Tonight the VCMA is playing at Kingston of Vermilion Nursing & Rehabilitation Services for our final christmas concert.  I’ve charged the camcorder and packed up up the tripod, so I should be able to get some video of the concert.   The last concert footage I’ve posted online was the Alumni Band Festival,  I’m next to positive I still have a VCMA summer concert that I haven’t posted yet, so that may be coming also.

The real reason this is interesting is after this concert I’m taking a break from both community bands I play in.  Because the babies birth should occur around the same time that both bands start up again for the spring season, my priorities for the spring have changed.   I should be back for the summer season of the VCMA, but the Ashland Community Band doesn’t have one, so I won’t be back with them until next fall.

It took alot for me to get back into music and playing with bands.  I’m really hoping that a vacation doesn’t put a lull over me that causes me not to return.  I guess I better return to the VCMA since I am vice president of the organization now.

Now as soon as my kid can hold a cornet, he’ll be learning how to play it.   That’s the plan anyways.  My luck he’ll be a woodwind player.

Yesterday VCMA was featured in The Lorain Morning Journal in their living section.  The article highlights the diversity in the groups membership and musical selctions.   Here are a couple excerpts from the article:

The Vermilion Community Music Association grew from its initial focus on the concert band to include two other performing groups, a mixed chorus and the WindJammer Big Band, which specializes in the swinging dance music, popular songs and jazz of the 1930s and later. No dues are paid, but musicians are asked to bring their own music stands and a sense of humor.

Musicians hail from areas around Vermilion including Sandusky, Elyria, Ashland and Lorain. The earnest Christmas music, with all its promise of peace and redemption, offers a welcome reprieve from the argumentative ad campaigns of another political season and the relentless drumbeat of a plunging stock market.

I missed being quoted in the article since I took an extra day to get back to him.   My 13 year old sister was also going to be interview, but there seem to be a problem with her phone.   Regardless this is a boon for the VCMA and it’s great that we have been noticed.

To read the full article please go here, if you would like to watch the accompanying video it is located here.

I also did a similar write-up for the VCMA’s new blog.

Saturday was the VHS Alumni Bands 22nd performance at the Vermilion High School Band Festival.   I originally marched for the Vermilion High School Sailor Marching Band from my Sophomore to Senior years (Senior Year Video) which encompass the fall of 1991 through the summer of 1994.   I had the option to put on the band uniform one last time for the Vermilion Fish Festival in 1994, but I declined that was the first time I performed with the VHS Alumni Band.

My first band festival (Fall 1994) outside of high school I didn’t get a chance to perform, I was marching with earlier that day for a home game with the Ashland University Marching Band.   I did show up that evening to watch the performance and hang out with friends.  I heard a lot of people say that this was their best year in Alumni Band, no disrespect to Joe, but I have to disagree, at least for myself.   The best year for me was my first festival back with the group at the Band Festival of 1995(?) which was Willy B’s (William Burt’s) last year as the Band Director for Alumni.   If it hadn’t been for Mr. Burt and his loyal students there wouldn’t have been an Alumni band today, so all of us can look back and thank them for making this possible.

I’ve marched many years with Alumni at the festival (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, and 2008) and I only missed it five times because I was living in Oregon.  I can say I was extremely tempted to spend the money for a plane ticket and fly back for it during those missing years.  I’m extremely happy that I was there for Mr. Henry’s final year as both a high school director (my senior year) and his last year as an Alumni Band director.  Last year when he announced he was retiring as the Alumni director I had tears in my eyes (HEY I’M A SENSITIVE GUY!!).   David Henry is probably one of the greatest influences on my life, and I don’t know where I would be today if Jeff Luther hadn’t tried to convince someone who didn’t know how to play a note to join the marching band.    Someday I’ll write a whole article on Mr. Henry, today isn’t that day though.

My own personal tradition is to show up early for Alumni practice, I was always the first to arrive and just enjoyed being there sitting in the back of the band room anticipating the day.   This year I was dropped off and there already was another car there, three majorettes beat me.  For the first time I wasn’t the first one there.   Next year I guess I have to arrive at 6 AM.   My wife dropped me off, then she went a visited the grave of a friend to tell him about the new pregnancy.   Later in the day I told that friend’s sister, who is now in Alumni,  that we are planning on giving our child his name if it is a boy.

Mr. Price ran us ragged through out the day for the performance.   I’m not saying it wasn’t worth it, I’m just saying….   After lunch was practiced our closing routine for the first time and at the end we practiced the high step.   My ankles felt like they were going to break at any second.  It may have been the shoes, but I think it was age catching up with me.    I went out and bought a pair of ankle supports at dinner time.   I wore these for the rest of the night.   I managed to high step and I didn’t break an ankle.   On Sunday however I could hardly walk on my ankles at all.  By Sunday night it had migrated to just my left ankle.  It is still sore and tender four days later.

Pain and sickness isn’t new to me at Alumni Band though.   Two years ago I blew out and gave myself a sore throat in the morning practice.   Compound that by the fact that it was raining that night and eventually it got bad enough they moved the festival inot the high school gym – I was laid up sick in bed for four days afterward.  Last year I got the sore throat again, but it didn’t develop into anything more.  After last year I decided I wanted to be in playing shape – no sore throat and no dead lips.   I joined two community bands and that corrected the issue from that side.  I do think I’m going to have to start running again just to get my ankles in shape for next year.   These are the the things I do for Alumni Band.

