I still dictate every day using software at work (a Dragon competitor that is really awful by comparison, although to be fair we're a few versions behind so hopefully it's just that), and had some time today, so I called Nuance to see about a discount if I were to buy the Windows version for home use. Based on time zones I was calling them after-hours. Their initial message was about selling off their PDF software, and providing the phone number to the new owners of that software. That wasn't overly reassuring. Then there was a phone tree about Dragon. Choosing the option about purchasing Dragon connected me with a very nice representative, whose microphone was a bit muffled and whose accent I couldn't exactly place, but I'd guess the stereotype of India. Pulling up my information, they could see that I had purchased Dragon Medical for Mac; I tried to helpfully point out that I also had the standard home version, too. To my amazement, there was a discount offered for buying the Individual Professional edition: a $50 discount, taking the price from $300 to $250 (not including tax).
I'd say I was shocked both ways: shocked that I was actually getting a discount, and shocked that the discount wasn't something like the upgrade pricing (or even cheaper). I mean, how loyal does a customer have to be to stick with you even across operating systems?
Well, the story doesn't get much better from here. I glumly said I'd take it, because I want to use the software and I'm at a point in my life where I can thankfully afford it instead of resorting to the "digital high seas." I was then told I'd have to wait a bit for a manager to authorize and complete the purchase. I was put on hold for a few minutes, and then a few minutes more. I asked if I could just have a coupon code or some such thing to complete the purchase on my own (since this was going to be the download, anyway), and was told that it wasn't possible. Finally, when it seemed like they'd need to call me back the following day, a manager appeared. They took my payment details and told me I'd need to wait 1-2 hours for my license code. I received the order confirmation and charge within minutes and - good to their word - the email containing my license code and a sort-of download link came about 1.5 hours later. Yet in that time I tried to find if there was a different way to download the product, and mostly discovered just how broken their website is, reaching some parts that looked like they were from the 1990's.
I recognize that the purchase wasn't necessarily the smartest in timing, given the unclear future of virtualizing x86 Windows with Apple moving to ARM... but if that doesn't kill my ability to upgrade Dragon in the future, I'd say Nuance probably will. It truly boggles my mind how the #1 dictation company - fed money by subscriptions from high-end corporations - can appear to be failing so badly. At this point I wonder if they're even developing Dragon anymore, or if they're just sailing on what's currently there. Healthy companies generally don't sell off other product lines and retreat from product selling spaces, and basic website maintenance seems obvious. That their website is falling apart even for Windows home users, and that the experience is such garbage (I haven't seen a website that makes you literally type a product key in years, but their website was not compatible with copying and pasting it) makes it clear that they are focused on the corporate sector at this point. I'm worried for them, though. Their actions seem more like they have new management that is trying to justify its existence by improving the financial numbers of the company - actions that probably appease shareholders, but that ultimately gut the company and turn it into something of a lifeless zombie. It's sad to see.
So long story short, if you're looking to go to Windows, Nuance will give you $50 to "upgrade" to the Windows version. Just expect to potentially spend a lot of time on the phone for it, depending on the time you call. And look forward to a "blast from the past" 1990's experience when it comes to ordering and then actually getting your product.
