2017 Update ...
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 10:51 pm
Hi All
I hope everyone had a great holiday and a good start to the New Year!
We have not had a good start, therefore I need to discuss the following:
1) Rachael (RevoGirl)
2) Machine
3) Salmon & Mint
4) Future Plans
Rachael
Rachael returned from holiday on the 3rd January. We had a meeting, with the outcome that we would not continue her employment with the company and will officially leave on the 2nd Feb. As some of you know, we have had Rachel, Emma and Rachael since Sophie working for us and as such not had the continuity you deserve. I have made a mistake and I am sorry.
Rachael was very good at organising the office and sorting paperwork as well as sorting the social media aspect, which was one of the main reasons why we brought her in. We needed someone to listen to you and understand and serve your needs as well as coming up with creative ideas.
We have new plans this year that will require special skills and we looked at ways to achieve this through freelancers. We wanted to allow Rachael to take this on as well as helping with Sales and Production Planning, but unfortunately we could not agree a way forward.
Both Jill and I enjoyed Rachael’s employment and we wish her well for the future. Rachael is not being replaced for the foreseeable future.
While I wanted to concentrate on the technical aspect of the business, my role was being diluted with training of each new administrator. Having the burden as well to employ someone added extra pressure to ensure enough work came in. I also lost touch with you all.
Throughout January, I have had to change my plans and to make alternative measures. The main one is you can now all contact Directly with me by PM’s RevoMaster or by email chris.pitt@revomaze.co.uk I will be on the forum much more as a result and will cover Revogirl as well.
Machine
As you know, I now have a very expensive machine capable of doing all my parts to a very high precision. It will help me be more competitive and most important, be able to run small batches to meet your demands. While it has been installed, we still have the issue to connect to our 3-phase electricity supply and have high costs in doing so plus the red tape with authority permits and reconfiguring our current single phase supply. Other than that the workshop is complete.
So having the machine here is waiting for the green light to allow me to start producing parts. In the meantime, I have been working on the programs using simulator software that is needed to produce each component. Once ready, we have methods in place to schedule work including the R2’s and all the puzzles except for the Black and Red and then we can complete the catch up that I have been so desperate to finish. This has taken much of my time.
Salmon and Mint
Yesterday, we now have the mazes and all the parts with the plan to assemble and ship. The issue today is that when trying to assemble the Mint, the plating is thicker than planned and the small parts do not fit. It is the same for the plated Salmon. In addition, the Salmon part now needs to change as there is an opportunity to get stuck that was not seen before. This is not what I wanted to happen or for you to hear, but it is necessary if the puzzle is to be reliable. I have tried my best but it looks like there will be a further short delay.
I am now having to make the small parts again as I have tried to change one and it will be quicker to remake. This is the issue I have by not having my new machine working I have to do them myself.
In truth, I hoped I would have been running the new machine in November and making the Salmon and Mint directly instead, instead I have made them as before. We also needed stock and so I have had to get the engineers to make 100 that is due in couple of weeks – but the cost has more than double as we have in the past had them in batches of 500.
So today I have some more bar coming and will arrive Thursday and I will get started on redoing the affected parts. These will be great puzzles and as such must not have any problems once you have them. As I have 100 other puzzles coming in around the second week of February, we need to get these puzzles out.
Future
As you can tell, I needed a good start to this year and have been knocked back already. My intention last year was to take back control and to get enjoying what I do. I can now let you know that last year we were investigated by HMRC, who discovered a flaw with our VAT. An error was introduced 4 years ago by our original first accountants who set our online accounts up incorrectly and was not detected by any of our accountants since. This investigation caused Jill and I alot of stress. While we were cleared of any blame by HMRC, we still have had to pay back a large sum. This was sorted in December so we were looking forward to the fresh start this year.
We now have plans in place to make R2’s for the customers who have Voyager Status, the CE Booklet is finished and we will be sending these out people who have the sets and once we have the parts being made on our machine to complete the CE Sets to people who have waited and then have sets available to anyone else that would like them.
Other than the Mint and Salmon, we are to bring out two new puzzles each year and have them ready when people wish to order them. This is what we had alway planned and wanted.
But more important, we are planning to get the Revomaze brand to a much wider audience and to help we are currently discussing with specialists to help with the branding, newsletter, packaging, social media marketing and of course the forum. It was my weak area and recognise you need positive regular information. The people who I have spoken with are highly recommended in their field.
In the meantime, I am working very hard, to complete the Mint and Salmon that I want to also have for general sale this month, getting the machine running (I will be running a blog on this) and to plan for some exciting products later in the year.
Most important, I want you all to be buzzing again and for the right reasons. I am committed to making this a truly dedicated puzzle operation and have put everything Jill and I have to make it succeed.
Thank you all for your continued support, because without it I would not have got this far.
Please keep in touch.
