An Interim "State Of The Cave" Message

[smallbearelec]

Our turnaround time has lengthened again since the beginning of the year, and I have gotten a number of "unhappy customer" e-mails as a result. I want to acknowledge those, and maybe pre-empt a few, by letting you know what is happening in-Cave and what I'm doing to deal with the situation.

First, to put things in perspective, please note that we have been through this cycle more than once before. It is just now nine years (!!!) since I started my LLC, and almost eight years since I posted that first, very primitive, Stock List. Small Bear gained a reputation for shipping promptly and having stock of odd bits and pieces, which brought in a lot of business. Turnaround and e-mail response times then pooped, and I responded by automating more and ultimately adding people and facilities. Mirabile Dictu! We have become a substantial resource in a blooming market for DIY and made-to-order effects—"Woodstock for pedal-building" as R. G. Keen has put it. Now our success and the growth of the market have put SBE at another turning point, and this one is major.

For a few years, my staff was two full-time shipping people, augmented by part-time college students. In the last year or so, I hit the limit of the volume I could handle with part-timers. As the students graduated and moved on, I bit that bullet and hired full-time people. I have just brought on my fifth full-time employee. He's also my first musically-experienced hire; he wants to build pedals, and I hope to train him to eventually handle some of the technical e-mail responses that I have always done. As we get him trained and fully on-board, I expect that he'll contribute to decreasing lead time.

Longer term, however, we are again running out of physical room. I can't squeeze any more people or storage shelves into our current shop. I continue to use rented locker space for overflow, sure, but the writing on the (Cave) wall is very clear: I have to think about another move. This is problematic: We are a much bigger shop than we were in '05 when I first moved out of our home, and a physical move will be that much more difficult and expensive. Then, too, since the newspapers are saying that we are all supposed to be unemployed, I keep wondering how long SBE can continue defying the law of gravity.

So I know that I have a problem, and, once again, I will be working things out in coming months with the support of my staff and my faithful VP Operations (Wife). There will be some occasional growliness in the process, so please bear with us as we evolve.

Judy and I have booked all of our hotel stays in Israel, and I will be posting details of our visit shortly for customers who want to meet us and/or pick up goodies.

Regards
SD

[Mark Hammer]

1) All businesses should be as transparent about what goes on behind the scenes as Small Bear.

2) When times get tight, people may give up on extravagances and big purchases like homes, cars, and custom guitars, but they recalibrate their appreciation of small luxuries...like pedals.  No one is bulletproof, I suppose, but Small Bear has a Kevlar body suit as far as I'm concerned.

3) Have a wonderful and safe trip.

[Dragonfly]

A couple of points to be made:

1) I have ordered from Small Bear in the past and have ALWAYS been satisfied. If there is ever a problem, the Steve takes care of it.

2) Success is a funny thing. While some believe that selling tons of stuff insures a successful business, that really isn't the way things are. Far more businesses have gone bankrupt due to being successful than have gone bankrupt due to lack of business. Many people don't realize that. Demand exceeding supply leads to some very tricky problems. I'm sure that Steve can handle them, but to anyone doing an order from SB over the next little bit should expect that there may be a delay or two as the business expands (again)...and accept this if they want SB to continue to be around to supply us with parts for our pedals.

And Steve...heres to (at least) 9 more years ! Congrats on the continued business growth.

[DiamondDog]

Thanks for the heads up, Steve. I've never had anything but satisfaction with our dealings.

Have a wonderful trip- after you send my next order!

(By the way, as anyone who is in business with their spouse knows, it's not the spouse who is the VP.)

[letsgocoyote]

i order from all available sources as I need, but nothing beats small bear for the sheer amount of items they carry!  it's no surprise that things havent gotten slower.  im glad you have hired another helper to keep things going, hope it works well!

[scratch]

We all hope that SBE will have many more years of good business.

I can order my run of the mill part from anywhere, but Wha shells and delay chips would be much harder to find if it wasn't for SBE.

Have a safe trip and a safe return Steve.

[jrc4558]

A couple of points to be made:

1) I have ordered from Small Bear in the past and have ALWAYS been satisfied. If there is ever a problem, the Steve takes care of it.

+100 on that. Small Bear is by far the most reasonable, prompt, and diligent dealer out there.

[DryRoasted]

Good luck Steve, its not often "one of our own" gets good news like this, over the last couple of years it often seems like this is a hang out for budding blues song writers rather than stompbox builders  But I hope you make the right financial decisions in the expansion.  And one day when you have your corporate HQ you'll invite your buddies for a beer in the boardroom

[drewl]

you seem to have quick turnaround time whenever I ordered.
I know some people want stuff yesterday!

Good luck and good business.

[craig_in_tx]

Ditto what other's have said.  I'm a noob to stompbox building and have placed two orders with Steve already (and there will surely be more coming).   

I've been very pleased with each transaction and hope you're around for a long time.  It's refreshing to see someone who cares about the customer enough to enlighten them on the behind-the-scenes stuff.  Very proactive and commendable!  As someone who's worked in customer service, it's a given that there will always be those who are never going to be satisfied.  Hope these well-wishes from the silent majority help to keep your spirits up.

-Craig

[brett]

Hey Steve
enjoy your trip.

In my experience, you've always been super fast covering the orders and posting the 15, 640 kms between us. 

[Auke Haarsma]

nothing to add to the above.
pleased costumer here! 
good luck!

[MartyMart]

Steve is " The Man "  !!
Fantastic service and a very cool guy :-)
Good luck with the expansion !

Marty.

[Melanhead]

Thanks Steve! ...

I can't say I've ever had a problem with an order, always quick and always what I ordered ....

Have a great trip!

[eurekaiv]

If anything, the state of the economy has led me to do more DIY.  It's all about spending less and learning more.

[StephenGiles]

Steve, good luck with your moving forward to the next stage. Next time you visit Argentina, you must go north to Tucuman and then do the drive to Cafayete and Salta. It's a beautiful part of the world, as no doubt Israel is too. My parents spent a holiday there during the early 90s, and no doubt I will eventually get to see their photos.