8Bit: How Your Clients Must Feel If You Closed Doors

I just discovered that 8Bit is closing doors and I am, devastated. 8Bit is the company that built Standard Theme, the theme I used to use (changed theme in July 2015) on this blog (writing this on 31 August 2013).

Besides the community I have in relationships with people I meet offline and my experience on Backstage Leadership, 8Bit (and Standard Theme) was an experience of community. I’ve never in person met any of the partners or support but felt very connected to them.

Standard theme has been a critical part of my blogging / publishing. I am very sad that 8Bit is closing doors for a number of reasons.

8Bit: How Your Clients Must Feel If You Closed Doors…

End

The end of a great product in Standard Theme. This was the first theme I saved up to buy. An investment I’m glad I made. Standard Theme is not only a great product; it is a product that has always had great support.

The support team attended to requests in a timely manner. They did not rest till an issue was completely resolved. 8Bit asked for input in what we wanted to see in the product.

Not only that, they followed through with including feature requests on the themes and where they did not include features, explained why.

I’m sad because I did not and still do not want to buy any other product in terms of my blogging theme. With time and inevitable change, unless the team, John, Tom, Jared and Chris change their minds, I will have to buy another theme.

I was (and am) willing to spend money on anything 8Bit built because I knew it was (and is) built excellently.

The Take Away

Will your clients mourn if, for whatever reason, you closed your doors? Am I providing services that foster community and an affinity to not only your product and brand but to me?

The challenge is to build great products and give great service that people are willing to buy and or use whatever it is you sell next without even knowing what it is?

One of the reasons you I believe 8Bit provided a great product with great service was that they cared about the client. They also worked their behinds off.

The 8Bit crew shared their experiences in building products and gave a glimpse into what went on behind the walls of the business. That is one of the things that made me feel a part of their world. Their team.

There are times I’ve even thought about making an appointment to drop in at their lekker (Dutch / Afrikaans: nice, cool, awesome) office the next time I was in Atlanta. I felt connected.

(This post is not as structured as I wanted it to be, but what the heck… My house and my rules, yeah…)

If you’ve felt connected to 8Bit please share your “take aways” from them… If not, are there any products or brands you feel deeply connected with? Why?

If you’re providing a product or service, would your clients mourn? I mean, like a family member just died?

 Wishing all of the 8Bit team all the best in their endeavors and still want to know what you guys build after this. I know it will be awesome.