Thank you for playing fair
Comments
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Hi @Esther, thanks for the kind words about my writing. 🙂 I actually work as a writer now, so that may explain it. 😄
I'm sure management has heard this idea before, and I know that it was likely dismissed since it may seem like a lot of work, but they likely haven't considered profit--since it would be hard to quantify. How does one create a business proposal for this kind of venture when there is no means for comparison...? It's not easy.
But if TeamViewer didn't exist, and we were preparing a business case for the 'business model' that TV has now, would that have been easy? We want to develop a software that allows a person to connect to a remote computer. Who would ever trust such software in their business? Hackers are everywhere, how can we show it will be secure? How can we deliver compatibility across platforms? I can go on, but I expect the original business model was met with skepticism.
In our connected world, businesses either adapt or they fail. Allow me to mention an American company you may have heard of called "Sears". They have an amazing history, if you want to read more you can do so at this link: [The link has been removed as per the community guidelines.]
They were a remarkable company that sold almost anything. Back in 1894 (yes, 1894) they had a catalog of over 300 pages that people could order goods from through the mail. Here is a quote from that article...
Richard Sears, who wrote almost all of the catalog’s copy himself until his retirement in 1908, held to the motto “We Can’t Afford to Lose a Customer”
When telephones became commonplace, they opened up their ordering to the telephone. In the 1970's, Sears moved its headquarters to (what was then) the world's tallest building, which was then named "The Sears Tower". Where am I going with this? Well, it was back in 1990 that the code for the 'World Wide Web' was completed. Businesses began to move online in 1995. Sears was essentially the 'Amazon' of its day, and when the chance came for them to move online, the head of the firm decided to stick with what they had.
Amazon sold their first book in 1995, but it wasn't until 1998 when Sears finally realized that they needed to do the same to survive. But it was too late, customers moved on. They filed for bankruptcy in 2018. This was a 125 year-old company that survived two world wars and the great recession. Yet they took too long to act when it counted. He who hesitates is lost.
Compare to Amazon, and the owner Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world now. Only 25 years after Amazon started, he is worth almost $200 billion. Amazon didn't become what it is today by thinking that the profit from 'small' sales to consumers wasn't worth the effort. What many in business don't consider is that they can't predict the future of technology, and so they shouldn't pass up a chance to expand their customer base.
For instance... We've seen how a little-known company like "Third Party Product" has become a household name because of the pandemic. Despite the technology being in place, the impetus was never there for people to use it. Now it is. Who is to say where the next tech 'explosion' will be?
The pandemic isn't going away anytime soon. Perhaps more companies may decide to go with online workers instead of in person. They may set up server rooms with 'virtual' computers that the employees connect with to work. Let me ask you... If half of your employees already had TeamViewer on their computer, and they were familiar with it, would you want to bring in a brand new software package that you would have to train everyone to use? Or would you go with the software that people had wide exposure to? We both know the answer is the latter, since it is cheaper and more efficient to go with what the employees already know. That's why most every company goes with Microsoft Windows. They could save money and use Linix/Unix for free, but most people don't know how to use that operating system. Companies will pay more for something that the employees know how to use.
TeamViewer is at a very critical juncture in the history of technology. The pandemic could quickly shift the way people work, and if TV was wise, they would do everything they could to grow their 'personal user' consumer base now. Change happens fast, and it will be too late if you wait until the change happens. It would be like a company trying to become like "Third Party Product" at the beginning of the pandemic. Companies went with the 'sure thing'. While other companies tried to compete, things were moving too fast. Companies wanted something solid and proven that 'personal users' could understand. Heck, companies like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook all introduced similar products, but "Third Party Product" is still massively popular.
TeamViewer could use this opportunity to show that they want to support the most vulnerable in this pandemic. Many people who help to keep the computers of senior citizens running are being prevented from doing so. These are poor media optics for TV. It doesn't matter why it happened, the bottom line is that this needs to 'go away'... and fast.
