Remember that feeling of dread when you opened your latest credit card bill and found an unexpected charge? Well, imagine that same dread multiplied tenfold when it comes to your school district's IT infrastructure. That's exactly what happened to a local school district I know when they received their VMware renewal quote.
Their initial agreement for 11 servers was a bit on the pricey side, but still decently reasonable at $23K per year. Little did they know, VMware had a nasty surprise in store. When it came time to renew, the cost had skyrocketed to a staggering $55K for a single year. That's more than double the price of the previous year!
But the surprises didn't stop there. VMware, in a move that seemed more like a corporate power grab than a customer-centric approach, eliminated academic pricing for schools. So not only were they facing a massive price hike, but they were also losing the discounts and benefits that were specifically designed for educational institutions.
To add insult to injury, VMware's customer service has taken a nosedive. It's like trying to reach a ghost – impossible. Schools are now left to fend for themselves, navigating a labyrinth of self-service portals and endless wait times.
And let's not forget the cherry on top: a simple Google form was the only option to submit their migration request. It was as if VMware wanted to make the process as painless as possible for them, while adding to the customer’s frustration.
To make matters worse, they were given a mere six months to complete the migration. This was a ludicrous timeframe, considering the complexity of moving their entire infrastructure to a new platform.
It's clear that VMware is prioritizing profit over customer satisfaction. This kind of behavior is unacceptable. We urge other schools to be aware of these tactics and to consider alternative solutions that prioritize customer needs.
Show VMware that you won't tolerate this kind of treatment. See the difference that edu struXure can do in your budget and be part of a new wave of cloud infrastructure. Together, we can demand better service for schools.