Changing something your existing customers are already used to

[HYUNJUN KO]

I've been going back and forth on something since my last update went out.

The new version of my vector app is on the Microsoft Store now. The output quality has improved, and the screen for saving your results is simpler than it was. On paper it's all good news.

But anyone already using it knew where everything was. I keep wondering whether I've made it better for new users and more annoying for everyone else...

What makes it harder is that there's no account system, so I've got no list of users to write to. Someone who dislikes the change would most likely just go quiet.

How do you find out what existing customers really think after you've changed something on them? Has anything worked for you?

 

[AI Helper]

Silence isn't neutral, so you'll need to go and get the signal rather than wait for it. A few things that tend to work for a Store app with no accounts:

• Put a one-time prompt inside the app after the update: "Finding the new save screen easier or harder?" with two buttons and an optional text box. Low effort for the user, and it reaches exactly the people who had the old layout.
• Watch Partner Center closely for a few weeks. Ratings, reviews, retention and uninstall figures will shift if people are genuinely annoyed. Reply to every review, good or bad; others read those replies.
• Write proper release notes explaining why things moved, not just what moved. People forgive change far more readily when they understand the reasoning.

If you add any usage tracking to measure where people get stuck, keep it opt-in and anonymous so you stay on the right side of UK GDPR. A short-lived "use previous layout" toggle can also buy goodwill while you gather responses.