Some things are funny, like the people being amazed that the current seniors were freshmen when they were seniors.   I pointed out that the current seniors weren’t even in preschool when I was a senior.   You have the differences in band style from the Burt to Henry to Price eras, and of course all of us think that our own era was the best.  There are things I missed from the past in Alumni.  Large groups of us used to sneak in Alcohol in water bottles and get lit before marching.   Before he did Dennis Pintur used to be notorious for that.   He was also notorious for blowing out his lip playing tuba and showing everyone his bloody white beard also.   The tuba’s back then actually did tuba chases, which I haven’t seen in the last few years.  During the drum breaks our tubas also used to twirl their instruments.   My first year in the band festival Mike Lewandowski put me on his shoulders during the drum break and we did a dance in our section of the field.

The band has changed and grown up.  This isn’t really a bad thing.   It may be why some of hte older members don’t show up still, but that happens.   The experience isn’t the same, people move away, people are busy – there are alot of reasons people don’t show up.   The rest of us… Well the the rest of us want to relive our glory days like Al Bundy.   In a way we are sad like some people think.   It is also glory.   The excitement of going onto that field, feeling the rush, and doing it one more time.   I’ll be there as long as I am physically able.  I’ll be there in a wheel chair and play for the middle songs only.   In the end I’ll be there.   I’ve lasted longer playing with the band then the band has played in the Vermilion Fish Festival (which BTW I think they need to start doing again).   I’ll survive and do it until there isn’t a band festival to march at anymore.   If it ever comes to that point I’ll just invite all the band members that want to show up on a fall Saturday, pull out some music, and play on the football field even if it’s just for ourselves.   Those that understand that, they are the ones that really want to “Do it One More Time”.

Videos:

Star Spangled Banner – Google Video Link

Festival Show – Google Video Link

Sideline Footage – Google Video Link

If you somehow missed it you can also always watch last years video here.

If you want to see the pictures I took – scoot on over to my Flickr set.

Tonight the VCMA will be having it’s final summer concert at the Lorain County Fair.   It’s been a wonderful summer season and I appreciate everyone that has come out to watch us perform.  I only missed one concert this season (though I did manage to arrive in the middle of the first song at one of our concerts).    The only concerts I have until the winter season are next month.  The first of which is September 16th playing in the Ashland Community Band at the Ashland County Fair.   The second is September 27th at the Vermilion High School Stadium playing with the Vermilion High School Alumni Marching Band at the high school’s annual marching band festival.

Hope to see some of you around.

Picture from here

Traditionally (since I’ve been with Xie) we don’t normally go to county fairs.   Of course there have been brief dabbles, a single visit or so to the Lorain County Fair or visits to the Lane County Fair when we lived in Eugene, but nothing planned ahead of time, more of a whim of the moment.  Somehow this year is different.

Growing up the county fair was a yearly ritual.  We would look forward to it, when we could make it down to Greenville we would go to the Darke County Fair, and visit the other county fairs around us.  It was a family event where we would all do things together.   I was never allowed to ride fair rides because, “They were death traps”.  I still managed to enjoy it anyways, I wasn’t a fan of the animals or plants, but I enjoyed it somehow anyways.

Why did Xie and I never go to the fair?  I don’t know.  It wasn’t cool enough.  It cost too much for what we got out of it.   It wasn’t a high priority of ours.   All of the above.  Whenever we talked about going to the fair it was more of a meh kind of thing.   So if the opportunity came up on a whim, we went.  It was never ever something we planned out and said you know what we should do next month, we should go to the fair.   To be fair (pun not intended) we do most of our stuff on a whim.  I think we planned the Crater Lake trip we took 2-3 days before we went (since we needed reservations).

Last weekend however we managed to make it to the Richland County Fair (man their website sucks goats).   It was the first day, and none of the rides were setup and some other things were still be constructed when we visited.  Being the first day and early afternoon we gave them some slack; that and it was only one dollar per person to get in.  However, it was a Sunday, you would have thought they would have had everything setup the day before.   Must be something in the Ohio water that breeds laziness.   We did manage to eat some fair food, look at all of the animals, vegetables, and crafts.  I can say I have a different eye when looking at photography now, though it’s not the same eye as Xie – other wise we would have to trade through out the today to get anything done.   We also managed to get to see another community band (I missed which one), and listened to some one else play some of the songs that I play with my band.

Next on the agenda is next Thursday, I’ll be playing at the Lorain County Fair with the VCMA.  This will be my first trip back to the Lorain County Fair in at least eight years (maybe longer).   There is a chance I’ll run into my kindergarten teacher, my family always ran into her we went growing up.   Yes she should know who I am, she only taught for one year.  It should at least be interesting and I have free tickets.

On September 16th I’ll be playing with the Ashland Community Band at the Ashland County Fair.   Now I can say that the last time I visited the Ashland County Fair was when I was in college, so that was back in 1994.  It’s been 14 years since I’ve been to this fair, and the first time I’ll be playing with this group in this type of venue.   It should be interesting to say the least.   Band practices start on September 2nd, so we’ll have a whopping two rehearsals before the fair.   We’ll see how it goes.

