Matterport Shoots Itself in the Foot (Again)3415
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 WGAN ForumFounder & WGAN-TV Podcast Host Atlanta, Georgia |
DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Matterport Shoots Itself in the Foot (Again) In this We Get Around Network Forum Post Friday (9 December 2016), I learned that Matterport is now competing directly with Matterport Service Providers to scan recurring revenue clients with a new, one-order-to-service-multiple markets with its new Content Licensing option. I imagine that this model is also being rolled out by Matterport in its other marketing channels such as to hotels and commercial real properties for lease. I could also imagine that Matterport has tried (unsuccessfully) to sell Matterport Cameras to these channels – only to find that large companies do not want to buy cameras – they want one order to handle their multiple markets. That large companies want to place one order for multiple markets and pay monthly, should not be a surprise to Matterport. As I wrote more than two years ago (26 October 2014) in this We Get Around Blog post: Analysis: How the We Get Around Network of Matterport Pro 3D Camera Photographers Will accelerate Adoption of Matterport 3D Showcase Cloud Processing and Hosting "We created the We Get Around Network ... to make it super-easy, fast and affordable for multi-market companies to have one-stop shopping. … Plus, publishing all the 3D [Spaces] to one Matterport account makes it easy for clients to collaborate with everything in one Content Management (CMS) system." So, Matterport is doing exactly what I proposed in my analysis more than two years ago; except that they are doing it themselves rather than through third-party providers. Doing it themselves is why I feel that Matterport shoots itself in the foot for these three reasons: 1. Scaling one order for multiple markets – third-party service providers can move faster and more efficiently. 2. By competing with third-party solution providers for one order / multiple markets, Matterport is slowing the growth of these organizations to handle ever-increasing size orders such as a major hotel chains 3. Matterport is competing with Matterport Service Providers for recurring revenue clients. Plus, from reading multiple We Get Around Network Forum posts (example 1, example 2 and example 3), Matterport is either poaching or appears to be poaching Matterport Service Provider clients. I imagine that if you asked Matterport about competing with us – Matterport Service Providers – their spin would be; 1. We are increasing business for Matterport Service Providers by offering one order for multiple markets: only when we do this does a client have interest in placing an order. 2. You can grow your business by hiring $10/hour people to do the actual scanning 3. You don’t need to market or handle post production Sometimes I feel like Matterport is the Emperor with no clothes on. No ‘matter’ how loud Matterport proclaims that it is doing this for Matterport Service Providers, they have lost our trust and are commoditizing our business. For example, if Matterport was doing this for us, they would want Matterport Service Providers to get the most money from many clients: not the least amount of money and be dependent on them for our scanning business. I would be surprised if Matterport is offering top dollar for jobbing out scanning. And, I would imagine that Matterport would handle the post production. Then, I would imagine that Matterport – whom has over-saturated many markets with Matterport Cameras – would squeeze Pros to continue to shoot for less with each new project. We are professionals. We take pride in our work. And, we know that our expertise can not be replaced by $10/hour freelancers. For reasons stated above, Matterport – and Matterport Service Providers – would succeed faster by Matterport helping third-party service providers handling one order for multiple markets. BTW, I said, “Matterport Shoots Itself in the Foot (Again).” One previous example is not allowing third-party solution providers to offer conversion and publishing of Matterport Spaces to Google Street View: something that offers huge value to Matterport Service Providers and its clients. What do you think? Is Matterport helping - or hurting us - with this new marketing initiatives? Happy holidays, Dan |
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JonJ private msg quote post Address this user | |
| This is interesting! Depending on the market you are in and the rate, this could be beneficial or detrimental. It just depends on the details. | ||
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JTW_VR private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I don't see anything beneficial about Matterport directly going after faithful Matterport camera owners clients/customers. | ||
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Belfast, United Kingdom |
3dshowcaseuk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Who is going to do this scanning for matterport? If we refuse to, will they have to hire people to do it? They may then find out that a monkey can't actuallu scan a property efficiently! |
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Frisco, Texas |
Metroplex360 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| To answer Dan's question: I think that we can choose whether to view if Matterport is helping or hurting us. Nationwide Property Management is one sector that Matterport is looking to sell directly to. I've worked multi-family for the past decade and provided services and can testify that it's a very difficult market to get into. They want to work with equally large business partners from everything to web development to marketing and photography in order to leverage bulk discounts, simplify management and have parity across the board. From my observations, the majority of MSP success has been in the Realtor and small business sector. Some national companies delegate their marketing decisions to the regional level and some MSPs, including myself, may have found success in this area. #1) Will Matterport's efforts create price fixing in the market? #2) Will Matterport's efforts take away jobs from individuals in exchange for providing MORE jobs for MORE MSPs? #3) Is there a way that we can benefit indirectly from Matterport increasing engagement in sectors that we as a community do not generally sell to? Will the brand recognition increase and the demand increase? Can we leverage case studies in one sector towards the market that we are targetting? #4) Will large contracts for nationwide clients create platform innovation in accommodating needs? - Furniture Planner (very popular for multiple family) - Groups of Tours (like in the VR app) to allow one embed for all available apartments / units / etc. - Measurement tools in Showcase, not just workshop. -- Now, if we want to target the SAME sectors -- how do we do that and compete? Matterport will be offering a low entry fee, monthly hosting fees (Conceptal Price: $200 + $30/mo) and a turnkey process wherein