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Embracing Change

12/23/2009 12:18:00 Shannon Flowers

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Test drive the new Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts website and let us know what you think!

I readily admit I’m a creature of habit. I shop at the same grocery store every week. I always fill my gas tank at the same store and buy the same brand of laundry detergent.

Sometimes change is forced upon us and sometimes it’s a conscious decision we make to improve our lives. I recently switched grocery stores. As silly as it sounds, it was a major change for me. I had to learn where to find the laundry detergent and even change to a new generic brand. But the decision was worth it because the cashiers ring up my items before they chat with their coworkers and they bag my groceries instead of flirting with the customers.

Good customer service is a dying art. It’s a fact I don’t like and one I am willing to fight to change by choosing where I spend my money. It’s a power we all posses.

Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts recently re-vamped our website. The new website makes it much easier to find online articles and allows the editorial staff to upload content without relying on assistance from our technical department. These changes allow us to provide richer content, such as videos and a variety of articles. I understand people like things to stay the same. Change is hard, but often the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

I invite you to test drive the new website and share your feedback. It’s a work in progress and suggestions are taken very seriously. While it may take some time to find your way around and get used to the changes, I’m sure you’ll come to love the new design. Customer satisfaction is a high priority for me and I want to hear your thoughts—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

We can’t incorporate every change suggested, but we can’t fix things if we don’t know they’re broken. Whether it’s the new website, the service you receive from our customer support team, or the articles inside the magazine, I want to know what you think. Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts isn’t just a magazine, it’s a community of scroll saw enthusiasts. It’s up to each and every one of you to steer the growth of our community in the right direction.

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Comments (14 posted):

Big_red_S on 12/23/2009 15:34:59

In business as well as in life, change is the only constant :)

JohnB on 12/23/2009 17:57:43

Excellent story Shannon. I too am a creature of habit, but will drop a shop like a hot rock, if customer service is not up to scratch.

wood-n-things on 12/23/2009 17:58:57

Well written and oh so true!

jowshu98 on 12/23/2009 19:03:38

Shannon, Well said. Customer service is and always will be the deciding factor for where I shop. It drives my wife crazy because I'd rather pay a little more at the one grocery store in town with good service than go to the other which is just like the one you described. As far as the website and magazine goes....if one is always looking at how things used to be objectively than there will never make any progress forward.

Kepy on 01/03/2010 10:33:21

I agree Shannon that change is sometimes necessary. I have adapted to the website changes but still don't like the section on the left side fhat forces you to move the screen to see all the content. In addition, I just received the Spring issue of the magazine and was not impressed. I had to get to the middle of the issue before I found anything that really interested me. As you can guess, I am not fond of intarsia. I thought ok the fretwork has been moved to the back but lo and behold if there wasn't more intarsia in the back. There are a couple of projects that I like but if I weren't a subscriber, I wouldn't purchase this issue.

pupper70 on 01/03/2010 18:04:46

Great piece of writing skills; thanks Shannon. Dan

will8989 on 01/03/2010 23:26:42

Great column Shannon. My husband works in truck parts and his saying is "The customer isn't always right but he does have a valued opinion. It's what you do with that opinion that matters." I, too, didn't care much for the latest issue - the first time around. I sat down later and looked again and realized that there is an intarsia piece that isn't too intimidating and one that I will try for my grandson - the fire truck. The painted fish, well it isn't something I would try but maybe sometime down the road I will need just that technique for something. And I loved the beads on the baskets. It's one of those "why didn't I think of that?" things. Compared to the "other magazine" I feel there is more projects and much less wasted space on articles. Articles are good, but why use 6 pages when you can say it in 2 and have 4 pages for patterns? LOL Keep up the good work!! Betty

dragyn on 01/04/2010 16:33:30

In business, if you do not listen to the customers, both the good and the bad, you may be able to stay in business, but by having new customers everyday as opposed to consitant and loyal customers. Yes, change can be hard and not everyone is going to like it, but if the change is based on a variety of information as opposed to one person's opinion then it would be more readily accepted. The flip side of the coin is that the customer too, should be willing to change a little as well. not everyone is going to be happy, but if you consistantly provide a good product or service then change is a good thing.

JohnB on 01/04/2010 20:09:05

I have a great mate who's head is screwed on pretty tight. He too is an ex copper and has owned a number of small and very successful business's. He's mantra has always been "One returning customer is worth 10 new ones". Look after the customers you have and they'll spread the word, 90% of your work is done.

kardar2 on 01/09/2010 19:16:01

it is great I like it

ubgoofy2003 on 01/09/2010 22:24:30

Customer service, that's a real stickler for me. I have left a cart in a grocery store one time, because I couldn't get anyone who cared if I got a jug of Milk. This was a super-market too, & they had a large cooler & it was completely empty. Asked two employee's about getting milk & they didn't seem concerned, so I left the cart with grocery's in it & went elsewhere. Nuf' said. Shannon is right on, things have to change when it's necessary & we have to do that now & then. -- Perk

m_r_dxn on 01/10/2010 02:11:20

I think customer service is important to us all. I have had the need to shop at places where it wasn't up to par, due to prices and/or location, but I WILL go out of my way to get the better service whenever possible. Who wouldn't, though? As for th website. I really like it so far! And for those who aren't seeing the entire page on your screen, try holding down the "Ctrl" key (either one of them) and hitting the "-" button (it's two over from the Backspace) It sounds like you're zoomed in too far. This will zoom you out a little so you can adjust the page to your screen. Just hold Ctrl and hit the + key (right next to the -) to zoom back in if you don't like it or if you go too far.

Don R Brower on 01/10/2010 02:18:47

Shannon Well said, the change for me was pretty easy for me, on monday I'll have been here a year.so no big. For me customer service in #1 in the work I do and where I spend my hard earned money. You guys are doing a steller job here and I like where your going. Yours in wood. Don B.

woodhants on 01/18/2010 14:42:50

A store can have the finest inventory in the world but they do not stock customers , I was at a retail college , Were an example was given of customer power and the effects of doing the right thing - Granny has been coming to our shop for a number of years and now she has a large family of five boys and girls plus her eight grand -kids at the moment , Well she always brings in some one to help her shop and has told the family she always to shop here, Recommendation cannot be bought it has to be hard earned. Upset granny and you lose not one but all the family and friends, That's a sure way to hit the stores bottom line .- After all respect for your customers is a must- When things do go wrong , Move heaven and earth to put it right ,

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