Picture from here

I thought the teens and pre-teens were the sounding board for tomorrows technology.   Well this isn’t always the case.   I previously mentioned talking with my brother over the weekend.   Well there is more to it then just the security post that came out of it.   He complained that he wasn’t getting confirmation e-mails for some of the web services he was using and he thought they may be getting caught by his spam filter.   I asked him which e-mail provider he was using.  He’s using his ISP…………..

I may be 32, but I have two brothers that are twins that are thirteen years old.   They have the fear of sharing their name online and everything else they will get over as they get older (or become completely paranoid and withdraw from the Internet entirely by the time they are 20).   They don’t however use web based e-mail.  I understand that they should be showing me what is new and interesting, so I expected Myspace or some such service for sending e-mails to friends.  Well they don’t, but part of that is that my 26 year old brother who sets up the web filtering for my dad frowns upon Myspace for that age group because of worrying about pedophiles I suppose (though a child is 99.9 more likely to be molested by a relative or immediate friend of the family instead of being attacked by an online predator).   My father and step-mother aren’t too hot on it either – they believe in the sunshine and dirt makes strong boys.   I’m more of the give me a book and a bed to lay on, or a laptop and a Gameboy with a bed to lay on type of guy.

They don’t however use web based e-mail – I haven’t used a strictly POP3 mail solution since college – so 14 years of using web based e-mail.  With the exception of corporate mail I can’t understand using it any other way.   Spam control is easier, you can access your e-mail from anywhere, you can archive your mail online without ever losing anything.  I started a series about computing in the clouds and even did one subject on web based e-mail.  The generation that comes after us (and the age difference is pretty much a generation) should have a more refined method of handling data.   It’s seems they choose to hamstring themselves then to learn and be more interactive.   That is not the case.

I have a sister that is pretty much from the mind set of using the computer as a utility or appliance.   It’s something that’s only slightly more interactive then a game system or television set.   I understand that mentality.   I figured however it was something that would end with my generation.  It seems not, the next generation at least in my family is not grasping and making tech work for them they are working for their technology.  What I mean by that is they put more effort into the computer then they need to, the computer should be a tool to make things faster and easier.   Not using it to the fullest extent you can and streamlining what you do is almost a shame.

My 26 year old brother and myself when we had our own computers kept pushing the line and seeing what we can do next.  He was twelve/thirteen when I went to college and he was running his own BBS.   He went the design and programming route.  I went the security and architecture route.   Both of us are very good at what we do in our own fields – at least we think so.  Though we have very little overlap since both of us view the other person as focusing on the wrong things.  The thirteen year olds don’t have the same in depth interaction with their computers.   Maybe this is a problem with growing up with computers their whole lives.   It’s not viewed with the same regard as it was for me and my next youngest brother.

It does give me some slight hope that the current twenty something and young thirty somethings are the height of the internet users while the rest of them stagnate and fully pushed the line.   But the youngest brothers have a few years to catch up and may do something with it yet, so I can’t fully discount them until the future arrives.

Now if they are reading this – go get a Gmail address and learn how to use it.   My father-in-law and mother-in-law have even moved to Gmail and it only took them a few minutes to learn it.

The 2007-2008 season of the Ashland Community Band is over.   It will resume back up in the Fall (September 2nd) but for now the musicians receive a reprieve and a break from the weekly practices.   It is interesting, I originally joined community band to get back into shape for my high school Alumni Band which lasts only one day a year.  What I found was another experience.

I am a member of two community bands, the Ashland Community Band and the Vermilion Community Concert Band.  Neither one is really better then another, they are both different and have their own strengths.   The Ashland Community Band is lead by my college band director Leonard Salvo (pictured above) so I have a feel of consistency there.  I can say playing music from a theory perspective, jumping to different keys, improvisation, and playing by ear that I am about 60-75 percent from where I was 13 years ago when I stopped playing.   My range is fairly solid now but at a loss of an octave that I had back then.  What I have gained is better tonal quality then I ever had, better tongueing technique, and I’m sure some of my past band directors are happy I don’t puff my cheeks out as much – though I don’t really think that ever had any bearing on my playing.

I’ve also gained a new group of people that I have gotten a chance to know.  I’m playing regulary and I am enjoying it.  It’s not normally like it was back in high school when i would push and get a “high” for lack of a better term, but it’s still kind of there.   I don’t have the ambition to practice hours and hours every single day, though I should.

Ashland’s final concert of the season took place last Sunday, and Xie stated it was a good concert, but we did not manage to get it video taped this time around.  So as I look forward to September when I play with the band again I leave you with these video clips:

Previous stories I did on the Ashland Community Band:

Concert Number Two Complete

Ashland Community Band’s Spring Concert

Ashland Community Band Concert 4/27/08

]]> http://creeva.com/2008/06/17/ashland-community-band-2007-2008-season/feed/ 0 http://creeva.com/2008/04/28/ashland-community-band-concert-42708/ http://creeva.com/2008/04/28/ashland-community-band-concert-42708/#comments Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:51:41 +0000 Creeva http://creeva.com/?p=2751 The Ashland Community Band played it’s annual spring concert with the Ashland University Concert Band yesterday at the Hugo Young Theatre. As always I played third trumpet in the the performance.  My grandparents showed up to watch the show, outside of seeing me on the Vermilion High School Alumni Band float in the local Vermilion parades, this is the first time they have seen me perform in fourteen years.

