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Author Topic: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread  (Read 1683003 times)

Offline Cubs

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #825 on: March 29, 2014, 12:40:03 PM »
To the beancounters, they are an investment without return

The idea of companies being run by accountants leaves me shaking my head, as much as the idea of companies being run by dreamers and artists. A successful company should be a blend of a spectrum of individual roles combining to make a whole. You can't just yank some cogs out of the machine and still expect it to run as successfully.

Honest feedback is invaluable to a company and through social media you get it in spades, for free. Marketting reports cost tens of thousands for a large company, and only give you a single snapshot of a targetted group. Compare that to a continual stream of reports from a broad range of people who care enough to want you to change. To me it's a no-brainer, so long as you've got the globes to accept criticism and be honest with people.
'Sir John ejaculated explosively, sitting up in his chair.' ... 'The Black Gang'.

Paul Cubbin Miniature Painter

Offline nic-e

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #826 on: March 29, 2014, 05:01:09 PM »
new guard (stormtroopers mini army pre release? ) just dropped.taurox is actually pretty nice , but it still needs grav engines.
never trust a horse, they make a commitment to shoes that no animal should make.

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Offline Archie

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #827 on: March 31, 2014, 08:48:17 PM »
I fail to understand how a company that either sells toys, niche hobby items or collectables (depending on your view) can be so divorced from what its customers want? I'm self employed and I have a twitter stream and an active blog! How can GW not see the obvious benefits of social media for its type of company?  :o

Offline nic-e

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #828 on: March 31, 2014, 09:25:02 PM »
I fail to understand how a company that either sells toys, niche hobby items or collectables (depending on your view) can be so divorced from what its customers want? I'm self employed and I have a twitter stream and an active blog! How can GW not see the obvious benefits of social media for its type of company?  :o

Well they did just hire a new pr guy (james hewitt i think) so maybe...JUST MAYBE ..they're prepping for something big.there have been rumors of forgeworld being sold in stores, we've seen the new plans for warhammer world including a forgeworld and bl store, so maybe they will roll out a whole new social media machine to go with it.
Who knows , they may even open up a new forum?!

Offline pixelgeek

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #829 on: March 31, 2014, 10:59:02 PM »
I fail to understand how a company that either sells toys, niche hobby items or collectables (depending on your view) can be so divorced from what its customers want? I'm self employed and I have a twitter stream and an active blog! How can GW not see the obvious benefits of social media for its type of company?  :o

Because we aren't looking at it the way they are. These social initiatives simply open them up to criticism from their customers and lead to Facebook pages and Twitter feeds filled with negative comments.

Why would they want to continue that?

Offline Too Bo Coo

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #830 on: April 01, 2014, 09:01:03 AM »
Because we aren't looking at it the way they are. These social initiatives simply open them up to criticism from their customers and lead to Facebook pages and Twitter feeds filled with negative comments.

Why would they want to continue that?

Because the Emperor has no Clothes.  The problem for GW is not the negative feedback, that is a symptom.  In a healthcare sense, it's like cutting off contact with your doctors because they are telling you that your personal habits are leading you to cancer.  The cancer is still coming.  But this is really telling as to the state of GW corporate culture.  My guess is that if you dont drink the Kool Aide at GW you dont last very long.  And in these types of corporate environments, truth and honest feedback are not in any way encouraged.  MAJOR fail for GW not merely as a company but at least in an American sense, as a Human Being.
"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men."
-Willy Wonka

Offline Vermis

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #831 on: April 01, 2014, 11:04:00 AM »
My guess is that if you dont drink the Kool Aide at GW you dont last very long.  And in these types of corporate environments, truth and honest feedback are not in any way encouraged.

Going by what I've heard from ex-staff, business folk, and job descriptions (looking for people with the right attitude rather than anything else) your guess isn't terribly inaccurate.

