Small Business Wins and Fails
Share your wins and fails when running a small business from the Businesses & Hobbies pack. I will start.
Maker Space
Additional Packs Used
- Eco Lifestyle
Employee Tasks
- Mentor
- Run Classes & Lectures
Owner Tasks
- Clean
- Scrap Crafts
- Repair
Customer Tasks
- Attend classes and lectures
- Fabricate
- Handiness
Set Up
I created three classrooms (woodworking, candle making, and fabrication). I hired two employees （one for lectures and one for mentoring). I trained the employees by giving them lectures so they could reach level 5 of both the handiness and fabrication skills. I also had a small shop in the front, but no one shopped from it because I didn't set the task for shopping.
Problems I Ran Into
- You can't mentor on the candle making station. The option isn't available to mentor Sims.
- The fabrications classes require level 5 of the rocket science skill. I only had level 5 of the fabrication skill. The employees also only had level 5 of the fabrication skill. I didn't train them in rocket science. [BH] Several classes/lectures don't work | EA Forums - 11968151
- Customers don't use the fabricator or the candle making station during the fabrication class.
- Customers don't finish their crafts. They always abandon them.
- The candle making stations weren't autonomously cleared. [BH] [GT] Certain objects aren't cleaned by employees/club members | EA Forums - 12239563
- I got two last exceptions related to the pack.
Final Verdict
Even though there were a good number of problems, I will classify this business as a win because it mostly functioned. The Sims 4 is a buggy game so I'm trying to be fair.
Cat Café
Additional Packs Used
- Cats & Dogs
- Get Together
Employee Tasks
Employee 1
- Tend Coffee/Tea Bars and Counters
Employee 2
- Care for Pets
- Clean
Owner Tasks
- Clean
- Repair
Customer Tasks
- Play with pets
- Drink Coffee
- Drink Tea
Target Customer
- Trait > Cat Lover
- Supervised Customer > Cats + Caregiver stays on the lot
Set Up
I added the Easy Energy Expresso Bar to the lot. Then I hired two employees. I set the lot traits to breeding ground, training ground, and cat hang out. I used the Cat Café standard preset. I adopted two kittens and one adult cat into my household. I added litter boxes, food bowls, pet beds, and scratching posts to the lot. I upgraded the Easy Energy Expresso Bar to have the option for the Pre-Work shot.
Problems I Ran Into
- [BH] Customers using espresso bar to make coffee at Small Biz | EA Forums - 12239534
- [BH] Customers leaving uneaten food and drink | EA Forums - 11975807
- [GT] Ordering in Cafe drops from queue when crowded | EA Forums - 11849376
- It seemed like the ability to order coffee was dropping from the queues of customers because they would crowd around and they wouldn't take their foods after ordering.
- [GTW] [BH] Employees Never Repair Espresso Machine in Small Business | EA Forums - 12239569
- I couldn't have my Sim repair the Impress-o Expresso Machine when it broke. A repairman couldn't repair it either. The only options were to hire a repair service or to replace it. I hired the repair service but the repairman said there was nothing broken on the lot. I had to replace it.
- The Impress-o Expresso Machine couldn't be cleaned by my Sim. I think an employee was able to clean it. My Sim is a servo.
- There weren't any options on the Impress-o Expresso Machine to upgrade it to unbreakable or make it so it doesn't get dirty.
- Sometimes, the employee would go from behind the coffee bar and place the food on a table.
Final Verdict
This is another business I would classify as a win because it worked well with the In-Grain Ed Specialty Coffee Bar but when I used the Easy Energy Expresso Bar (Get Together), the Sims had problems ordering expressos.