Luckily this time the camera work for the video should be better.   A tripod was used and there was no cuts in the performance.   We only recorded the community band, so while it was a dual performance with the Ashland University Concert Band performing second, that was not recorded.

Next week we don’t have rehearsal, so rehearsal will resume on the thirteenth of next month. Our next performance is a Father’s Day Concert in the park at the Ashland Amphitheater. The last performance of the summer will occur the week of the Ashland County Fair, which the Ashland Community Band has been asked to perform at.

I hope you enjoy the show.

If in the crossposting the video does not come through either go to www.creeva.com to view it, or you can view it on Google Video right here.

Part 1 (really really short) Larger Version Here

Part 2 (mostly short) Larger Version Here

Part 3 - Larger Version Here

Part 4 – Larger Version Here

It seems they have nothing more to say to me and I think this story is going to end on this post.  From the best I can tell they waited a week before reading my response that I sent them the link to (Webserver logs checking who came from Yahoo Mail if you curious how I knew).  I know some people don’t think I should be pointing out these flaws or complaints.  One friend even told me this via e-mail:

Humane society?

Don’t get into an argument with animal-lovers.  They’re as dense as lead. 

Well I don’t think the Ashland Humane Society or any other organization is “as dense as lead” though I think there are things they can do to help future proof themselves now and increase customer service for the future.  I understand that I’m the only complaint, but the ball always starts rolling for the first person.   I sent them a message on how to do things cheaply and that they would save time.

My main complaint of their partnership with Rascal Unit still has the same wording that started this whole ordeal:

Contact the Ashland Humane Society at 419 2814722 or e-mail ashlandhumane@yahoo.com to make an appointment for this clinic date in this area.

The only thing I  have asked is to change the wording t:

Contact the Ashland Humane Society at 419 2814722 to make an appointment for this clinic date in this area or e-mail ashlandhumane@yahoo.com for more information.

This is a minor change and will help alleviate confusing for the technically literate to understand the meanings of the seemingly technically-illiterate.   Trying to narrow the technology divide in the world always starts at the lowest level, whether it be programs like the “One Laptop Per Child” or local community organizations.  Please say what you mean and attend to it.

I’ll keep my readers apprised of the situation but like I said I think this is the end of it.   Too bad I can’t effect change in those who obviously prefer to keep their head in the sand while the world changes around them.

For further reading:

Part 1 – Ashland Humane Society’s Poor Service

Part 2 - Ashland Humane Society Responds to My Blog Post

Part 3 – Ashland Humane Society Customer Service Issues Part Tres

Personal writing:

• Cleaning up drafts
• Been awhile since I’ve written anything
• NFS – Oh I Hate You
• Internet Protocols That Need To Die – My Top 3
• Upgrading to Hardy Heron
• Still Downloading
• Hardy Heron Upgrade Complete
• Google Needs to Update it’s Gmail Welcome Letter
• Asian Gilrs For Dating – WTF??
• Ashland Humane Society Responds to My Blog Post
• Ashland Humane Society Customer Service Issues Part Tres
• Getting to Know My Sister All Over Again

Links:

• Creeva’s Daily Link List 02/01/08
• Creeva’s Daily Link List 02/02/08
• Creeva’s Daily Link List 02/05/08
• Creeva’s Daily Link List 02/06/08
• Creeva’s Daily Link List 02/07/08

Writings for other blogs:

• Click Through Advertising – The Evil Truth
• A Reader’s Interesting Strategy on Getting Online Adver…
• How To Never Give Advertisers your Social Security Number
• Choosing a Domain Name Can Be Heart Wretching.
• Journey To Get Paid’s Week In Review 02/08/2008

Posts on other Web Services:

• Twitter Updates for 2008-02-04
• Creeva’s Consumption 02/04/08
• Twitter Updates for 2008-02-05
• coComments by Creeva 02/06/08
• Twitter Updates for 2008-02-06
• coComments by Creeva 02/07/08
• All Consuming Creeva 02/07/08
• Flickr Photos from Creeva 02/07/08
• Twitter Updates for 2008-02-07

Part 1

Part 2

I have sent the following to the Ashland Humane Society’s e-mail address.  I’m not sure if this issue is done or not but to show there is no long term hard feelings on my side I gave them basic instructions on fine tuning their processes and getting into the digital age cheaply:

• First and foremost to end our bickering – have Rascal Unit change the wording on their site to not imply that you can make appointments via e-mail – I don’t suggest you remove your email, but since you are responsible for the text meet the expectations set forth by it or set them accordingly.

  That being said here are the approaches I would take – I’ll add the caveat that I will do it for a fee of $50.00 – but I should lay it out for you simply enough that your current IT person should be able it simply enough.

