Can't teach a customer new tricks!

Well, my frustration with the new layout of Facebook has prompted this rant. I like my old facebook, not this new one. I used to laugh at people that said this to things, mainly my mother actually, because to me that meant she was 'old'. Unwilling to admit that I must be 'old', I'm blaming Facebook. In doing so though it got me thinking about business choices.

Facebook probably made these changes based on a combination of customer feedback, gut feeling, trends and what the competition is doing (have you seen Twitter lately?). The trick however, is in the customer feedback. In most cases only unhappy customers speak up. And often these people (I know not always) are going to find something to be cranky about no matter what. So, if you make changes just to satisfy them, which may be never happen, then how are you making your other customers feel? If you going to make a change to your art, your business processes (like where your selling your work) then you need to do so in collaboration with your customers - all of them! Especially your champions. Change is hard for anyone, so make sure to have lots of customer treats to reward them!