Nino, some very honest feedback.
I never used RTBB in the past because it did not offer credit card or PayPal.
Any business in 2015 must be modernised or you will lose business hand over foot.
Secondly, after running my own business for the past 25 years and turning over millions of dollars per annum in the good years, my advice is that you MUST hire staff and grow for both RTBB and your Aust Pinball Restoration business because being a one man band in any business is a recipe for disaster in both efficiency and profit as well as gross turnover. Letting go and getting in help, contractor paid or salary will be an instant smart decision the moment you do it. Then u will say it was the best decision or decisions you ever made.
Start by getting a contractor in a few days a week then move to full time employment.
Delegating and teaming up is the most successful way to keep a business alive and growing.
I can only speak from 25 years of running my own businesses in highly competitive environments and being profitable and at the top of the game cause I took advice from people who had more experience than me in the early years.
I hope to see your two businesses succeed.
I never had a backlog and I never turned away a customer from day one cause I took the plunge and trusted others to work with and for me.
Staff will fix all your issues.
If I didn't think my advice wasn't helpful to anyone starting out in business I wouldn't be sincerely offering what I feel is honest advice or feedback. Hope it helps.
For the record, I am proud of what you have already achieved with APR and RTBB. Well done mate.
Where do I start ?
Money is no measure of success, unless you are driven by greed or ego.
The largest pinball parts supplier on the planet does not offer Paypal or Credit Card. They don't seem to be disadvantaged in any way.
I can't be losing business as every month just keeps getting better. There has been a steady increase in order and new customers. The most respected dealers, restorers and hobbyists buy from RTBB. That means more to me than profits.
I think you entirely miss the business model I have adopted. I'm not interested in turning over billions, I'm not interested in becoming an ego driven and self promoting pinball personality. My closest pinball friends know my financial situation. I don't need to big note myself or grow either business to earn respect. I measure my success on the completed machines, the genuine parts we supply, and the smile on the face of the pinball collector.
APR will not employ another pinball restorer. That will never happen. The moment I do that, I'm just another dealer - and I've been avoiding that stigmata since I started. You know what, I constantly have currently employed techs at other business' asking to work for me. I'm not interested in growing APR or RTBB. I worked for 24 years in a highly technical IT role at the height of the IT boom. I've put all that back into APR and RTBB. When you enter my building, EVERYTHING not owned by customers is owned by me.
I will run APR the way that is working for me - Yes - I'm behind - I have well over 4 years of CUSTOMER restoration work - You know what - people WILL wait.
I will run RTBB the way Greg ran it - with honesty and integrity - and providing the pinball community with genuine product and realistic prices.
My customers (RTBB and APR) are happy. We have business relationships with the best people in the industry. That's what makes me happy.
I gave u honest friendly advice and you made some suggested and implied personal personality put downs.
I felt that was poor form.
If u think people are going to wait 4 years and not go elsewhere and spend their $ with other companies, well that's certainly an opinion but a dellusional one to me in utmost respect.
That's not business success to me or providing a service, because as it stands, a company 2 or 4 years behind is not providing or able to provide a service at all to anyone.
If your idea of running a business is staying a one mand band forever, then that's your choice. Go for it.
But you might as well have a email auto direction and a answering machine that says "sorry, we can't help you, ring back in 4 years".
The pinball company overseas that doesn't take PayPal or credit card is a joke to me because they have never got a cent from me in 7 years cause they are not modern and won't take customer feedback. It's 2015, not 1970.
Good luck with RTBB and APR.
My last point. Business isn't always about making huge profits. Business is about making customers happy.
You can't make people happy if they don't accept outdated payment non options and you can't make people happy with 4 year waiting lists.
JJP ruined their name forever because they were so far behind and being patient is one thing, but turning into a skeleton is another thing.
Ferrari is seen as the best of the best when it comes to beautiful top end cars.
But even Ferrari doesn't only employ only one person worldwide.
I felt I gave you honest respectful advice to help.
I didn't think I got a respectful reply.
I am sure I won't lose any sleep and I am sure you won't lose any sleep either.
Hope it all works out for you Nino.
No use us debating the issue. It seems you have everything totally under control.
Groundhog day..
OK - point out where I "made some suggested and implied personal personality put downs". I have no idea what you are talking about. In addition - to whom ?
"If u think people are going to wait 4 years and not go elsewhere and spend their $ with other companies, well that's certainly an opinion but a dellusional one to me in utmost respect.
That's not business success to me or providing a service, because as it stands, a company 2 or 4 years behind is not providing or able to provide a service at all to anyone. "
I'm delusional ?
Are you questioning my business ?
You know
NOTHING about the way to run a successful Pinball Restoration business. People do wait, and many of them are on this forum. Many of them bring me games that were "fully done up" by so called "professionals". Many of them brought me "Christmas pins" that were rushed out and looked like they were shopped out by back packers. What is "successful" by your measures is nothing even close to what reality is.
"You can't make people happy if they don't accept outdated payment non options and you can't make people happy with 4 year waiting lists. "
That is laughable. Just because you don't want to do business with them, they are "outdated". As I've explained over and over, people ARE waiting years. They know EXACTLY what they are getting. Better to wait 4 years than have a machine that has 4 years worth of faults.
No use in debating, but I'm sure you will continue.
