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Uncovering and converting new customers in emerging regions

Piracy data can be a powerful tool for ISV sales teams to glean valuable market intelligence, especially in emerging markets. When a license is cracked or bypassed, ISVs lose the ability to track the use of those particular products – there’s a gap between what is considered a customer base and the total universe of users. Like the tip of an iceberg, what you can see and what’s really there are two different things.

Piracy business intelligence is a radar of sorts, revealing the true picture of software use, and what it reveals is critical for determining a course of action. For example, an ISV may decide not to have a sales or marketing presence in an emerging region like Russia because customer data suggests that there is a low adoption rate in the country. Yet data from piracy business intelligence reveals a sizeable group of users that have taken advantage of free/cheap and unlicensed versions. Not only are these specific users now potential targets for compliance and revenue recovery, but it also opens up the door for future legitimate business.

When addressing the geographic spread of piracy, there are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration, especially when data reveals previously unknown customer bases and markets. Software vendors need to understand what causes are contributing to higher rates of piracy. How strong is the region’s IP enforcement? Are legal versions of the software readily available? How strong is the industry and economy in the region?

In countries such as Russia and China, weak intellectual property enforcement has fueled what we refer to as a “culture of indifference” toward piracy – it is widespread, widely known and not a concern. The challenges that these countries present should not deter ISVs from dismissing them as a lost cause. In fact, they represent significant opportunities for growth. Successful license compliance and anti-piracy programs that generate significant revenue in these regions are a reality.

We will be hosting a webinar later this month to explore the realities of uncovering new customers in emerging markets, as well as approaches for license revenue recovery. On Monday, November 21, our own Victor DeMarines will be joined by JP Seuren from Software Compliance Group to present examples of revenue recovery in Russia, Vietnam and Thailand, and some of the lessons learned while building license compliance programs in these regions.

The global market is critically important for businesses today and for ISVs it means understanding geographic nuances and having a detailed plan in place to address piracy of their products.

More information is available here:  http://info.vilabs.com/new-customers

We hope you’re able to join us for this conversation and encourage you to bring questions!

Recent Events

Waltham License Compliance Panel 2012
May 1, 2012

V.i. Labs hosted a license compliance panel discussion on "Best Practices for Generating, Investigating and Converting License Compliance Opportunities" featuring guest speakers from Dassault Systèmes, Sullivan & Worcester, and Software Compliance Group.

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