily on SCORM implementations, I can concur with Mike’s statements. Rustici and SumTotal stand alone atop the 2004 mountain. I also don’t judge the LMS outside of the SCORM functionality with this statement. For us, playing the content was key, and no LMS came close that we found (and our testing was pretty broad). FWIW, the 5-10 times I sent our clients through official support, we had no complaints. Feel free to contact me outside this thread for details.

For SCORM 2004, we’ve had two real choices: SumTotal or LMS X + Rustici. I’ve watched countless organizations struggle solely due to the impact of their choice with this.

Ben is a real win for you guys. He gets it and always has.

Congrats. Now go change the world.

]]> By: Philip Hutchison http://scorm.com/blog/2010/01/bens-in-the-fold/comment-page-1/#comment-519 Philip Hutchison Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.scorm.com/?p=4855#comment-519 Hi Mike I really trust your judgment, and am sure Ben is a good guy and excellent with SCORM. However, I feel compelled to say that as a current SumTotal customer, their support has been a very big sore spot for us. Very very big. I don't think I'm at liberty to divulge details in public, but suffice to say I've personally felt cheated several times, and have had countless technical problems with their system. In my experience their level of support has been along the lines of 'do as little as possible to get things working'. Their communication is terrible. I have never worked with Ben -- our support staff appears to be based in India, so we probably missed the chance to work with Ben -- but I would *never* recommend SumTotal to a friend. Too. Many. Issues. Sorry for the rant, I just felt the need to offer a counterpoint to an endorsement of SumTotal. As for Rustici Software and SCORM, I'm loving what you guys are doing, and really like the direction you've taken and the demos you've done with LETSI. I'm sure adding Ben to the staff will increase the awesomeness. I can only hope that most LMSs (and whatever might replace LMSs in the future) will be as detail-oriented, customer-focused, and open to new ideas as you guys. Kudos. Hi Mike

I really trust your judgment, and am sure Ben is a good guy and excellent with SCORM. However, I feel compelled to say that as a current SumTotal customer, their support has been a very big sore spot for us. Very very big.

I don’t think I’m at liberty to divulge details in public, but suffice to say I’ve personally felt cheated several times, and have had countless technical problems with their system. In my experience their level of support has been along the lines of ‘do as little as possible to get things working’. Their communication is terrible.

I have never worked with Ben — our support staff appears to be based in India, so we probably missed the chance to work with Ben — but I would *never* recommend SumTotal to a friend. Too. Many. Issues.

Sorry for the rant, I just felt the need to offer a counterpoint to an endorsement of SumTotal.

As for Rustici Software and SCORM, I’m loving what you guys are doing, and really like the direction you’ve taken and the demos you’ve done with LETSI. I’m sure adding Ben to the staff will increase the awesomeness. I can only hope that most LMSs (and whatever might replace LMSs in the future) will be as detail-oriented, customer-focused, and open to new ideas as you guys. Kudos.

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