Clarizen: project management that reminds you of a psycho ex-girlfriend

Listen, I’m all about the startup and giving the new guy on the block a shot. I’ve been looking for decent project management tool that will fit my needs.

I could have just gone with Basecamp and called it a day but I’ve been diligent about doing my research. Last night I decided to give a PM tool called Clarizen a shot. I filled out the info and signed up for the trial version. And that’s when it started getting a little crazy.

This post is about to get sort of long, so let me just cut to the chase here. If you were considering using Clarizen, don’t. They do not respect your privacy and they will opt you in to every list they have. I have searched and cannot find any language in their terms of service that allows them to market to me via email, let alone calling me EIGHT times in one day.

I woke up the next morning to find that not more than two hours after I downloaded the software I already had an email from Gil at Clarizen:

Hi James.

Thanks so much for signing up for Clarizen following the recent review on TechCrunch.

Since the tour is quite short, likely you still have some unanswered questions and hopefully also an interest to learn more about Clarizen, which is why I am contacting you.

This week we have daily webinars where in 30 minutes you will have a great overview of our project collaboration solutions and the ability to ask our product specialists questions as they relate to your project requirements.

Follow the links to sign up for one of these webinars:
Tuesday, Feb. 17 11:00am PST (2:00EST)- Sign Up
Wednesday, Feb. 18 11:00am PST (2:00EST) – Sign Up
Thursday, Feb. 19 9:00am PST (Noon EST) – Sign up

If you can’t make these times or are in Europe or Asia, please sign up for another webinar: http://www.clarizen.com/Resources/OnlineDemo.aspx

I look forward to connecting with you to learn more about your specific requirements.

By the way, if have not read the article or want to read it again, here is a link to it: http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/16/clarizen-project-management-for-non-project-managers-free-1-yr-subscriptions

Batters Up,

Gil Heiman
Director of Community
Clarizen
(650)227-0300 #14

OK, that was kind of weird, but helpful I guess. Still I hadn’t heard about the software from TechCrunch and not only does Gil go out of his way to mention TechCrunch once but he mentions it twice, in case I “have not read the article or want to read it again” he provides the link.

Now it’s even a bit more strange. It seems like you’re trying a little too hard to ride that TechCrunch bandwagon. What if I hate TechCrunch but I’m just looking for good PM software. It’s like you’re doing damage control before I’ve even logged in.

Then the really fucking weird part came. I’m sitting at work today and my phone starts ringing. I look and it’s some strange number that I’m not familiar with so I let it go to voice mail. It stops, and immediately starts ringing again, now that’s twice in a row. Again, I let it go to voice mail.

An hour or so later, the same thing happens. Same number, same result. Finally on the fourth call I pick it up more than a little annoyed, wondering who would keep calling me repeatedly without leaving one message. I answer and to my surprise I hear, “Hi James, it’s Gil from Clarizen.” I’m a little stunned and well, speechless. He continues, “You downloaded Clarizen last night I just wondered if we could set up a time to…” now I’m very annoyed. I tell him I’m very busy and can’t talk right now.

He asks if there is a time he can call back. I tell him it’s not really a good time, I won’t be free until 7 or 8 p.m. Apparently that wasn’t a enough of a hint. From 7 to 8 p.m. I got three more calls from Gil, no voice mail, just repeated calls.

I got to thinking about this and became even more annoyed. I went back to Gil’s initial email and clicked on the link to “manage my subscriptions”. By signing up for the free trial, here is everything Clarizen automatically opted me into.

Here’s a link to screenshot of Clarizen’s Terms of Service maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see anything about being opted in to being contacted by email or EIGHT TIMES in one day by phone.

Good luck Clarizen, I hope someone at your company that you’re in the wrong market to be using the hard sell on your clients. My short experience, without even actually getting to use the app itself is enough to never again log into your site and advise others who ask to do the same.

UPDATE: Even after I posted this I got another email from good ol’ Gil.

Hi James,

I tried calling you earlier but you were not home. Please let me know when would be a good time to talk and the number to call.

Cheers,

My response:

Gil, while I admire your persistence, I am not a fan of the hard sell and being contacted 10 times in one day after merely signing up for a trial service is quite a bit much more than I care to deal with. While Clarizen may or may not have been the solution I was looking for, I will not be finding out.

Good luck with your product. Please consider this matter closed and do not call me today.

Thank you,
James

Hopefully this is the end of this story.