  1. Purchase a domain since your previous domain expired you are either going to have purchase a new one or go for legal action over the old one – since your a small non-profit organization I am assuming that you are going to buy a new one and skip legal action I have links in this article I wrote about choosing a domain name to some of the cheapest ones online http://journeytogetpaid.com/2008/02/07/choosing-a-domain-name-can-be-heart-wretching/ you should be be able to get a new domain for 6.95 a year (first year included in that 50.00).   I would recommend ashlandhumane.org or ashlandhumane.net since these are both unregistered at this time.

  2.  Sign up for Google Apps for domains – http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/index.html – this will give you further strengthening of your brand.  They do offer an edition for non-profits http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=46576&query=non+profit&topic=&type= what this allows you to do is a few things – the first is simple branding of your organization in the e-mails you send as all your emails can be (username)@ashlandhumane.net or whatever domain name you choose. There are further features though from this service.

  * Free E-mail Branded for your organization

  * Free Instant Messaging Branded for you organization (I don’t see you using this side of it)

  * Free Document sharing – so you won’t have to email everyone when you update a form – they will be able to pull the latest down form the site

  * Free Shared Calender – you could move appointments onto here so all of your members could know events and appointments from home the night before – you could even make a public calender that didn’t show details but would inform the internet public when you were overbooked

  Once again this service is completely free – there is some settings to configure on your the settings for your DNS server/registrar you performed in step one.  The Google Apps help has instructions on how to configure this.

  3.  Set up a web page – I would personally recommend a blog platform here is why.   You currently stated that you update the adoption sites with pictures and information for the pets that you have that need adoption.  Use this information an host it on your own blog in conjunction with the adoption sites.   This allows people to go to your site and see the latest pets you have up for adoption.    I haven’t used your adoption sites but theoretically it should be a copy and paste from those sites to yours.    This would take a little training from your staff and a slight web site design (neither included in my 50.00 but I will configure the functionality for your web site whether you go static or blog style).  If you go with a static page this is included the Google Apps listed in step 2.  If you went with a blog platform I would choose either www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com to host your site at – both of these are once again completely free.

  These three steps would essentially give you the power and tools that most major enterprise environments use that would be yours for the cost of 6.95 a year recurring.  Your volunteers would be more mobile – they would be able to check their calenders and be able to be available when time demands it so you wouldn’t have extra volunteers when you didn’t need it, but could possibly have more when you did.   For the users that aren’t online you can still communicate with those the same way you do currently – for those that are this will save time compared to phone tree methods and even just doing bulk e-mails.    I would also recommend setting up a mailing list so volunteers and the public can subscribe and see the latest news about your organization in a weekly/monthly/quarterly fashion.    More information and communication with the public should lead to more adoptions.   Desktop calenders can be configured to sync with online calenders so users that have dial-up would be able to update the calender every time they managed to get online.

  I may be persuaded to do the work to set this up for you at cost (domain fees and then anything else you may require that does take money) – but I won’t even broach that path until the wording on the Rascal Unit website is changed.   I would suggest the following wording:

  Contact the Ashland Humane Society at 419 2814722  to make an appointment for this clinic date in this area. Inquiries can be made via e-mail at ashlandhumane@yahoo.com

  A small change can go a long way to setting expectations.  Maybe you never had an issue before the one is me over this service.   This doesn’t mean it won’t happen again, and why allow it to with small and 99% free changes that would allow you on the technologically front to compete with multinational companies.   Running a web site you can link users to partner adoption sites, rascal unit, etc.   Communication and awareness is the mantra in this day and ago.   While I may be one person it always starts with one.   While I could go almost as extreme as your personal surgery example you posted on my site and say slavery and voting rights for minorities and women weren’t changed until one person started the ball – I know that’s asinine.   What I will state is a more applicable modern example.   Recently in America there as been an increase awareness in organic foods.   Granted not all organic foods actually hold a benefit, but as more people are becoming aware of those that do customers are demanding it.   Now on your grocer’s shelves you are seeing more and more organic alternatives to the foods you’ve always purchased, more then likely the alternatives are made by the same manufacturer as your own stand by.   This change was not mandated but driven by market force.  I’m sure it started by one guy saying this food sucks, I want this type and then telling friends.   Things like this snowball.

  I’ll state that I can come across like an ass.  I don’t deny this and though I’m not out for any malice, I’m only blunt and don’t mince words.   Whether you ever reply or comment on my blog please take my words to heart.  The earlier you change and the faster you change the easier it is as time goes by and you don’t become completely entrenched.  I understand that you care about the pets first.   If you aren’t working with the customers and giving them the most efficient ways of interacting with you you disenfranchise them.   If you don’t at the very least address complaints directly to the users ASAP – this has a direct reflection on you, timeliness in addressing complaints is one of the first steps of customer service.   Taking 12 days to acknowledge receiving it to the customer that is complaining is unacceptable.   Not taking blame for improperly setting expectations is also unacceptable customer service.   You may care about the pets but ANY poor customer service that can drive away possible money being spent at your location, donations, or especially adoptions is even a more disservice to the pets then anyone that could call, e-mail, or write you.

