Needs, Wants and Suggestions (2 Viewers)

[King & Country]

Hi Guys,

No one, including me, could ever accuse the members of this forum of being short of ideas for new figures...fighting vehicles or directions for K&C to go in.

However, does anyone ever sit down, think seriously about how all of those hundreds of ideas could ever be produced by any one company never mind by three or four different companies?

The answer is...I don’t think so. Let’s just look at World War Two as an example. Guys like my good friend “CAPITOLRON” are screaming out for GI’s in North Africa...or failing that...the Italian Campaign. Other collectors such as our fellow forum member John Gambale want a list as long as your arm for additional 8th Army and Afrika Korps. Read the forum on any given day and you’ll get “needs, wants and suggestions” for more Eastern Front...Burma Campaign...Normandy...Bulge and quite a few others...

You begin to get the picture, right?

So, where does that put me and K&C...? Well, right in the middle of it all. We’re the ones who have to make the decisions...what battles, campaigns, figures, fighting vehicles and accessories should be designed, produced and delivered how, when and where. We’re also the guys who have the sales records and background on what sells quickly...what sells slowly and...very, very rarely what does not sell at all!

We gather all that intelligence...we analyze it...study it and put together our strategic battle plan...

I’m happy to say we get it right more often than we get it wrong. But that’s because we try to use our head and not be diverted too far off our chosen path by the avalanche of “needs, wants and suggestions”.

Believe me I still read every one that pops up in the forum but also please remember Gordon, myself and the rest of our K&C creative team are not exactly bereft of ideas of our own.

To end on a positive note...there’s more than a few of your “needs, wants and suggestions” that are already in the pipeline for release in the coming months...so don’t get too dispirited or...frustrated!

Best wishes to one and all and...happy collecting!

Andy C.

 

[zup66]

dear Andy, my only frustration is this: i dont have money to follow you ww2 line so i buy only the ak and ws sets when i can, sigh sigh

thank you for the blackshirts with the panzer II,but if you decide to do more italians we are all happy (in italy obviously)


max

 

[Jim5615]

Andy,

I just wanted to thank you for being so great about listening and responding to all of our wants and suggestions. I sent an e-mail not long ago about Scots Greys and your response was quick and gracious. As for myself, I try to stay with specific era's, but you always come out with something that makes we want to put up another shelf!

Thanks.

 

[Wraith]

So,
Reading between the lines then, it's a dead cert that before the end of 2007, we'll see:

1. Huge release of additional EA / AK
2. Big Red One in NA
3. Big Red One in Siciliy, Crete AND Italy
4. 5 new regiments of Black Shirts (shirtless)
5. FJs in Normandy and NA and Crete
6. 88 in NA and Normandy. And Russian Front. And Fall of Berlin
7. A new range of Swoppit K&C Commandos
8. British and Canadian D-Day
9. SAS / LRDG Chevy / Jeeps etc.
10. A big red square of Brit Infantry to blast down those pesky Nap Cav
types.
11. A dozen or so Warbird releases
And finally...
12. A partridge in a pear tree for the Christmas release

Andy,
I'm not sure you're stretching yourself enough.

Of course I could have misunderstood and you could be saying
'enough with the lists already'

Simon

 

[Capitolron]

Andy

WHO LOVES YOU - BABY !

What would life be without crazy collectors? - I know peaceful

Anyway - You of all people know how much I appreciate you and the entire K&C team for the work that you do. I have said this thousand times before and even been attacked on my beliefs that KING AND COUNTRY IS THE BEST IN THE TOY SOLDIER INDUSTRY.

I appreciate you litening to a rabid Napoleonic Fan who wants more WWII Americans in North Africa. I sincerely appreciate your friendship and the ability to sound like John Gamble ever now and then without upsetting you.

Your release this year are unbelieveable and wonderful. Thank You, Thank You , Thank You - and the French Empire Thanks you as well. (I believe I am going to marry that French Lass with the Wine Keg )

Dont let the wants and desires of us crazy few ever be taken as not being thankful for all the new items we have coming. We are.

Ron

 

[Rob]

I think we all just get carried away sometimes,we love K&C products so much that we get ahead of ourselves with our wants.We lose perspective on what we want to happen and what can happen.For instance i want Jennifer Anniston to knock on my door and say "Heres the Hummel you wanted,now how about it big boy!" but its never going to happen!!!!

Keep up the good work Andy,we appreciate everything you do.

Rob

 

[Wraith]

For instance i want Jennifer Anniston to knock on my door and say "Heres the Hummel you wanted,now how about it big boy!" but its never going to happen!!!!

That's number 13 on Andy's list of satisfying customer demand.
Well, the Hummel is. It might be delivered by Lily Savage as an alternative, but one out of two ain't bad.

Anyway, we've got Brit Paras coming, so who could ask for more. If K&C produced any more of my own wants, I'd be bankrupt inside of a day.

And as Andy says, he has a knack of getting it right, pretty much most of the time. I think the decision to produce the Crusader series and the success that this range seems to be enjoying, speaks volumes.

Simon

 

[Rob]

That's number 13 on Andy's list of satisfying customer demand.
Well, the Hummel is. It might be delivered by Lily Savage as an alternative, but one out of two ain't bad.