If it was me? I would silently (without informing anyone) 'wipe' the list that is being used to lock out users suspected of business use--then temporarily roll back the measures that have been put in place that have generated all these false positives. It's become too big of an issue right now, and the negative impact will cost TV far more than any lost subscriptions. After wiping that list, and suspending the heavy handed restrictions (which allows people get back to helping others) you sit down and re-examine where you want TV to go. If the company really only wants to service businesses, then they should just announce an end to free use of the software and take the social hit. They are doing far more damage with these false positives. Either they want to have personal users, or they don't. They need to choose a side.
If they want to go down a 'personal user' road, then they should 'wipe the list' as I said and then work on developing their 'personal user' offering. Set up the tiers and features, modify a new version of the software, setup a subscription portal, and have that all in place. Then they can do their release. Once they do the release, the 'new' tiers are in place for personal subscribers, and a low tier for 'free users' Make the features less than what they get if they subscribe, but only if there is a reasonably priced personal subscription. Don't get greedy. Start with $5 a month and a $10 a month (paid annually) plans, and see how it goes. Once things are in place, pricing can be adjusted later. Only then do you put the clamps back on to detect commercial use.
But those false positives are taking a huge bite out of a user base that you should be building bigger, not making smaller. Every day that TV waits to make a change, means more people who move to competitors. Managers may think they are not losing anything from someone not paying anything, but I assure you, there are many companies that would love to have the user base that TV has. By eliminating the 'false positive' issue, you can keep those users around, and if/when you release a 'personal user' offering, you already have a built-in set of potential customers. Very few companies can boast of this.
However, now is the time to act, before you lose more of that user base. It needs to be fixed in a week, not in a year.
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PS: to @Esther ... I've finally figured out what TV did to flag users as 'commercial'. (I did mention I was a beta tester for Microsoft... ja? 🙂) I'll just say it makes a lot of sense now why so many people are complaining. Anyway, it's not a great solution. However, if TV wants to stick with that, they should modify the software to impose that limit on free users, rather than allow the limit to be exceeded and then flag the users afterwards.
(And please no one ask me to reveal, since I would prefer not to antagonize TV in such a manner.)
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This form doesn't work! I filled out the information but unable to click on generate PDF?
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i sent a reset form about a week and a half but no answer yet
The system say's we are reviewing your request.
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I tried to send the form request but I wasn't able to upload it...How can we solve it ?
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I've been incorrectly flagged for commercial usage. My usage of TeamViewer has only ever been to provide some support to my 93 year-old mother-in-law who uses a tablet and lives in a nursing home in Spain (we live in London). I use my own private laptop. It had all worked fine until suddenly, with no warning, it stopped working.
I submitted the account review form on Wednesday morning last week. The website said that I should received a reply in two working days. I also phoned and was told I should receive a reply within 2 days. Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything back. I really need to get this resolved because computer problems are causing my mother-in-law a lot of anxiety and stress at the moment.
Is there any indication as to the time-frame for dealing with the reset request forms?
Thanks,
Graham Lane
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Dear @Esther I fully support the ideas that @Doyen has mentioned.
Specifically:
- A new personal plan is brought forward with say a €5pm (payable annually) plan that is not as extensive as a commercial plan but provides enhanced functionality relative to the existing 'free' plan.
- Rapid steps are taken now to 'wipe the slate' clean in respect of the recent detection of commercial activity as it clear that many false positives have been created.
For similar reasons that @Doyen mentioned I think that the high level of incorrect detections is actively tarnishing the TeamViewer brand. This will, in my opinion, feed into your commercial offering.
On a personal note I very much enjoy and like the way the TW product works. I would like to continue using TeamViewer to continue supporting family and friends. I have sent my appeal pdf on April 28th and have yet to see any form of response.
Kind regards
Edward
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I am trying to get a status update after completing the form below:
My account was flagged for commercial usage and I completed the form as requested. This is been a few days now, almost a week with no update. I use my account for my personal computer and my parents. I have had no issues with this in the past for many years until recently.
Please advise.
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So long as you have submitted the form correctly all that is required is patience as the TW team work through what is obviously a long line. I submitted mine on April 28th and have yet to receive a response.
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Hi all, this is a message to all experiencing the Generate PDF button not working on the reset form
We made some larger investigations incl. reaching out to different users asking for screenshots as we were not able to reproduce the issue:
We concluded that in close to all cases the way of entering IDs in the form was causing the issue.