  Customer service can be adjusted by modify your current processes.   Making the new processes the norm will mean after a short while you won’t understand why you thought they took so much longer that you refused to change sooner. I never said the receptionist was rude, I stated the e-mail issue was poor customer service.  The way you have handled this and the time it has taken you has been poor customer for something so small.   Admitting that will be the first step to better customer service.   I know it’s hard to admit you were wrong.  Maybe I should have been quiet, but maybe I’m not alone.  Maybe others have had this exact same issue but haven’t spoken up to anyone.   How do you or I know that I’m the singular issue in this equation?  I doubt if I hadn’t posted this on my blog that you would have ever responded.   If it hadn’t been ranked so high in google you would have never responded.   This in and of itself states you are aware of the power of technology and it’s effect.   While I may just be a vocal singular person, I’m speaking up for that possible other person, or handful or people, that may have had similar issues and complaints that haven’t expressed them so publicly.

  I could have gotten a picket sign and marched on public property for hours until this was all changed and addressed.  Ironically in the digital age that spending an hour writing e-mails to you and the effect in google have more of an impact on you then having an article about me picketing in front of your organization.   I’m aware of this and now so are you.   So also is the next person that may have a complaint about your organization.  My post gives credence and a sense of community to any you disenfranchise.   If you don’t address your issues properly to some extent remember that I have given an easy forum for users to state what complaints they also may have with you.  The silent complaints will not stay so silent in the future because of this.

  Finally like I said, I’m blunt.  I feel I’ve handled this properly and professionally especially since there is more of a public eye on companies and the issues people have with them.  If it wouldn’t have been me it would have been the next guy.   Not only have I pointed out the issues, I’ve given you a low cost method of addressing where it only requires some learning and effort on your part.  I also gave you the option of having the work done for an extremely low fee (find out how much it costs at the local computer store to do an hours worth of labor and realize it may take upwards to 3-4 to get you happy with the setup I laid out for you).  I’ve also posted the whole process online, so as you modify your steps and the assurances I hear from you I will post those as well as your failings.   I have no reason to pursue a hatred vendetta, I will champion you as much as I denounce you. You run a great organization with what I am sure is great volunteers and people behind it.   However your customer service, your customer services processes, and your ability to address issues still all do suck.   Addressing these issues can raise the bar across the organization, you can be mediocre or you can be better.   The choice is yours. 

We thank you for your input regarding our email address being posted by Rascal. They are a wonderful organization and they do great things for the communities that they go to.

They offer low cost spay and neuter to areas where people have lost their jobs, homes, or had to take a reduced income and/or have a large population of un-spayed or neutered animals. In some of the southern counties in Ohio, they actually screen the people who use the rascal clinic for need, based on income. You can imagine how grateful these people are, who could not afford such a procedure with out the services rascals. The Ashland County Humane Society has not decided to take this approach and has allowed all who would like to use the clinic, to be able to do so.

I am responding to this blog as you forwarded it to us, i would assume for some response. Serious consideration regarding rather it should be responded to was given, but have decided to do so. There are things that would be helpful for the community to know.

I’m curious if they would have still responded if my post entitled “Ashland Humane Society’s Poor Service” wasn’t the the third hit in google when you search for the “Ashland Humane Society”. While I stated in my original letter that I was posting it on my blog an e-mail reply would have been fine, though I would have replied with this post just the same.

Lets address your above issues.

Yes, you did email us regarding an appointment. That email was sent on Fri Jan 25 @ 12:52 pm. This is LESS then 48 hours prior to the arrival of Rascals. We close out the schedule for each clinic, either when the clinic is full, or the Thurs or Fri prior to the arrival of the clinic. Rascal needs some type of surgery schedule prior to arrival, so they know how to stock the unit for that clinic. Usually, our clinics fill up first.

This particular clinic was closed out weeks prior to Fri, Jan 25, as it was FULL. This information was stated on our voice mail at our phone number. I am not sure how we could have conveyed that information to you since you only emailed us. We may have been able to respond to your email if emailed us earlier.

The time ahead was irrelevant since according to the Rascal unit site there was no stipulations on the amount of lead time that I would need to schedule the appointment nor did it even suggest I call ahead and verify. I just had the forethought since it was the morning of and didn’t know what time they arrived in the morning. If the Rascal Unit needs a certain amount of lead time it should state that on their web site where it states to schedule it.

The easiest method to respond to individuals who do not know any better would be to set up an auto-responder in your
e-mail stating the best option is to call ahead and verify if you need to make an appointment or need immediate assistance. This is how you would inform anyone via e-mail. Simple to the point and no one trying to get in contact with you would have proper expectations set.

I am sure this is still upsetting to you as your perfered communication is email, and you seem to be a very techy person having his blog and webpage. But, we are a Humane Society dedicated to the welfare of ANIMALS. So, we have animals to take care of, animals need medications, transported to vet care, spay and neuters scheduled, adoption visits arranged and handled, cages need cleaned, adoption websites need updated, injured animals need picked up, neglect and inhumanities called need fielded and investigated, community public relations, fund raising events, managing volunteers, and we could go on. So, our apoligizes, if we only get to check the email once a day or less. Animals come first.

E-mail is my preferred communication and I expect any business that offers this as a means of contact to take it seriously. I do not need immediate contact, though you felt a full two weeks to respond in any fashion is good customer service. If e-mail is too technical I’m sure postal mail would arrived in that same time frame. I neither asked nor requested a post on my blog, but since i did post it I felt it fair to include that I did in the e-mail. While you may say animals are your primary concern within the same time frame I have contacted other veterinary clinics on spay and neuter prices and have gotten a response with 24 hours. At least two of those were volunteer organizations, from your assumptions this must mean they care about pets less then you.

