Post as a comment to this post (click "comments" link below). Due by the beginning of class Week 4.1. Identify the article you have selected and why you chose it.
2. What are the main points of the essay?
3. Did the article convince you one way or the other about the feasibility of a career in this field? Please explain.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Reading Reflection #3
Reading Reflection #3. If there are multiple readings assigned for a particular week, just pick one. The responses will consist of three-paragraph statements on a single article or essay, answering the following three questions (one paragraph per question):
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Gerardo Valadez
ReplyDeleteSurvey in the Audio Industry
AU1111
Reading Reflection #3
1. Identify the article you have selected and why you chose it.
Article: What Are We Worth?
I Chose this article because there are Myths, Things that are just said by word of mouth. Untrue, Whats isn't true about the myth. Then Hope!, what can be done to show what can really happen. (Plus I really like the show Myth-busters)
2. What are the main points of the essay?
Unlocking the truth about the Music Retail Environment and how it compares itself to Myths, it goes into detail about how it can solved by studying and solving if its True or Untrue. Then it gives you Hope which wants you to really think about the Facts that can be done by perhaps doing the research and studies.
3. Did the article convince you one way or the other about the feasibility of a career in this field? Please explain.
In the Music Retail Environment, whether its at Best Buy Music, Sam Ash, Guitar Center, even Pawn Shops, etc. It all has its connections to comparisons and especially competitions. A customer wants the best from a store which most of all, Customer Service is what matters the most! Not prices, whats new?, or even special deals. A customer wants the best and most courteous employees that are there to help. I know these things because I work Retail and I can be pretty familiar about whats True and Untrue.
1. Identify the article you have selected and why you chose it.
ReplyDeleteHowstuffworks.com (How Recording Sessions work)
The reason why I chose this article was because of how much preparation it takes, from the microphones, wires, amps, and even a budget needs to in place first.
2. What are the main points of the essay?
Main points: Setting a budget along with a schedule for all engineers and producers who are involved with the project. Making sure the session is affordable. Find out if the label is paying for the studio time or the artist would have front the cost Finding a quality studio with quality equipment and great sound. Like microphones, mixing boards, effect boxes.
3. Did the article convince you one way or the other about the feasibility of a career in this field? Please explain. Yes, this career field takes allot of preparation, time and money. In order to have a quality session a plan is necessary. The article showed that lots of hard work, prep time, money, and quality equipment are the steps to a successful recording session
Alfredo Zuniga
ReplyDeleteReading Reflection
Working the Repair Business
I selected the article called “Working the Repair Business” By Dan Daley. This article was interesting to me because it is about customer repair services, which something we all use.
The main points of the article are how many of today’s instruments are hard to repair. Many repair shops don’t like to repair them because they are so complex. Also many retailers don’t like the idea of repair shops. Even though many of them offer repair services, statistics show that retailers make very little form the repair services they offer. Many suggest that this is because of the many “mom and pop” shop around their stores. However repair shops can be very profitable if done right.
I think this is a good career for anyone who has quick learning skills. Music instruments are more complex now and are always changing. Many people don’t want or don’t know how to repair them themselves so taking it to a repair shop would be the best thing to do. I think it’s a good business
1. Identify the article you have selected and why you chose it.
ReplyDeletea. The glass is half-full
b. I chose this article because it really makes you think about how the world has been influenced by technology to the point that we don’t appreciate it as much but instead we are more critical as if we could do better.
2. What are the main points of the essay?
a. I think that the writer is trying to point out value vs price. We don’t value technology like we used to. It has become more of handicap. Convenience has made most people too lazy to do the things we did ourselves before devices came out.
b. Its not about what it does, but more about if it meets the needs of the customer. Because the expectations of more advanced technology has become the norm, it will become the death of beginner type equipment used to familiarize one’s ability to operate it properly because of the concern or better features rather than better quality.
3. Did the article convince you one way or the other about the feasibility of a career in this field? Please explain.
No. The retail industry is more of way to explore the unknown territories of new features and ideas. There is also money to be made but more so along the lines of the person who made the equipment or whatever it is the store is selling. I believe its what you do with what you discover that will matter.
Mike Valadez
ReplyDeleteReading report 3
Survey of the Audio Industry
1. The article I chose was "What Are We Worth" by Ted Eschliman. The article appealed to me by the title alone. But it also got me more interested the more I read on.
2. There are five points of the article being exposed. The first being that a "music store is where you go to find music", however, it exposes that myth being untrue by the fact that you can find more things on the internet regardless of how it may mislead us in forums and other places. The second being how "a customer will pay more local" when really, it depends on how loyal they are but will only purchase if "still competitive". The third point is how the "public thinks the best place to buy equipment is in the music store when apparently, stores are closing and business for stores isn't as good. I find a disagreement to that myth exposure with stores like Sam Ash and Guitar Centers but I could be wrong. The next point being "customers will gravitate to what is new" but he states that they won't. I guess they don't want to hunt it or find it. The last myth busted that I strongly agree with being that "the customer will buy the best they can afford when really, they don't always. Not everyone needs "the best" and will settle, especially with Line 6 half stacks selling like crazy!