Offline carlos13th

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #832 on: April 01, 2014, 11:33:47 AM »
I think GW thinks that people only complain about GW because they hear others complaint about GW so the more they prevent any kind of complaints on anything officially tied to GW the more satisfied their customers will be. It's completely ass backwards but there we go.

Offline nic-e

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #833 on: April 01, 2014, 12:09:44 PM »
Going by what I've heard from ex-staff, business folk, and job descriptions (looking for people with the right attitude rather than anything else) your guess isn't terribly inaccurate.
I know a couple of people who went for interviews for store jobs and got told they didn't try and sell enough and were too customers centric. I also know a couple of ex managers of stores who aren't really hobbyist but are just career management types.

Offline Too Bo Coo

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #834 on: April 01, 2014, 12:51:36 PM »
I know a couple of people who went for interviews for store jobs and got told they didn't try and sell enough and were too customers centric. I also know a couple of ex managers of stores who aren't really hobbyist but are just career management types.

I think hobbyists would not be very happy, it's just a very pushy environment.  By the third time I told my local GW guy that I was only there for primer, he left me alone.

Offline Too Bo Coo

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #835 on: April 01, 2014, 12:53:34 PM »
Going by what I've heard from ex-staff, business folk, and job descriptions (looking for people with the right attitude rather than anything else) your guess isn't terribly inaccurate.

It's a very American attitude, I've worked for a couple of places like this in the States.  It's not fine any more to just come to work and do a good job, now you have to LOVE the company and whatever widgets they're peddling.  That's why I went back to higher ed to work.  Yeah, there's BS here too, but there is a decided lack of 'small mindedness'...mostly. :D

Offline Cubs

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #836 on: April 01, 2014, 02:33:20 PM »
  It's not fine any more to just come to work and do a good job, now you have to LOVE the company and whatever widgets they're peddling. 

The successful companies realise that you inspire loyalty in your staff by, let's say, running the company in an ethical manner that concentrates on absolute excellence for the customer. The ones who don't quite get it, just try to force loyalty with threats and then look confused when the best employees go and work elsewhere.

Online OSHIROmodels

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #837 on: April 01, 2014, 04:59:08 PM »
I used to work in GW St Albans many years ago and had to sit through the 'If you don't recognise someone, go and talk to them' and 'try and sell two core boxes today' spiel. Utter bollocks  :-X

One weekend, the manager was away so it was myself and a younger (but had more experience) staff member in. It was quiet so I was on the till and the other lad was gaming. This bloke walks in (about 30 years old), went straight to the back, looked up at the Warhammer boxed set, came over to me and said 'Could you get that down for me please'. I did, he brought it tio the till and I ran it through. I didn't ask him any stupid fucking questions, just kept it polite and he walked out. The younger lad came over and said 'That's great, you've sold a core box set!', I told him that the bloke walked straight in and purchased it without any help from me (apart from getting it from the shelf) but he was very insistant.

It still baffles me to this day that the young tit couldn't figure out that the purchaser knew what he wanted form the get go  o_o

I can't stand it when someone pushes me when I walk into a shop. If I need help I'll bloody well ask for it  :-[

cheers

James
cheers

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Offline Too Bo Coo

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #838 on: April 01, 2014, 05:15:40 PM »


I can't stand it when someone pushes me when I walk into a shop. If I need help I'll bloody well ask for it  :-[

cheers

James

Hear hear!

Offline Cubs

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Re: The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread
« Reply #839 on: April 01, 2014, 05:34:03 PM »
... sell two core boxes today ...

In my experience actual 'selling' at the point of purchase is of minimal effect. At branch level, you need to keep the shelves full, keep the shop clean and make sure everything is priced up and available. Get that right and the rest is gravy. A pushy staff member is worse than a disinterested one for making the customer walk away.

Beyond branch level, it's about getting the right stock into the stores at the right time with the right marketting and giving your managers a suitable budget to keep the staff levels reasonable.

 

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