Con suite feedback (volunteer feedback only)

[porkchops_and_applesause]

Boy what an Exhausting weekend!!

So this was Our Groups first year to EVER run a con suite, and I'd love to hear from you guys.

We had some ups and some downs and a lot I want to fix for next year. I know we ran out of food a few times and I'm sooo sorry I couldnt give all of you the main meals. There were SO many of you hard workers this year!! I had 4 crock pots and some other random appliances to feed almost 200+ of you guys!

This is also the first year SJ attempted a delivery like service and we are hard at work making plans on how to streamline that.

So please tell me your feelings and what you would like to see and we will do our best to make as many of you as happy as possible!

-Porkchops-

[kyle]

Delivery is the best thing ever. I know that while working a convention that there is a con suite, but I am always so busy during my shift and then completely tired or pressed to move onto a meeting with friends, event, or photo shoot that I forget to stop by the con suite.

Also maybe I'm just used to working cosplay staff at other conventions, but I'm surprised that more staffers weren't in costume like I was, lol. As a result, when I found out that my two options for food from the Con Suite on Friday night were chili and spaghetti, I was quite worried for all the white on my costume. I mean I love having hot dripping awesome food, but maybe an option for something like a turkey wrap something a little less messy would be nice too. Thanks for making the convention more enjoyable and stopping me from being hungry and grouchy!

[porkchops_and_applesause]

Sammiches are almost always available on request..unless we ran out of sandwich meat (which happened twice).

I was always under the impression that it was frowned upon to be in cosplay while on duty (cosplay staff being the exception of course)

[thegearproject]

You guys were amazing and saved our bacon. Having the vegetarian options for the few vegetarians (including us) was a great addition. Also having the option of getting stuff delivered? AMAZING.

Great work all around, really. I don't have anything negative to say.

[Eddo]

As I have said and will say again... YOU GUYS ROCKED!!!!

We never had an issue! Maybe next year talk to Comter about an online food ordering form via his system so you don't need people running around taking orders they will come to you via the site?

Also.. OMG SALSAAAAAAAAA and Queso!!!

[Totakeke]

Sammiches are almost always available on request..unless we ran out of sandwich meat (which happened twice).

I was always under the impression that it was frowned upon to be in cosplay while on duty (cosplay staff being the exception of course)

1. You all were fantastic and did the best job ever. You fed a small army, and were always busy for the entire day, nonstop.

2. I was told only the saftey volunteers had to wear the green shirts, and general volunteers and staffers could dress casual or wear a cosplay as long as it wasn't too extreme.

[Mister Hicks]

Also maybe I'm just used to working cosplay staff at other conventions, but I'm surprised that more staffers weren't in costume like I was, lol. As a result, when I found out that my two options for food from the Con Suite on Friday night were chili and spaghetti, I was quite worried for all the white on my costume. I mean I love having hot dripping awesome food, but maybe an option for something like a turkey wrap something a little less messy would be nice too. Thanks for making the convention more enjoyable and stopping me from being hungry and grouchy!

I will be first to admit that I feel ashamed that I didn't notice your hesitance in ordering that night, nor the fact you were wearing tons of white. We easily should have still had sandviches available for your eating pleasure during that time and there were easily enough con suite workers available to fulfill an order that strayed from the norm (hell, people ordered chili on spaghetti that night, I know we could have done it!).

I don't know how it is on other con staffs, but I know when it comes to San Japan our delivery staff is willing to go above and beyond for our very diligent volunteers, we don't enjoy saying "No" to anyone. If you ask us to do something that sort of strays from the norm the most negative answer we better be giving is, "Let me see what I can do."

All weekend long if we weren't running to con-suite we were trusted with volunteer funds to go outside of the hotel to places like McDonald's, Denny's, Starbucks and even the CVS for ibuprofen! Please do not hesitate to ask us, we are your friends. I cannot emphasize it enough! And if anyone on my staff says no then ask me, I'll do it with the biggest smile on my face you'll ever see.

As for con-suite and how they did, I cannot praise enough how well you guys did. Sure we had hang-ups and growing pains, but we endured nonetheless and still got the job done. What more can I say about that?

As for staff and cosplaying, while I know Safety has a "no costumes rule" and even the Chairman has made mention that he feels unprofessional while in costume, the Morale Support Staff would love to embrace costuming. After all we're in the business of making people happy any way we can. However we clearly do a lot of running and moving so we generally perform "easy" costumes or just don't even bother because it can be difficult.

[comter]

We never had an issue! Maybe next year talk to Comter about an online food ordering form via his system so you don't need people running around taking orders they will come to you via the site?

