Well, as I have said before: Things Change! Kinda like the weather.... This past week I have had occasion for some change at Titan Games. In the past year, we have upgraded our fixtures, which was a big change - and one met with mixed feelings by my staff - some of whom felt we were causing them to sell too much stuff, too often, and creating “more work”. We’ve spent more than $10,000 on new fixtures in the past 12 months - and, that is more money on just fixtures than I originally used to open my first store! We have, in the past year, upgraded all our Video Game display fixtures, our comic fixtures, our DVD Movies, VHS Movies and CD Music fixtures. Most recently, we also created a new “Game Room” for the store, complete with new game display fixtures, and gaming tables (though, we are not done with the tables situation yet). We also moved and upgraded the fixtures and display area for our RPGs and Graphic Novels. Back in March, we spent several thousand dollars just on our used books display area - and gained space for 1000+ more used novels in our store by upgrading those fixtures. Along the way we have upgraded our “processing” area - that area that we use to shrinkwrap our used CDs and Movies; we’ve remodeled and upgraded our packing area - that area we use for packing our online orders. We also upgraded our sign on the building, did a ton of radio advertising, and invested heavily in better inventory control software. But, again, I had a bit of reluctance on the part of some of my staff to facilitate the upgrades and improvements. Some staff in particular seemed to have thought that the improvements - which were causing us to sell more games, movies, music, etc - was also causing them the misfortune of having too much more work to do. Uh, what? I guess those concerns fell on deaf ears with me, cause the staff who were complaining were not working any additional hours - and my opinion is, kinda, best described as "if you are working the same number of hours a week, then what has changed?" I mean, other than our needing to have a third employee, and being more profitable? Oh, and me taking a paycheck every week? (That it one BIG change, and one I am fairly happy with!) Maybe I didn’t understand an attitude that “increased sales” meant “more work” for anyone. People did not have to work more hours for the same money, after all. (Scratches head confusedly). But, still - I was taking a full paycheck every week for the first time in years. Yea! So, I guess I just thought that since I was taking a paycheck, and staff were earning record sales bonuses, things were good. I’m stupid like that! So, I pretty much ignored those complaints that my improved and now more profitable store was being more work for my employees, and perhaps I shouldn’t’ve. But, what could I have done? I suppose I could have fired an employee who said “Well, all these improvements are great for you, but now I have more work!” (Cause, I would maintain - they weren’t working more hours, or doing more work!) - or, I suppose, I could have just not made the improvements? I mean, we don’t want employees who are paid to work to, uh, work, do we? (Man, that sounds really stupid when you say it out loud). But, silly me, I wanted to continue to take a paycheck! Anyway, the improvements were made, and our sales are up. Online, retail, in almost every category. Things are great. I mean GREAT - my store has never, ever, been doing better. And, then one of my employee’s cursed at a customer, because they were rude. I had 4 complaints from customers about one staff member being rude to them. In a week. So, though we are in the best fiscal time of my career as a business owner - for over 22 years - I suddenly was short one employee. Then, my other employee quit because, essentially according to them, the first employee talked them into quitting. Looking at it last Friday night - I was in shock. We had just completed our best July, ever. Ev-Er. I mean, better than the summer of Pokemon, better than ever. And, I had just lost my entire staff. (Well, not family members, mind you - my wife and daughter still work here). This was a “Come To Jesus” moment for me. Sitting at home, really sick to my stomach - GenCon bearing down on me like a freight train, and a staff shortage! Yikes! Looking at what we had accomplished in the past two years, I had upgraded my store, my merchandise, my advertising budget, and our fixtures. I had married a woman who - we just don’t argue - best relationship I’ve ever had. My daughter had improved her work ethic at the shop tremendously, and had been given additional responsibilities and a raise, and done incredibly well. And, I had upgraded literally every aspect of my life, and my business. Except, my staff. And, evidently, that was way past due for some upgrades! So, while it seemed like an adversity, it turned out to be opportunity, in disguise! Doing a little MySpace ad, I found several qualified applicants, and hired two people part-time to assist at the store. I also changed my wife’s responsibilities, to cover her managing the store, and concentrating on running our retail side of things, learning it all, and building relationships with our customers. So, we are prepping for GenCon this week, with the plan of leaving Colleen (my wife) here to run the shop with our two new assistants - Joe and Val. We are then going to be back for like 10 days, and back out to DragonCon. Much to do in the coming weeks, but I think this is my last year for doing the cons - and certainly the last time we will ever take multiple booths at the cons. Maybe next year I will drag one person, and a small trailer to Origins or Gencon, and do one 10x10 booth - but, I am not certain of even that. I look forward to working with my new staff, teaching them to do the comic inventory, comic sales, and games demonstrations and sales as we refocus our efforts, and time, on the retail store. Yes, things change - and for the better, too! So, behind my retail counter, you will encounter new faces, with enthusiasm and a desire to meet your game, music, movie and comic needs! Marcus King
Titan Games & Music