3. This article did not convince me that it's the best opportunity. It led me in the same direction that was going but unless I'm going to open a Sam Ash or a Guitar Center or some other successful name, I'm sure my sales will decline. While I know one place that is local but with the best customer service and equipment, there are others that fail to keep business going.
Chung, Erick
ReplyDeleteJuly 30, 2010
Reading Ref week3
Working the Repair Business
I recently read the article titled, “Working The Repair Business” by Dan Daley, who describes the trending of retail music stores developing a personalized service to their business not only for the retail side but also to maintain the business by providing repair service as well. The technology of modern guitars, amps, and keyboards has caused uproar in the music retail market due to the complications of its new technology it has implemented into the merchandises. The author feels that there are three sides to the retail music store and its repair department.
First, it’s the profitable side to the repair shop added to the retail business of a music store. The owner of ‘Daddy’s Junkey Music,’ Chris Gleason states that it has a great profit margin and it is a great aspect of the business to entail in a music retail business and it should definitely be implemented to the chain. He felt that it provides great customer relationship and provides even more benefit by having the same customers come back for other needs.
Second, there is the ‘break even’ side to having the repair shop to the retail because some music retail business feels that there aren’t enough time and source to repair it for the customer. Like for instance, Teddy Gordon, the manager at “Make N’ Music” retail shop in Chicago, ILL. He feels that he needs the repair department for customer service but, it does not make profit, and he is simply content with no loss status to the financial aspect of the business. He also states that there aren’t enough people to simply attend to every different kinds of repairs the customer needs causing the business to waste more valuable time and ordering of tools for the parts.
Third, the ‘loss’ view of the music retail business. For example, Frank Glionna, the owner of “The Music Gallery” who sees the repair shop as a non-lucrative business to the retail states that it never was a lucrative business from the start due to the fact that there are so many different cheap and expensive parts and so many different 3rd world distributor to the guitars, amps, and keyboard pianos that he does see how having a business where some times the customer wants a repair that is going to cost more than the brand new purchase of the same product. But still has it for one single purpose: to retention of clients for his business.
Overall, the author feels that having a repair shop should be considered. The author sees that in a time where customer service has become the main source for success in retail music industry not only for independent or also for corporate music business stores, it should be considered.
I definitely agree with the author because when my amp breaks and I feel that it has certain aspect of that amp that I like about the way it sounds with my way of playing, I would like to have it fixed or repaired even if it cost more to repair then to buy it new. Sometimes, the product is out of stock or non-existence due to the age of the merchandise so, I think having a repair shop should be considered for all music business retail owners of independent or not.
Reading Reflection W3
ReplyDeleteJose Avelar
My article is “What Are We Worth” by Ted Eschliman. I chose this article because it had many interesting points. I one day want to open my own music retail shop and this article has a lot of good tips. It clears up some myths about music retail in order that you can understand how the average customer buys equipment.
There are 5 main points in this article. They all involve the way the way that modern customers go around buying gear. The first point is that the internet has a big influence on how a customer buys things, based on reviews and presentations off the internet. The second point is how the customer chooses where to buy the product based on price vs. how far the customer has to go in order to get a good deal. Third point is about the customer choosing to buy products at their local store or get the best deal from an unknown retailer online. Fourth point is how a customer approaches new merchandise. You have to attract a customer based on what kind of customer they are, loyal to a brand, or willing to try out new things. The last point is how customers are willing to pay for quality. Not all customers are like this and some of the customers will prefer price over quality.
This article taught me that there is a lot of factors affecting whether your store will be successful or will destroy itself because of being misinformed. Hopefully in the future I can open up my own store and based off of this knowledge be successful at it.
Kevin Martin Jr
ReplyDeleteReading Reflection 3
Survey of the Audio Industry
“What Are We Worth?”
Q. Why did you choose this article?
A. I chose this article because I am interested in the sales/repair part of the audio industry. I am a very curious individual and I love to find out what’s out there and what’s the next hot thing.
Q. What were the main points of the essay?
A. This particular article was interesting because it was written to dispel rumors that apply to this industry and how retailers and other outlet sources can improve their sales and improve customer service. Also for someone who needs gear or repair assistance, they can come to the store with the right approach and get the right help, and cut thru the flak and get down to the bare essentials.
Q. Did the article convince you one way or the other about the feasibility of a career in this field? Please explain
A. I love the this part of the industry, but I’m not a customer service oriented person. I couldn’t get a career in this industry because I’m not a particularly aggressive salesman. Also I’m more about the application of the products that can be purchased from these outlets and retail sources.