At the point my blog article was originally published you were unaware which person it was that e-mailed you, I would expect that any organization that offers e-mail as a form of communication to at least check it before they go home for the day. While you may state that pets are your first concern if I was contacting you about a potential adoption of of one your pets and had not received a response I could have moved on to the next place that would. If you honestly believe e-mail is separate from telephone calls wait until the current tweens are grown up and expect responses via text messaging. Maybe that will be the time frame you actually take it as an important business tool. It is a business tool to you, it allows for adoptions and communications with your customers. Not having a timely response may put off potential adopters and then an animal may have to put to sleep if it’s not rescued. Ironically checking your e-mail at the end of every day may save at least 1-2 animal lives a year, so I too think of the animals.

Your email started with ” I would like to make an appointment.” And, appointment IS need. Someone would have had to made contact with you to schedule your animals, get your animals names, give you a time to show up, and pre-operative surgery instructions. Your blog here starts that you called to CONFIRM your appointment, just by sending an email does NOT mean that an appointment has been set. It is just a means to contact the Humane Society, to let them know of your need/interest, so someone can get back in touch with you.

If you notice that e-mail that prompted you to respond was written to the Rascal Unit – I was kind enough to CC to let you know what was being said. It is as much your fault as it is their’s that the site said I could make an appointment via e-mail. This also begs the question – why would someone have needed to make personal contact? To Schedule – that was what the e-mail was for? Get my animals name’s? I could tell you there names were larry, curly, and moe but there real names may be profanity terms that I only use around my own house (they aren’t before you ask). The point is there is no ID or verification that I’m bringing you the pet I said was hence the name requirement is ridiculous especially since it is on the paperwork I would have to bring in. Give me a time to show up? This is as simple as replying to an e-mail. Pre-Operative instructions? I already received these from the Rascal Unit website, also I had all the paperwork filled out and ready to go. It seems I was more prepared for this then you were.

If it’s just a means to show interest you are beholden to contact your partner Rascal Unit and inform them to make the changes on their web site.

I am sure that you would not contact your personal medical surgeon via email to schedule a surgery. and if you did and recieved no response assume that things were going to go all as planned. How would you even know if they received the email? How would you know if they were or weren’t having email/computer problems. Wouldn’t you be concerned when you did not hear from them, if they even recieved your email. Would you know wonder if there was anything you needed to know or prepare for prior to your surgery? ‘Wouldn’t you want your appointment confirmed? Wouldn’t you want to personally hear from someone?

Are you going to compare the two? Really? We’ll start with the fact to get medical surgery you have to be referred to a surgeon from a general practioner. At this point what I did do was contact the general practitioner (Rascal Unit) went to their web site. They referred me to contact you – their contact method stated for you was to to calls OR e-mail to schedule an appointment. In real life though your GP would contact the surgeon and the surgeon would then contact you to make an appointment. Yes I have dealt with medical confirmations of my appointments via e-mail. I would also defy you to find me a doctor’s office that doesn’t reply or acknowledge their e-mail they receive. I know you don’t have to deal with insurance but they do and their e-mail addresses are regularly monitored. They know this is how they get paid. I’m sure a receptionist at the doctors office would reply in e-mail that the person would have to call for an appointment if e-mail was an issue.

Why would I personally want to hear form someone. I’m sorry you don’t think e-mail is personal. Wouldn’t taking the time to handwrite a note actually be more personal? Yet because I type it out instead of hand writing it (which in my case would have been far less legible) it becomes more impersonal then a phone call? I don’t need you to waste time calling me since your could have replied to the e-mail that you can’t take appointments liek that quicker then it takes you to walk from one end of the room to another to answer the phone. If you throw in that somehow you have someone sitting next to the phone – this person should have a computer alerting about incoming e-mail.

Further, many Humane Society are not open on weekends, others still have short hours on Saturday’s and office staff is not there. I am surprised that you were not concerned about this possible issue when you sent your email on Fri. afternoon.

Are you daft? I knew the Rascal Unit was going to be and knew from the website how long the procedure would take. The only thing I didn’t know was the start time. Why should I have worried about the hours?

Apparently, concerned came about the morning of the clinic Jan 27, 2008. That is when a phone call was placed by you. And, one of two volunteers for that day (sharing her own personal time) answered the phone, in the middle of checking in, half of the 59 people/pets scheduled for the clinic that day. She was trying to keep the check-in flow going, and answer peoples questions, give instructions, handle surgery paperwork, assist with animals, ect. things were a little chaotic. She personally apoligizes if she conveyed herself as rude to you, as that was not her intent. She also stated she did not elaborate or explain to you the procedure or discuss the email as she did not have the convience of time to do so. She stated she told you it must not have been checked as she knew how hard we work at getting back with everyone. She personally did not know who & when the last time the email had been checked. You even stated that services were offered for Feb 24, 2008. We schedule the clinic on a first to contact us basis, even if a message is left.

We did not ask or instruct rascal to place our email address on their website. And, we gave serious consideration over the last couple weeks to your input about having it removed. In the end we decided let it remain as in the 14 plus clinics we have done with rascal, this is the only incident. And, we apoligize to you, we are terribly sorry.

