A different kind of awesome

Jan 22, 2007 08:43

My fingers are numb so it's hard to type properly. I apologize for mistakes. This place doesn't have central heating ( Read more... )

Leave a comment

lyleonline January 22 2007, 05:36:09 UTC
Fascinating. And yes, speaking Spanish would be helpful. I think I have the vocab. I just need to soak in conversational Spanish for a month or two, or a year, and I'd be fluent I'm sure.
Yes, I am extremely interested in the Japanese use of space. Is it pleasant?
I was in a hotel room a little while ago, and I looked around and thought "why am I paying for all this crap? I'm not going to use that desk and chair. I don't need a private bathroom. I'm not going to use that iron and ironing board. I'm not going to use that coffee maker. I could be in a capsule and use the extra money for alcohol and women." Yeah, it would have to be really cheap. My research suggests they'd be about $24.99 plus tax, but $10 would be cheap enough for people to not even hesitate. Yes, an airport or trainstation would be golden. That would be enormous money. Mind boggling money. Interesting. I was thinking downtowns so people who've drunk too much can crash near the bar instead of driving or calling a cab, but I think that would be a less profitable market.
Tell me about the cool things!
Where are you going after March?

Reply

aubli January 22 2007, 10:22:39 UTC
capsule hotels are an interesting idea, but i think there’s another issue or two that you’d need to address. even at $10, you’re going to get people hesitating-not because of the price, or attachment to creature comforts, but for pragmatic safety concerns. as americans we’re used to so much space to begin with, and people often aren’t trusting of the good intentions (or foresight) of corporations and businesses. you’d want to have a very good plan in case of fire-clearly posted-because people who are concerned about sealing themselves into a death trap to sleep may not give you a chance to explain your safety measures before turning away. people can repress their slight claustrophobia as unreasonable, but accompanying fears (varying in their degree of reasonableness)-fire, suffocation, noxious fumes-would need to be addressed by you.

similarly, if you cater to drunk people, potential sober clients may wonder how sanitary your capsules are. you’d need some way of turning away those who are so far gone that they’re likely to soil your capsule, cause that’d be unpleasantness all around.

at airports, though, people are exhausted and craving to get out from under the fluorescent lights and away from other people. plus, they’ve been feeling like cattle or luggage for the past many hours (perhaps excepting the first-class fliers, who aren’t your market anyway). their resistance to such an idea is going to be greatly lowered. and the fact that there are pretty much always people around and awake in airports would also help with any fears.

Reply

niropizo January 25 2007, 02:24:37 UTC
Plans after March are of the imagination at this point.

Reply


Leave a comment

Up