Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group Videogames

     Wii U, PlayStation3, Xbox 360 and the Oculus Rift all have one thing in common; they all have low growth potential. The demand for these consoles is at a low and is decreasing every day. They aren’t valued except by those who already have one and this makes them obsolete. These consoles are dogs because no one wants them.

     The Xbox One is a Problem Child because it was popular at first and many loyal Xbox fans want a new console from them. Unfortunately, the Xbox one is not doing so well in sales which leads me to believe the demand is high but sales are low as well as many fans being disappointed by other elements. Chris Reed from The CheatSheet, a gaming website, stated in his article discussing the Xbox One “Not only did the Xbox One lose out to its rival, the PlayStation 4, during the quarter, but overall sales and revenues are down from the same quarter last year. That happened despite a $50 price cut”.  It can’t compete with the PlayStation 4 which is still in demand and making great sales.    

     The PlayStation 4 is in high demand. Many adults and children alike are wanting for the newer PlayStation console. I can only imagine how much sales will rise over the holiday. Although the PS4 is a Cash Cow I anticipate that the newest Nintendo console which was featured in a trailer only yesterday, October 20^th, will be a success. The innovative design which is due to be released in March of 2017 will allow gamers to take all their games with them on the go as well as play them at home. Although a good few fear that the Nintendo Switch will be a flop like its predecessor, the Wii U, others believe it has great potential. There are major concerns with the design elements as well as the practicality of it. One major issue is storage space. One author from Forbes, David Thier writes, “Storage space is already at a premium for full living room consoles like the Xbox One and PS4, and one wonders how much we can squeeze into a portable device. In order to be viable, it’s going to need to comfortably store at least five or so games, and ideally more”. Other issues David has with the Nintendo Switch are the battery life and third party support.

     The real star of gaming is unexpected and quite often overlooked. The best market for videogames today are smartphones. Apps are in constant demand and consumers are buying any and every game that looks moderately interesting. “Finland’s Supercell reported $829 million in revenue last year”, reports Ewan Spence, another Forbes writer.

http://www.cheatsheet.com/technology/why-the-xbox-one-is-still-struggling.html/?a=viewall

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2016/10/20/6-major-concerns-about-the-nintendo-switch/#609ce68d329b

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2014/07/08/smartphone-app-revenue-dominated-by-a-handful-of-games-and-developers/#6b1cc5995209

Week 1 EOC: Great Customer Service

Great customer service is vital to a successful business. As a person with years of retail experience, I understand how difficult it can be to deal with multiple unfriendly customers at a time. Although, at times working in the service industry can be difficult, it is also quite unforgiving. Difficulties do not excuse poor service. One negative experience can turn a customer off to a place of business forever. A good example of a positive experience I had recently is my excursion to the Joann’s Fabrics store this last Friday.  At Joann’s it is policy to honor coupons from other fabric and craft stores in addition to coupons from their own store. I always take advantage of this opportunity but this particular day I felt bad about taking a long time at the register because they were extremely busy. The store was in havoc. The cashier who was taking care of me was clearly overwhelmed and was attempting to help three customers at once. I expected her to be a little impatient as I was holding up the line by using four different coupons and splitting the transaction between two different cards. Essentially, I was being the one customer every employee hates. Not only did she remain patient but she was taking care of the three of us very well. She apologized for having to help more than one customer at a time and seemed genuinely happy to help us. She attended to all of our needs in a timely fashion and she made it seem like the store wasn’t as busy as it was. It is always nice feel like your business is appreciated and treating customers the way she treated us leaves a positive lasting impression. Whenever I deal with people I am helping in my job I always make sure I deliver the best customer service possible. It is really nice to know that others value great customer service the way I do.

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

Everyone has a purpose in life whether it be becoming a public figure or teaching children. No job is too small or insignificant. I was put on this planet to be a costume designer. Ever since my childhood I have aspired to help others realize their artistic goals through costume. I believe that costume is definitely a major factor in the success and overall aesthetic of a film or production. Costume is so much more than just learning about textiles and fashions; it’s portraying a personality through clothes much like fashion is a medium to express oneself.  Costume is art. My goal in this life is to express myself through my art and to help other express their ideas as well. Although some may not appreciate what costume and fashion means, working with others to create something that will make others happy, even if only for a moment, is important to me