View Full Version : What would you like to see in a system?
Graeme*Kustom*
13-05-2001, 00:32
We build some pretty cool systems (if I may say so) :) , but we`d be really keen to hear what people would like to see in a rig?
Any ideas or suggestions that would make our systems better than perfect? :)
Probably most of you are already sorted out with cool systems, but you`re feedback would be really appreciated !
I just like my rigs to be fast. Powerful processor, fast memory and a cutting edge graphics card.
HDD space for me is extremely important, as is the ability to back up data onto CD-R quickly.
Upgradability is another thing I look at.
James
Like James said :o). And I have most of that between my 2 systems thanks to Kustom. Shame the CD Writer wouldn't work in this machine.
well, i like the abilty for my games to look nice and run fast, that's it :)
Also lets not forget reliability and durability. Its no good if the machine packs up after 6 months.
J
A system that gets 4500+ on 3Dmark 2001, burns a 80 min CD in 4 minutes, has enough hard drive space to store all my CD's, is so quiet that you only know its on by looking at the screen, looks so cool that Graeme passes out when he walks past & finally makes you a nice cuppa when you come in from work after a real :mad: of a day.
Yeh that'll do for me.
Graeme*Kustom*
13-05-2001, 19:57
You`ll see in one of the other sections we were talking about a `kettle` mod for cases :)
All good points , I think (apart from the coffee thing) it`s all stuff that we`ve already got covered ... what I`m looking to hear of here, are some really new and unique ideas that would really make a big difference to what we do...
I`m not doing this to ask you to tell us how to run our business, just keen to hear if there are any little things that you would consider a nice option on systems, -
DanAdams
13-05-2001, 21:47
Hmmmmm...anything out of the ordinary normally costs money, which either costs us more or costs you more or both. That said - and please bear in mind I don't know how you *already* do things, having only bought non-whole-PC items from you. Please also bear in mind that none of the below are criticism for you not already offering them or anything, they're just a bunch of crazy ideas:
1) Go for style, even on the cheaper units/boxen. No one wants to spend a grand on something that looks a piece of sh*$.
2) Brand everything - ship cases with free Kustom case badges as default.
3) Offer colour-coded systems (i know you already do this to some extent) with case-spraying if required.
4) a "perfection" or "ultra" model of each rig you offer - with all-rounded cables, more RAM, all colour-coded (even get coloured mobos now), better monitor (eg lower curvature), faster HDDs, no expense spared.
5) Ability to customise machines online, then place order
6) SCSI as well as IDE HDDs etc offered?
7) Out-Of-Box-Experience - *for-extra-cost*, give full installs pre-shipping with OS of choice, configuration, with signed certificate from you, maybe with CPUmark score on certificate etc? installation and configuration of games? all BIOS/drivers for all peripherals burnt to a single CD with Kustom logo on? Kustom background/ screensaver etc
8) umm.... perhaps even create a username (their forum name) for someone when they have a machine built, and password, then create a page for each on the kustom site (pswd-protected) with all drivers, BIOS info, etc etc specific to their particular machine as you made it, links to patches for games installed etc etc? (could be dynamically updated via one database)
9) Ummm... how about offering a LAN rig/range, small case, andles on case, includes headphones, smaller keybaord (no number pad etc), flatscreen LCD monitor etc
10) How about offering credit/finance? Know this one is tricky/nr impossible, but allowing people to may off monthly etc for a new system may allow people to get systems they want NOW.
11) Trade in/ upgrade service - for reduced price of new rig - when buying new system, offer as part of delivery service to collect their rig and copy all their files across onto the new one etc, then sell the old rigs in the "for sale" or new "2nd hand PCs" forums, upgrading if necessary any redudant parts.
12) Perhaps try and find a delivery company who are able to do i-hr time slots or somthing rather than "any time between midday and sundown"
13) nice tidy innards for machines, cables all nicely out of the way etc.
14) i've run out of ideas :-(
Dan
dan@fearsome.net
[ 13 May 2001: Message edited by: DanAdams ]
[ 13 May 2001: Message edited by: DanAdams ]
Speakers...
Sell some with real speakers, plugged into pre amp + power + speakers.
That would rock
James
Graeme*Kustom*
14-05-2001, 00:52
Hey Dan,
Some really good points there, thanks for taking the time !
1) Our Excalibur system looks funky :)
Though we should possibly produce a lower end black or silver system.
2) Already done
3) Alienware style maybe? Probably the black and silver setup is enough, but we want to expand that range a little bit more. Definitely a good move.
4) We actually fit rounded cables in all system builds now anyway. I think in that case, all systems are customisable to what the user wants anyway
5) We`re going to upgrade our custom builder somewhat - online system ordering , hmmm... dunno - we like to pride on our personal service. We`ll call people at any time (day or evening) to chat about what they need, and that usually goes down really well... Sometimes its nice to hear a voice.
6) we do that :)
7) the certificate showing the system benchmarks is a cool idea tho - will work on that one
8) again , thats a cool idea - we`re getting our site upgraded to be fully php so that will be possible soon
9) That IS a very cool idea. We could maybe even do something in one of the Simple(pia) cases that we sell...
10) we`ve probably been trading long enough now to let us apply for things like that. will work on that one.
11) We will always gladly transfer any files etc or take bits from old systems - tho at the moment we hadn`t planned to start trading in 2nd hand systems - starts getting messy , because we need to charge vat on all goods we sell and offer warranty etc
12) another good point. a nice finishing touch really
13) we do that already :)
14 ) me too :)
Thanks for all that - some good moves there definitely - some we were already doing, some were thinking of doing, and a couple of new ones that we hadn`t thought of... !