👉Please only enter one ID at a time into the form and use the plus button to add more. Please refrain from adding a plus sign (+) or a comma when adding several IDs. ⚠
That means: Add one ID and hit the plus icon. The first ID will be added underneath the ID field.
Now add the second ID. Repeat.
Alternative: If a field is not correctly filled, there is a small red frame around the field that is causing the problem: See below: Please check for this one if you added the IDs correctly.
Please let me know your feedback and if this resolves this for you!
Thanks, Esther
Former Community Manager
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Hi Esther
When I filled in the form I did add an additional ID (as per your useful tutorial above), however I found that the second ID did not actually get into the generated PDF and therefore did not print out. I thus hand wrote the second ID on the printed form and sent that signed version to the team. I wonder if this is the reason I have not had a response (I sent the form on April 28th). I can't resend a new pdf. Is there any way you could check my status please?
Cheers
Edward
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I too am one of the seemingly many who are wrongly being crippled by TV for 'commercial use'.
I am now a retired Police Officer and have been using TV since it came along in 2005 or so.
I have never used the product commercially in any sense of the word as I prefer *bleep* in the enterprise environment.
I use TV to connect my laptop to my desktop which since the pandemic has been stored in the loft as my office was needed for my wife to work from home. I use Tv to log in, move files around and maybe look for something, this is of course all within the same domestic 192.168 network and I am staggered at how the algorithms used by TV can decide that this is commercial use.
It is now over a week since I completed the forms required and have thus far received nothing at all from TV.
Can someone explain to me why and how TV decides that logging into another PC on a domestic 192.168 network to transfer half a dozen mp3 files is deemed commercial use.
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You guys should really make it clear that to get the free license, you MUST fill out the form. And even then it's no guarantee that you get approved. Using the free version without the form is asking to be cut off when you most need it.
To be honest, even after the form can you even trust TeamViewer anymore that it will be there when you need it? That it won't ask you for more logs and more forms? Just... forget it TV. You were great while it lasted, but it is over now.
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Hi @Esther
Further to my message to you a couple of days ago later that day I got a message from Teamviewer saying they have deemed me as a personal user. So thanks very much if it was you that prompted that. It was a long 3 week wait so thanks for stepping in.
Unfortunately it looks like only one of the requested IDs was reset. For a couple of days I could not send in another pdf form as the interface was still showing that my request was still under consideration. Today I was allowed to send in another form which I have done. If you can again step in and push things along that would be great. 😉
Can you give me any hints please how I can avoid once again being deemed a commercial user? As I mentioned on my submitted form all I do is occasionally help family members or friends when they have a problem with their computers.
Vielen Dank und freundlichen Grüßen. 😀
Edward
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@Esther can you tell me is Android is sconsidered server software? I ask because I only use teamviewer to access an Android Huaweii phone which is being used as an IOT device and is not easily accessible. This has worked for months without an issue but just recently I keep getting disconnected from it after about 30s and then there is a timeout before which I can reconnect to it.
I tried the rest option a week ago and I got confirmation that the license had been reset but I still get kicked off that phoen after 30s of connection time.
TV on my windows computer is showing "Free License (non-commercial use only) but I cannot see anywhere on that phoen where it reports the type of license detected.
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Hello Esther,
I have recently had a "suspected commercial use" block appear though I only use TV to connect between my laptop in one room to my desktop in another part of the house.
I am wondering if the fact that I might be connected on one of my devices thru' VPN might be the reason TV suspects commercial use.
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Hello Esther,
What do I have to do to get my post recognised and responded to?
I have submitted 5 or 6 times now.
I have recently had a "suspected commercial use" block appear though I only use TV to connect between my laptop in one room to my desktop in another part of the house.
I am wondering if the fact that I might be connected on one of my devices thru' VPN might be the reason TV suspects commercial use.
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@EdwardUK Sorry for the delay. I was off for a couple of days. However, I check with the team and your status should be resolved for both IDs. I do not have a rule of thumb to share, but if you avoid the things I mention in the blog post above for the commercial part and stick to the ones I mention in the private part, you should be good to go 🙌
@RS387 Thanks for your feedback! I am sorry to hear you have the impression that the form is needed to use TeamViewer at all for free. I can confirm, that this is of course not the case. The form is only needed in case the software suspects commercial usage. Sorry that your experience wasn´t all positive!