It would work much like the how the Info Desk has their own Terminals..but yours would be designed to work with food items. Your menu items are setup as cart items and a text box is available for notes on any particular item (so that there might be a spaghetti item but with a note to request chili on it) as well as a name space for who the order was for and what department was ordering.

Your people would be running around taking orders (or orders could just be coming in from whoever pulled up the order page) and would appear in your cooking area on an LCD, similar in effect to a Dominos (or really any other fast food place) order queue. When the order was put in and when it was delivered will be recorded so you can start to judge your order efficiency with solid numbers.

Next year we will have WiFi throughout the convention center (Proz?) so using small handheld tablets may be more feasible than previous years.

Also the water-running was amazing all convention and yay for the water ninjas coming back.

-the purring dork

[BaronPablo]

Missed out on a ham sandwich that never arrived, but the fact that we were getting food was super awesome!

[Jay]

1. You all were fantastic and did the best job ever. You fed a small army, and were always busy for the entire day, nonstop.

2. I was told only the saftey volunteers had to wear the green shirts, and general volunteers and staffers could dress casual or wear a cosplay as long as it wasn't too extreme.

Well here is the official word, at least for the events. Every dept makes there own rule. As long as the cosplay doesnt interfere with your duties you are free to wear what you want as long as it fits in with SJ rules.

[porkchops_and_applesause]

Next year we will have WiFi throughout the convention center (Proz?) so using small handheld tablets may be more feasible than previous years.


-the purring dork

THATS what I want to hear. I was thinking of maybe a smart phone app to place orders on since the interbutts cost money at this hotel, but if we get wifi next year then online ordering would be feasible.


-sorry to whoever didnt get their ham sandwich!!!

[Mister Hicks]

Missed out on a ham sandwich that never arrived, but the fact that we were getting food was super awesome!

I will fully apologize for you not receiving your sandwich, depending on the moment in question there could have been a number of circumstances to cause it. As a staff the MS Team hopes to better itself by increasing it's numbers therefore bettering it coverage of the floor and ensuring the ordering process is quicker for volunteers.

[Psychowolf]

I liked the way the con suite staff made every effort to accommodate everyone's dietary needs. During one breakfast, I was happy that the con suite provided lactaid tablets because I like drinking milk and my stomach just has a problem with it.

I was also happy that the suite was open until 1am. There were times when I needed caffeine late at night and I could just easily to the room and get what I needed. Kudos on the cooler accessibility.

I never took advantage of the delivery service, but it's definitely a good idea for future cons. As San Japan gets bigger, a workable organizational system should be considered.

Overall, I find the con suite staff's job to be impressive, considering that nothing like this been attempted before. I'm aware that feeding a lot of people is a challenging process and I'm very grateful for the con suite staff for all the work they've done. I look forward to see the con suite become better.

[Whitephoenix]

When I wasn't Safety, I worked Consuite unofficially. I offered to help if they needed it and it sounds like at times they did! I was helping run orders for Consuite (Dealer's room safety, safety desk and conops). I had a blast helping out Consuite; it was my way of giving back to them for keeping food for the hungry staff.

They also had pick-me-up snacks for when I was feeling depressed and useless (trust me, I hide it well)

[mr12345]

ROCKED the HOUSe baby!

[Farasha]

Just wanted to drop in and say you guys were awesome. I really appreciated that you were so accommodating. I dropped in maybe ten minutes before the cosplay show so I could slap something fast together before I had to run out the door and y'all were more than willing to rush me a sandwich. Then I came back in after the show was over and got delicious quesadillas to eat. I've worked a handful of cons and I can say without a doubt that San Japan is the best to its staff.

[Patches]

Y'all did a great job and made more then a few people feel better about their day. on that note... Who has my turqoise pocket knife with the indian motif in the center? i really want it back :C was a gift from someone deceased.

[Mister Hicks]

Y'all did a great job and made more then a few people feel better about their day. on that note... Who has my turqoise pocket knife with the indian motif in the center? i really want it back :C was a gift from someone deceased.

You know we were trying to figure out who that belonged to FOR HOURS. I'm pretty sure we put it up, this would force me to assume someone is taking care of it and will read this soon and tell you.

[porkchops_and_applesause]

Y'all did a great job and made more then a few people feel better about their day. on that note... Who has my turqoise pocket knife with the indian motif in the center? i really want it back :C was a gift from someone deceased.

I'll ask the couple who cleaned the room im SURE its somewhere safe

[BEAR]

Hey yall did good, my guys were always able to find food, i just have one favor to ask for next, please force food down me every 3 to 4 hours i trust you all please, i was always working or worried if my guys ate i forgot to so can yall do that for me.

BEAR