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Messages - AllOfNone

#1
*Incoming wall of text also please forgive me for shifting in and out of past and present tenses.  This isn't the only points I wanted to make but these are a few*

I went to my first Fanime yesterday.  While it was fun I do have some suggestions on how to improve it.  Long story short my friends and I got there a little after eight and still had to wait in line over five hours to get in.   I have suggestions for pre-reg and the convention overall.   
Just for the pre-registration and lines.   The main thing I could see wrong was line set up and lack of computers.   One staffer said this year there was going to be an estimated 20,000 or more visitors and that procedures had not really changed to accommodate the increased foot traffic from 2,000 people.   Procedures set up for 2,000 people will not work for 20,000.  Fanime is a huge event now and it needs hired professionals to help keep it smooth.   The lack of signs and staff meant registering and badge pickup was slow and painful for everyone.  No one outside knew that there were different lines for pre-registered members and people who had to register until they got inside.   The staffers outside were only there to tell people to "move along" or to stop people from blocking.    Simple signs outside instructing people what to do, where to go, and which line is which would have helped many people in knowing what to do.   Even setting up signs that say "estimated wait time from here: X amount of hours" would have let me know how much longer.  It was really discouraging thinking that I was almost done with the line only to find out I had to wait in another line inside, then another line in one room,  then another line in another room.     Also when I finally got to register I was dismayed because there was only about seven computers working for people to register with a couple of guys telling the long line they could walk to the computer one at a time.   Also the computers were waist height so some of the girls had near wardrobe malfunctions bending over to type in their names.   The lines for this room should at least have had three times the amount of computers with individual lines going up to groups of two or three of these computers.    I'm sure there are some people willing to donate their old laptops or pcs to help speed up this process.    There are also enough techno-savvy people to yank the old hard drives and put in new ones if people are concerned with personal info.    Then for payment you need at least double the amount of registers open.   You also need more badge making machines.   When there's ten people waiting at the table for two label makers to be working and then another forty people behind them you know you need to spend the extra hundred bucks on label makers to get people moving along. 

:P!!!Or like others have said spend some money and mail badges out before hand for people who registered early.  Spend the money you spent on the pocket guides to get unique holographic stickers and even maybe a unique black light symbol for each badge. If you really have the cash get a bar code on each badge with a holographic sticker.   Close down the convention to only people with badges and have several entrances with actual workers and security guards scan everyone in. I was a little disappointed my badge only got me into rooms that seemed to  demand more of my money.   Other people without badges were crowding the hallways to take pictures, show off their costumes or hang out.  I almost wish they weren't there so we could have more room to walk around sit down and relax. !!! :P

Fanime budgeting tips. I know the money you make isn't instantaneous transferred to your accounts but hopefully you guys are realizing this is now more like a business rather a fan run convention.  Rather than 100 fans coming and having a fun time with each other  at a picnic you now have a business with a  huge customer base who is willing to shell out cash and attend this event.  It's a spend money to get money type of situation now and there are tons of people not happy with the way things are being handled. If money is tight I recommend trying to get more sponsors even if it is not related to anime.  Those ice cream and hot dog vendors were cleaning up shop yesterday because of the huge line.   It's annoying but run ad space in your magazine to help get costs down.   Allow businesses to post their logo's on the wall and sell their products for attendees to consume.  Good cosplayers can hand out business cards for sponsors.   I'm not talking about have more people slap cards on the ad tables because that was a huge mess.  I didn't even want to look at those ads and it was a waste of space. Work with local businesses on getting them to sell their food at your event.   There were a lot of hungry people in line who were getting angry.  Allow places like Mcdonalds to serve at your event.   Tell them you want them to come and serve the hungry masses for a small markup with you getting a percentage of the profits. Businesses will be impressed with your attendance because all the see with 20k people is dollar signs.  I'm estimating here and I don't know what costs what, or who fronts the bill until all is said and done but you guys are now raking in something along the lines of $800k from 20k worth of ticket sales of at $40 a piece.  That is not too shabby and it let's sponsors know their ads will be seen by that many people and 20k+ people are willing to spend money.  Also maybe if there is any profits if say you pay $600k for the rooms and another $50k for guest speakers you have another $150k for spending now or saving for next year.   If you do have a surplus I say save it for next years con  to get computers, staff,  a sales pitch team, an accountant,  to give this event a more professional feel.  I say get rid of the pocket guide.  It is redundant when you already have the more superior magazine and probably a waste of money.  I only used the pocket guide for the map and if people really want to find out what time the anime they want to watch is on they can look at the magazine.  Maybe use the money you save from not printing the pocket guide on signs.   Poster board is not expensive and this helps people from standing in the middle trying to figure out what goes where.   "This way to the gaming hall", "this way to the dealers room" , "this way to food",  "movie viewing rooms 1-4 here" , "artist alley out this way",  "stay on this side of the walkway for dealer hall and this side for gaming room" etc.  If necessary hire people to work at registration and sales.   The volunteer staff looked disgruntled, tired, and angry a lot of people were complaining to them.   Having paid staff gives them the incentive of a paycheck while the "volunteer 20 hours to get into Fanime for free" is like working less than a forth of California's minimum wage.   A lot of your volunteers  working the line looked like they might cry at any second.  Also hire more custodial staff.  I only saw two people cleaning up the entire convention  hall.   

Security. Spend money on some security guards.   You have little girls and taped up paper signs, guarding exits,  and telling people what to do.    You have disgruntled volunteer staffers walking the halls and lines barely doing the minimum to help others.  You have caution tape which fails to do anything but stretch out and break separating a huge line inside.   Get some cheap rope from Walmart to help section off the lines.  Have security stand by entrances going to the registration hotel to dissuade line jumpers.  One guy cut in line behind us but that was before he realized where the preregistered line was.   Have security help out at the registration lines.  Have security walk the dealers hall and be ready for anything.   A guy/girl dressed in slacks and a nice shirt exerts a lot more authority than a cosplayer or a kid in a Power Rangers shirt and jeans can do.   

More nitpicking on my part but can you remind people to shower or at least use deodorant or body spray.  It's not cool if I can smell people several feet away with my back turned.     

In the end I left feeling a little unsatisfied because I didn't get to do everything I wanted. I wasted over five hours in line and I stayed til the closing of the main halls.   Main thing I missed was going to the maid cafe because  the line was too long and I wanted to see other things.I was also hoping for the girls working there to be a little older, these girls looked as young as twelve.   Since Fanime is in San Jose you could hire some girls from the local coffee shops to come work in the maid cafe.  I'm sure they wouldn't mind the extra tips and putting on more clothes to work  *wink* *wink*.