Once again – I was worried since I hadn’t heard back about the start time or arrival. I hadn’t even considered my e-mail would have been unseen or ignored. I stated the woman who answered the phone cut me off, which was fine. She didn’t do it rudely and I understand what she was going through. Since I couldn’t say she was or was not the one responsible for checking the e-mail I didn’t take it our on her. Her answer about how often you do check your e-mail made my original addressed to the Rascal Unit rather then you. The partnership you two have going on is what is at issue. If I remember correctly you are the ONLY one that states on the Rascal Unit web site that you accept appointments via e-mail. Other stops have e-mail addresses you can INQUIRE to. Yet under your listing it states I can make an APPOINTMENT with you at that e-mail address. This means Rascal Unit doesn’t have a standard block posting it puts with all of it’s partners, hence you or more specifically someone in your organization has put forth that expectation. You don’t have to remove your e-mail address you have to get the wording changed to set expectations properly.

One more note for the community and yourself to know. Your Ashland County Humane Society is only operated by volunteers, NO PAID EMPLOYEES.

These very same volunteers have regular paying jobs at 40 or more hours a week, some go to college in addition, involved in their church communities, some also volunteer for other non-profits, they have spouses, kids and some grandkids. They have regular busy lives such as yourselves and the hours they give to the humane society are hours taken away from the other parts of their lives. They do this for their love of animals and to provide service such as this for the community, to provide a better future for the animals, and to help and assist the people in the ,Ashland Community. The core group of daily volunteer’s is small as most do not have time or want to dedication such a large amount of their free time to keep this Humane Society operational on a day to day basis. We appreciate and are grateful for anyone who can, does or wants to help, no matter how big or small a gesture. Mr. Gueth yourself included, as you can see we could use help in the techy department, it take a “back burner” to the needs of the animal.

These volunteers are the very same people who are “providing poor service”, a little support and understanding is uplifting and greatly appreciated, it makes it worth the effort.

Ashland County Humane Society

Why does paid or un-paid make a difference. If I come over and mow half your lawn and then don’t charge your not going to be annoyed. I understand volunteering – I used to volunteer at for the Friend’s of Habourtown yearly for 3 years before my move to Oregon. Counting my commute I had a 55 hour work week and still volunteered 30-40 hours a week minimum for 5 months a year. My wife during this same time frame put in more hours then myself with the same organization. This being a decade ago – we still checked and responded to our e-mails daily. Some of us even checked them from our day jobs on break since it takes less then a minute to know if there is anything pressing.

Via the Internet today I can order pizza from at least 3 places in town (one of them I can or soon can text message in an order), I can order groceries and have them delivered next day. I can mange my bank account and order anything over the internet. I can order dog collars that have GPS tracking on my pets so I can get e-mail updates on where they are or track them in real time with a cell phone. The Internet really is where communication and business of all types is going.

After posting the original blog article my wife and I discussed starting a low cost service for non-profits to get suitably wired in the 21st century. You may say that this is to make a profit, but really it isn’t. The price we have been throwing around is less then 1 hours worth of computer repair at most places in your town, also it is to cover the prices for the other services we would be configuring for you – domain registration is not free. Essentially the cost has been driven down where the profit would be less then what I make in an hour during my day job. So I want to make clear that trying to work on that idea is not some get rich quick scheme. Though we may be able to work something out at cost for you.

I tell it like I see it and don’t hold back. In your letter you admit there is some PR shortcomings and wrong expectations set that I have pointed out more explicitly. I hold no personal anger to you that has lasted more then the 20 minutes that it took to write the original post/e-mail I sent out. I call it like I see it, because of this some people don’t like me. That’s fine. If you can look at this as straight talk and no personal animosity we may be able to work something out. The best thing I can say is that I’m enough of a straight shooter that I won’t lie to you since I have no reason, nor will I go behind your back since obviously I believe in the openness of the public forum.

I would say you can call me (I think I left my number in the original e-mail) I would suggest you write though. You see if your not on my contact list any phone calls to me go straight to voicemail. My voicemail is then e-mailed immediately after it’s left. So essentially in take the time to call me it’s still going to be handled on my side via e-mail. Oh and that service is free. If you were on my calling list though it would ring my work phone, my home phone (if it was plugged in), and my cell phone at the same time until I answered one of them.

P.S.

Same with faxes too (also free).

P.P.S

Soon I may be moving my postal mail over to a service that scans it in an e-mails it to me.

E-mail really is important to a business to get anything done in a faster fashion then the old ways.

UPDATE:

I forgot to add a couple things – I managed to respond within an hour and half of the comment being left since I was alerted to it via e-mail.   The second part is the first hit in google for “Ashland Humane Society” points to an adoption site.   To adopt a pet I have to e-mail someone outside of the Ashland Humane Organization to a personal e-mail address.  Granted that person probably works for the Ashland Humane Society, but all inquiries should be set to go through the address they use for business.   Finally the same site points to the Ashland Humane Society’s website  – www.ashlandhumane.com – the problem with that is they allowed their domain to expire and it was picked up by a spam blog on Jan 17th of this year.  This is another they need to update with their partners and fix within their organization.