they hire the pros. They will also be covering processing fees -- no $19/fee for MSPs. Matterport will be keeping the ownership of the tours. We can compete with : #1) One Time Fee Plans as well as subsidization concepts. #2) Client owns copyright and rights to use scans. #3) Offering multiple services for one trip: Photography + Drone Photography + Matterport #4) We can be professionals -- working hand in hand to ensure attention to detail; working with clients who want to STAGE their homes/apartments; working with clients who might need multiple trips to a location to finish the shoot; providing on-site training to use Workshop for clients who want to use MatterTags. --- I'm choosing to see Matterport's future initiatives as a positive thing and I'm tasking myself with the responsibility to adapt and to find ways to show that I offer a better value to my clients. I've already adapted by offering a low entry price plan with monthly payments. I hope to develop marketing to show the difference with hiring a trusted Matterport Service Provider with a back catalog of tours and experience. -- When I first bought my Matterport and discovered that Apartments.com were already scanning apartments, I freaked out. I made some calls and realized that scans made by Apartments.com were ONLY intended to be hosted on Apartments.com and were not for use outside of their platform. Ever since, I've leveraged that knowledge when speaking with clients. How will you leverage this? MSPs -- could you benefit from showing the value of Matterport to regional/small clients based on what Matterport offers at a large-scale? I'm sure you can. MSPs -- Are you a Matterport owner with a camera collecting dust? Perhaps you are afraid to post that you are excited about the idea of Matterport CONTACTING you directly and asking you do scan for them! What if they provided you with 10 extra scan jobs a month that you would not normally have?! -- Let's use this community to strategize how we can all grow together. |
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Belfast, United Kingdom |
3dshowcaseuk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Metroplex or anyone else who knows the answer If we were to have a network nationally for the states and internationally using all the members of or WGA network And for example I, another member or Dan as our Leader (LOL) manages to enroll an international hotel chain eg Hilton If I were sent a job to scan Hilton Belfast, is it possible that I would be able to log out of the capture app, and then login as a collaborator on another account to upload the job? This would mean that all the hilton hotels worldwide would be scanned and uploaded to the same account which would be paid for by a central fund and each MSP would get their agreed fee for the job. Also any MSP who had the time could login and edit the job. Does this sound even plausible and if so could it be successful. Hopefully you folks understand what I am trying to say all be it hypethetically! |
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ThreeDImaging private msg quote post Address this user | |
| according to dan matterport reads our posts. if so they will be reading all of our "work arounds". what's stopping matterport from opening "matterport photography and marketing" all over the united states and over the world. I am not mad at matterport because they have to make money. I may not like how they do it but I offer a service that someone else also does, i am still in business. the key is to think like metroplex and to offer things that the large corporations cant offer. | ||
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Belfast, United Kingdom |
3dshowcaseuk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| ThreeDimaging, we are all aware or certainly hope Matterport are reading every word of this and I agree with Metroplex on pretty much everything. We as a company don't have a problem with Matterport and we love their camera and what it does, and I find it hard to believe that any competitor will come even close to the Matterport in the near to medium future We need to think laterally and outside the box and work as a network that we already are to move forward. I have good reason for posing the questions above as I am in talks with a corporate hospitality client who has properties worldwide and would love to be able to turn round to them and say we as a company have a network of Matterport professionals worldwide who we can call on to create models for your company in any major city worldwide. Without giving too much away I am trying to find out whether this model could work and how it would work. |
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WGAN Forum Founder & WGAN-TV Podcast Host Atlanta, Georgia |
DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @3dshowcaseuk We can help you source Matterport Pros around the globe. 1. It is super-easy and super-fast to locate a Matterport Pro on the We Get Around Network Map. (Green, blue and purple pins have public profiles. 2. If you see a red pin, ask us for a referral. These are Forum Members. 3. If you don't see a pin on the map, PM me. We typically locate Matterport Pros within 24 hours or less. All, You can do exactly what Matterport is doing by sourcing Pros via the We Get Around Network. We can help you with pricing so that it is easy, fast and simple to offer your client one price and sub-out the work to Matterport Pros ... Best, Dan |
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Belfast, United Kingdom |
3dshowcaseuk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Hey Dan Can other matterport pros login to their capture app as a collaborator on. another account i.e. Mine and upload the scans for processing, hence I will be charged for the processing and hosting! And then can sub out editing or let the pro who scanned the job login and edit? Thanks |
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WGAN Forum Founder & WGAN-TV Podcast Host Atlanta, Georgia |
DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @3dshowcaseuk You can invite Matterport Pros as Collaborators to Workshop: not the Matterport Capture App. As Collaborators, they can do editing within the image or folder that you give them permission. That said, if you used WP3D Models WordPress Plugin - free use with Standard We Get Around Network Membership - you could simply ask the Pros for the Matterport URLs. Best, Dan |
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JonJ private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @3dshowcaseuk, What you are asking is completely doable. This is exactly how one of the companies that outsources work via the WGA network operates. They create unique credentials and the MSP sourced, logs into their capture app with those credentials, scans the property and uploads it to the contracting companies account. The MSP is not responsible for processing fees, but can log into the my.matterport.com account to verify the scan and make adjustments as necessary. Hope that helps, Jon |
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