Anyway, we've got Brit Paras coming, so who could ask for more. If K&C produced any more of my own wants, I'd be bankrupt inside of a day.

And as Andy says, he has a knack of getting it right, pretty much most of the time. I think the decision to produce the Crusader series and the success that this range seems to be enjoying, speaks volumes.

Simon

My god if lily savage was delivering it i'd want more than a hummel!!!!

Rob

 

[Combat]

Some "problems" are good to have. When people stop asking for things that may be a time for concern. I don't think anyone here expects Andy or anyone else to make something simply because we suggest it. This is a business and the manufacturers are taking the financial risk in producing the item. However, I do believe there is some useful information on the forum that may be taken into consideration from time-to-time in addition to the account book of what has sold in the past. Tastes and interests do change and those will be reflected here long before they are in actual sales.

 

[Rob]

I'm sure Andy does look on this forum to get an idea of what people are talikg about,its about balancing that against his own ideas.(which lets be honest are superb!)

Rob

 

[Tony Neville]

Guys

K&C UK.

NEEDS:- More staff
Wants:- At the moment 99flake!
suggestions:- Stop eating flakes and the mountain of Hershey Milk Dudds i bought from NY.........

Give you a good example everytime myself and andy speak (only today the last time) we talk about the Forum.

The balance is:- UK example we have 4000 active members and i am aware (as i say aware) of about 15 active and a couple of Guest watchers!! who are also K&C UK members. lets call it 20 forum members/guests thats 5% of our membership that come in here.

The average age is 45 of our membership (sorry Scott) and a good half of these DO NOT use computers..............SSSSsooooooo you can see if you take our part of the K&C cake it would be madness to do the Needs and wants of The forum let alone being the bigger K&C cake.

Does this make sence? i started writing and lost my thought process then.................ddddeeeeeeeeerrrrrrgh 'yes boss' ! What who where.

Long and short of it if Andy acted on comments in here then we will all be looking for other soldiers to collect as he will not be operating anymore. I can tell you though and those at the NY Symposium will confirm he does listen and take bit sfrom here and uses the forum as an essential part of market reasearch.

Tony

 

[Wraith]

Tony,

Agree with you on your last paragraph.

Couldn't quite follow where you were going with all the stuff before that final paragraph.

Do me a favour and check how many e-numbers are in those Hershey Milk Duds will you? Just curious.....

Simon

 

[aujj65]

Simon

It was something about a cake, perhaps we will be getting a slice at the London show?

Jeff

 

[Wraith]

Hi Jeff,

Unfortunately, I can't make the March show. I'm down that neck of the woods 2 days before for work, but can't get away with extending the trip by another couple of days.

If you're down there, enjoy the cake. And don't touch Tony's Duds!

Simon

 

[Rob]

Thats a shame Simon,was hoping to see you there mate.

Rob

 

[aujj65]

Hi Jeff,

Unfortunately, I can't make the March show. I'm down that neck of the woods 2 days before for work, but can't get away with extending the trip by another couple of days.

If you're down there, enjoy the cake. And don't touch Tony's Duds!

Simon

Simon

That's a pity, I was looking forward to having a pint with you both. What is a Dudd?

Jeff

 

[Rob]

Guys

K&C UK.

NEEDS:- More staff
Wants:- At the moment 99flake!
suggestions:- Stop eating flakes and the mountain of Hershey Milk Dudds i bought from NY.........

Give you a good example everytime myself and andy speak (only today the last time) we talk about the Forum.

The balance is:- UK example we have 4000 active members and i am aware (as i say aware) of about 15 active and a couple of Guest watchers!! who are also K&C UK members. lets call it 20 forum members/guests thats 5% of our membership that come in here.

The average age is 45 of our membership (sorry Scott) and a good half of these DO NOT use computers..............SSSSsooooooo you can see if you take our part of the K&C cake it would be madness to do the Needs and wants of The forum let alone being the bigger K&C cake.

Does this make sence? i started writing and lost my thought process then.................ddddeeeeeeeeerrrrrrgh 'yes boss' ! What who where.

Long and short of it if Andy acted on comments in here then we will all be looking for other soldiers to collect as he will not be operating anymore. I can tell you though and those at the NY Symposium will confirm he does listen and take bit sfrom here and uses the forum as an essential part of market reasearch.

Tony

Theres a coincidence. I would work at K&C UK for a box of Cadbury Flakes a week!

Rob

 

[Wraith]

Jeff, Rob,

I'll be down for the biggie in December.
Not quite sure what 'Milk Duds' are, but Tony's got some and they're playing havoc with his train of thought.

Re the K&C UK wages, I think that the box of Flakes is the price you have to pay for working there.

Simon

 

[Rob]

Hey perhaps i should consider bribing Tony with Choclate,he sounds like he's a fan of the coco bean like myself.

Rob

 

[Blowtorch]

Last week on American Idol, when a singer forgot the words to her R&B song, judge Paula Abdul later said something like "don't worry about the audience, half of them don't know anything anyway."

It seems that quote could apply to toy soldier forums as well.