@AnthonyTD Android is not considered a Server OS. Did you submit the IDs of both devices: The one connecting and the one connecting to?
@gee_dee_ell As we talked earlier: The reason that you still couldn´t use TeamViewer after the reset was that the first request only had one of your two IDs - this one is already reset. Your second request does contain the second ID that had the suspicion too and will be worked on by the team. I am not sure regarding the VPN but I would try to simply stop using it as you only make connections in your house from one room to the other. In this setting, VPN is maybe not required.
Former Community Manager
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Many thanks @Esther for responding to various people including me. Hope you had a nice break.
Unfortunately only one of my requested IDs was reset. I sent in another request and was pleased that it was responded to within a few days (unlike nearly a month previously). However unfortunately the reset team reset a different ID. It does seem, reading the other thread you started (https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/8284/commercial-use-connection-time-out/p1) that the reset team are increasingly making this mistake of resetting IDs that were not originally requested.
It really is not a good look for the Teamviewer brand Esther that there is so many false positives and then to compound it the reset team are making simple mistakes.
In terms of a rule of thumb for non commercial use, frankly I'm at a loss, after reviewing your hints in this thread and elsewhere, why I have been deemed a commercial user. I know what my usage is (family members, friends on an occasional basis) and take great care to limit my use so as not to trigger your detector. It seems to me that Teamviewer changed their algorithm to try weed out actual commercial users but failed to allow for the dramatic increase in false positives.
As I mentioned in the other thread I do think that all this adds up to tarnishing the brand and market standing of Teamviewer.
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Good grief!
Either a moderator is manually moderating this thread or it is an automatic moderating. The word I used which was bleeped out was a non contentious synonym for filter. 😀
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Hi @EdwardUK
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! Would you mind sending me the two IDs you wanted the reset for in a private message? I can check with them directly and only doing copy/paste from what you send to me to avoid mistakes!
And thanks for your feedback! I absolutely hope it does not have a negative impact and I appreciate your input that I will absolutely take it back to the team!
From what you wrote "I know what my usage is (family members, friends on an occasional basis) and take great care to limit my use so as not to trigger your detector.", I highly doubt you will get the suspicion again. Just make sure to not connect to their work devices 🙌
Former Community Manager
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Thanks Esther. I've sent you a PM.
One thing I do check is to make sure that I don't connect to a machine that has a paid Teamviewer licence. The main machine I connect to (for about 90% of times) is my sister's for a machine I built for her and now support. 😎 I can assure you she is not a commercial user.
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@Esther yes I submitted for both My PC and my Android phone - got notification today that it has been reset and loggged into my phone and after 30s I got booted from it. Just to point out I do not see any message about suspected commercial activity I just get booted out and then when I try to reconnect to it I get the following message (on my PC):
"Connection blocked after timeout.
Your license limits the maximum session duration to a partner, immediate reconnects are blocked. Please try later or upgrade your license.
Connections to this partner will be blocked untill 21:14"
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@Esther Yes I reset both my PC and Phone accounts. I got confirmation today that they had been reset again but still no joy. Just for the record though I do not see any messages about suspected commercial activity. For me I remote into my phone and after 30s I get disconneted from it. When I try to reconnect I get the below error message. Is this possibly something else?
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Hello
I want to unblock my ID today,
You have sent an email.
I do not use it commercially.
Please check.
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@AnthonyTD Oh no - I am sorry to hear this. Would you please send me a Private Message with the email address you used for the reset? Ill ask the team to investigate!
Former Community Manager
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I POST HAVE FREE VERISON BUT IT KEEP TIMEME OUT I USE FOR PERSONEL USE ONLY
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I am tired, No one replies to the declaration which I filed a week ago, Some told me **Third Party Product** is much better.
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I went thought the process and claimed a reset which was approved 13 May 21. It's still not working and I know it's not a partner ID issue as I have 2 PCs on the same network with same user ID which get bounced out. Replied to personaluse@teamviewer.com including my case number on 18 May and still haven't got access or reply. Help please.
Don't want to put my ID or case number on public forum
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