Taking Competition To The Extreme: Phony Slide Show Of Disgruntled Competitor Customers

from the wow dept

We see plenty of frivolous lawsuits around here, but that doesn't mean all lawsuits are frivolous, obviously. Sometimes you come across a lawsuit where it's stunning what a company tried to get away with in terms of fraud. Take, for example, the case that was just settled between SuccessFactors and its competitor Softscape. Apparently, Softscape put together a totally bogus PowerPoint presentation of a made up disgruntled SuccessFactors customer and passed it around anonymously to potential customers. SuccessFactors sued, and Softscape settled before getting hit with a judgment that certainly would have gone in SuccessFactors' favor. There's plenty that's "fair game" in business competition, but this clearly went over the line.
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Filed Under: competition
Companies: softscape, success factors


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  1. identicon
    Mordred Kaides, 30 Dec 2008 @ 8:26pm

    and SuccessFactors agreed with it because...

    ok so they make a phony slide show to scare away buisness from the competitior and then quickly settle? sounds as if they already planned the costs of the settlement in advance and thought the plan would still benefit them in the long run...

    this is ofcourse pure speculation

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    sexy sofie, 31 Dec 2008 @ 12:35am

    what's a powerpoint presentation?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    DS, 31 Dec 2008 @ 5:31am

    I'm not sure who's scummier. The company that made the false presentation, or the customers that bought into it. If someone approached me with a huge presentation slagging the competitor, I would be instantly turned off.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    anonymous, 25 Aug 2009 @ 10:28am

    Case number: 209TR216347
    Defendant: Patrick Eugene Premo
    Filed: 07/23/2009
    VC 5204A Infraction CURRENT TABS IMPROPERLY PLACED
    Case number: 205TR014402
    Defendant: Patrick Eugene Premo
    Filed: 10/27/2005
    VC 22450A Infraction FAILURE TO STOP AT STOP SIGN TrafficSchool 11/16/2005
    VC 40508C Misdemeanor FAIL TO COMPY W/CONDITION OF A COURT ORDER/PROMISE TO PAY

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2009 @ 1:56pm

    Case number: 209TR216347
    Defendant: Patrick Eugene Premo
    Filed: 07/23/2009
    Case will be referred for collection
    as of 11/16/2009
    Payment state: DUE
    $ 464.00
    VC 5204A Infraction CURRENT TABS IMPROPERLY PLACED
    11/16/2009 04:00PM Trial By Declaration (in absentia)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 10 Apr 2010 @ 11:02am

    remove from comments

    remove this text from comments
    #

    #
    Aug 25th, 2009 @ 10:28am
    by anonymous

    Case number: 209TR216347
    Defendant: Patrick Eugene Premo
    Filed: 07/23/2009
    VC 5204A Infraction CURRENT TABS IMPROPERLY PLACED
    Case number: 205TR014402
    Defendant: Patrick Eugene Premo
    Filed: 10/27/2005
    VC 22450A Infraction FAILURE TO STOP AT STOP SIGN TrafficSchool 11/16/2005
    VC 40508C Misdemeanor FAIL TO COMPY W/CONDITION OF A COURT ORDER/PROMISE TO PAY

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
    #
    Nov 5th, 2009 @ 1:56pm
    by Anonymous Coward

    Case number: 209TR216347
    Defendant: Patrick Eugene Premo
    Filed: 07/23/2009
    Case will be referred for collection
    as of 11/16/2009
    Payment state: DUE
    $ 464.00
    VC 5204A Infraction CURRENT TABS IMPROPERLY PLACED
    11/16/2009 04:00PM Trial By Declaration (in absentia)

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
    it is found here:
    http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20081229/1928153242.shtml#comments

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    name, 15 Jun 2010 @ 4:49pm

    if successfactors so great why did julian ong leave? wht was he covering up according to Lar's Dalgaard's "NO JERK RULE" http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stocks_%28A_to_Z%29/Stocks_S/threadview?m=tm&bn=68905&tid= 274&mid=274&tof=13&frt=2

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    coward, 20 Jan 2011 @ 6:42pm

    PATRICK EUGENE PREMO
    DOB 3.13.1967
    1190 MEREDITH AVE
    SAN JOSE, CA95125
    (408)298-7438
    FAILURE TO STOP AT STOP SIGN

    link to this | view in thread ]


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