JStormont - another cool idea - we could look at this as a future line of expansion - if we really take off in the gaming system market we could provide rigs with large plasma screens and meaty sounds systems ! Probably a bit `early days` for that at the mo, but definitely a cool idea. If people wanted that just now, we would probably point them in the direction of somewhere like Lazer Audio in Kilmarnock, they`re pretty good....
DanAdams
14-05-2001, 01:25
glad to be of help! :)
Dan
dan@fearsome.net
[Jedi]Brian
14-05-2001, 02:45
where is laser audio?
I am from Kilmaurs just outside of Kilmarnock but have no idea where laser audio is - if you say they are good it may be worth a look in there
Right after that hard exam I had this morning I'm going to de stress by thinking of more ideas.
1. How about selling a few desks? Most people don't have a decent place to put their rigs. I certainly don't!
2. Some people like to put together their own systems or already have a case that they want to put new components into. How about selling unassembled systems?
3. How about some articles about maintaining your system or what you can do with it. Some people spend a hell of a lot on a system and never put it to good use.
4. Maybe a system focus every month where you do a full article with details about a new system from scratch to customer delivery. The customer then writes a small report about the service and the system.
5. Win XP, Winamp, Sonique, etc... all support skins. Maybe you could get someone to create Kustom skins for these applications.
6. How about a consumables page. For example if you sell someone a PC with a printer, they can log in, say they have run out of black ink and you send them out a replacement cartridge the next day. Or they need more CD-Rs of the 700MB variety. Or they need more paper.
7. Design Kustom boxes to put new systems in, this is a small thing, but small things count!
8. Kustom stickers. Stick em on your box or your window or wherever you feel like, :D! You may want to redesign your logo so it has a little more attitude, ;)!
9. Do some mods that would look good straight off. For example blue LEDs in the keyboard.
10. Dual monitor systems. Very cool, :)!
Well thats it, hope some of that was of use, ;)!
James
[ 14 May 2001: Message edited by: JStormont ]
Graeme*Kustom*
14-05-2001, 19:50
Hey James,
Thanks for taking the time for the suggestions !
I`ll go throught them all...!
1 ) We do work along with a local company called Rotherwood furniture who sell some really nice hand crafted wooden computer desks - not to everyone`s taste, but they look v.classy !
2) There is an option in the Kustom Builder for `components supply only` - this saves a few quid off the price and gives the customer a good challenge for a rainy weekend ! Of course, we will help where we can short of actually building the system for you ! :)
3) We did that at first - we had articles on emulating other platforms and a guide to speeding up online gaming. As more of our focus turns to the website it`s something we plan to bring back - I guess the closest example now is the article about the LAN party on the front page. It`s a cool idea, because we tend to write them in a `less than formal` manner, which almost helps people get to know us, if you follow me?
4) That is a very cool idea - pick out a random customer and offer them a small discount for going along with the story etc. I like that one :)
5) we put a nice background on windows, but again we should maybe expand that.
6) Interesting - we were going to move out of selling consumables, but this is still under review... perhaps we should only sell them to system customers
7) Probably out of the question for the moment - because of the number of cases we do , sizes etc vary a lot...
8) We have case badges, but stickers would be cool too - I quite like the logo :) It still reflects the colour scheme of the very original Kustom logo - (any1 remember it from a few years back?) - with the coloured stripe, and I kind of thought it looked classy. It`s my style, I don`t really produce artwork with attitude as such , i`m more of a subtle kind of person . it`s reflected in my nature :)
9) We plan to sell premodded keyboards, floppy drives etc soon
10) We`ve done a few of those, but something we`d like to explore is a dual monitor gaming system - could be cool? We`ve done it for music systems a few times with Matrox cards - DualHead is way past cool !!!
Well thats it, hope some of that was of use, !
It was, thank you :)
like the idea of stickers, how about a large peel off, stick on sticker for the case, like the etches, but for metal cases, eg, a large - 50cm*50cm logo of something, to go on a metal case....don't know if you can do that tho :)
and it's sort of off topic, sorry!
Maybe ones you can stick on windows (big ones, not the little ones), possibly translucent. With big designs!
James
Or different RAID levels, plenty to choose from!
James
As a further thought and taking in some of the previous suggestions how about a system based on the Abit Raid Mobo with a pre clocked processor and twin 7200 hard drives for people who want a fast system with loads of disc space but dont have £2000 to spend on it. Its cheeper and faster to have 2 x 7200 30Gb disc drives than one 60Gb. Over clocking the system may be easy for some but not for your general man in the street, so why not have the system cranked up by professionals as an optional upgrade.
Though more and more people want a cool looking system the vast majority want a system that is reliable and able to do the job required of it, be it introducing the kids to computers and the internet or working out home finances, this could be taken into account with the provision of some software packages for various PC's after all thats always been one of Time's big selling points and looking at Time the software does not have to be the latest full price stuff but just a sample to get people started.
With the two thoughts above I would suggest that your system range should be expanded I know that tou have a good few systems on offer at the moment as well as your custom built systems but I think that for most buying a computer is like buying a car you go for the one with the basic spec closest to what you want and the add the ABS, aircon and CD system from the optional extras. Adding to your choice of systems only costs you the price of thinking them up and printing them out as you build most new systems to order anyway.
Just a thought.
Oh and how about not just a Kustom screensaver but a complete Kustom Theme with startup music the works?
:)
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