Chris (Revomaster)
I hope everyone had a great holiday and a good start to the New Year!
We have not had a good start, therefore I need to discuss the following:
1) Rachael (RevoGirl)
2) Machine
3) Salmon & Mint
4) Future Plans
Rachael
Rachael returned from holiday on the 3rd January. We had a meeting, with the outcome that we would not continue her employment with the company and will officially leave on the 2nd Feb. As some of you know, we have had Rachel, Emma and Rachael since Sophie working for us and as such not had the continuity you deserve. I have made a mistake and I am sorry.
Rachael was very good at organising the office and sorting paperwork as well as sorting the social media aspect, which was one of the main reasons why we brought her in. We needed someone to listen to you and understand and serve your needs as well as coming up with creative ideas.
We have new plans this year that will require special skills and we looked at ways to achieve this through freelancers. We wanted to allow Rachael to take this on as well as helping with Sales and Production Planning, but unfortunately we could not agree a way forward.
Both Jill and I enjoyed Rachael’s employment and we wish her well for the future. Rachael is not being replaced for the foreseeable future.
While I wanted to concentrate on the technical aspect of the business, my role was being diluted with training of each new administrator. Having the burden as well to employ someone added extra pressure to ensure enough work came in. I also lost touch with you all.
Throughout January, I have had to change my plans and to make alternative measures. The main one is you can now all contact Directly with me by PM’s RevoMaster or by email chris.pitt@revomaze.co.uk I will be on the forum much more as a result and will cover Revogirl as well.
Machine
As you know, I now have a very expensive machine capable of doing all my parts to a very high precision. It will help me be more competitive and most important, be able to run small batches to meet your demands. While it has been installed, we still have the issue to connect to our 3-phase electricity supply and have high costs in doing so plus the red tape with authority permits and reconfiguring our current single phase supply. Other than that the workshop is complete.
So having the machine here is waiting for the green light to allow me to start producing parts. In the meantime, I have been working on the programs using simulator software that is needed to produce each component. Once ready, we have methods in place to schedule work including the R2’s and all the puzzles except for the Black and Red and then we can complete the catch up that I have been so desperate to finish. This has taken much of my time.
Salmon and Mint
Yesterday, we now have the mazes and all the parts with the plan to assemble and ship. The issue today is that when trying to assemble the Mint, the plating is thicker than planned and the small parts do not fit. It is the same for the plated Salmon. In addition, the Salmon part now needs to change as there is an opportunity to get stuck that was not seen before. This is not what I wanted to happen or for you to hear, but it is necessary if the puzzle is to be reliable. I have tried my best but it looks like there will be a further short delay.
I am now having to make the small parts again as I have tried to change one and it will be quicker to remake. This is the issue I have by not having my new machine working I have to do them myself.
In truth, I hoped I would have been running the new machine in November and making the Salmon and Mint directly instead, instead I have made them as before. We also needed stock and so I have had to get the engineers to make 100 that is due in couple of weeks – but the cost has more than double as we have in the past had them in batches of 500.
So today I have some more bar coming and will arrive Thursday and I will get started on redoing the affected parts. These will be great puzzles and as such must not have any problems once you have them. As I have 100 other puzzles coming in around the second week of February, we need to get these puzzles out.
Future
As you can tell, I needed a good start to this year and have been knocked back already. My intention last year was to take back control and to get enjoying what I do. I can now let you know that last year we were investigated by HMRC, who discovered a flaw with our VAT. An error was introduced 4 years ago by our original first accountants who set our online accounts up incorrectly and was not detected by any of our accountants since. This investigation caused Jill and I alot of stress. While we were cleared of any blame by HMRC, we still have had to pay back a large sum. This was sorted in December so we were looking forward to the fresh start this year.
We now have plans in place to make R2’s for the customers who have Voyager Status, the CE Booklet is finished and we will be sending these out people who have the sets and once we have the parts being made on our machine to complete the CE Sets to people who have waited and then have sets available to anyone else that would like them.
Other than the Mint and Salmon, we are to bring out two new puzzles each year and have them ready when people wish to order them. This is what we had alway planned and wanted.
But more important, we are planning to get the Revomaze brand to a much wider audience and to help we are currently discussing with specialists to help with the branding, newsletter, packaging, social media marketing and of course the forum. It was my weak area and recognise you need positive regular information. The people who I have spoken with are highly recommended in their field.
In the meantime, I am working very hard, to complete the Mint and Salmon that I want to also have for general sale this month, getting the machine running (I will be running a blog on this) and to plan for some exciting products later in the year.
Most important, I want you all to be buzzing again and for the right reasons. I am committed to making this a truly dedicated puzzle operation and have put everything Jill and I have to make it succeed.
Thank you all for your continued support, because without it I would not have got this far.
Please keep in touch.
Chris (Revomaster)