Remotely managing a business

[Pegasys]

I finally promoted an employee to manager in a Level 9 business. Over 5 days, the shop had made an average of $3000 a day. So I decided to try remotely managing the business and my Sim called to "check in" with the business. At midnight he made a grand total of... $91. Which didn't even appear to be reflected in the cash flow.

Anyway, is anyone making any real money remotely managing a business?

[J. M. Pescado]

I'm surprised you got that much. I mean, I think about how nicely my business runs....then I envision how it would function under the AI's control without my enlightened guiding whip....and somehow, $91 seems like a lot more than I expected.

[phyllis_p]

I have an 8-star business that pulls in about $600 a day when managed remotely, but when my Sim goes in it pulls more like $3000.  I have yet to figure out how they calculate remote sales.  I thought I read somewhere that it was based on a 5-day average, but I can't find where I read it now, and it's definitely not doing that in my case.

[cwykes]

They probably assume the staff don't work for 72 hours straight like your Sim! Who needs sleep?  Pop an energizer on the lot and keep them there until their aspiration level is too low to use it.    Maybe they calculate the hourly average takings, deduct a percentage for lack of owner presence and multiply by 7 or something. Well that's how I'd design the estimate if I was doing it anyway.  Another reason the estimate can come up really low is if the purchase price of the lot is included in the calculation.  If they are looking at the average over the whole business life, that might explain 91$.

[Motoki]

I got 3,000 the first day on one of mine. It's the 50s diner in NL, but I really push the hell out that grilled cheese painting and Olive Peynter painting in the entranceway and priced at ridiculously expensive.

The calcuations are pretty wonky though if you ask me. I believe it's some sort of average of how much was made or lost each hour.

[phyllis_p]

They probably assume the staff don't work for 72 hours straight like your Sim! Who needs sleep? 

My stores never stay open more than 10 hours.

[Regina]

Zoiks!  Mayhaps your manager is an embezzler?  This is something I haven't tried yet. 

[radiophonic]

I'm not certain what calculates the revenue since it seems well out of whack to me.

I have a clothing store being remotely run and it generates $1K+ a day just selling clothes and perfume.
I have another shop that sells miscellaneous items and it generates $60 a day.
Then there's the robot shop that only makes $800 a day.

I don't get it. Clothes make more cash than robots?

I'm sure someone will figure out what variables create a good, remotely operated business.

[Motoki]

Here is what Prima says. Mind you they are often full of shit so take it with a grain of salt.

Remote Income Calculation

    The amount of income the owner receives each day is based on the hourly average income from the lot over the last five sessions (ie 100,000 for 100 hours = hourly average 1,000/hour) as shown in the Cash Tracker. This number is multipled by eight (a "standard" work day) to produce the business's base daily average income (ie 1,000 hourly average becomes 8,000 per day).
    This amount, however, declines each day the owner is away.

Remote Income Decay
    The first day of remote running the base income is automatically reduced by 20%. Also, the first day and each subsequent day owners allow a business to run without them, the amount of income decreases by 30%. This, if a business's base average is 10,000 the first day remote income will be 5,000 (2,000 for the initial deduction and 3,000 for daily decay). It'll bring in 2,000 on the second , 1,000 on the third, and none thereafter.
    This daily decay can be reduced by two-thirds (brought down to only 10% per day) if the owner calls into the business each day to check how things are going (see "Calling In" below). Even if the owner calls in diligently, however, the bueiness stops producing daily infusions of income after nine days.
    To restore remote income to full (if it hasn't completely decayed away) or restart it (if it's decayed to zero), the owner must travel to the store and run it for at least four hours. The next day, the new income will be based on a new hourly average and decay starts over from there.
...blablabla

Sheesh, they take more deductions than the IRS! Also, it says nothing about the hourly average not being calculated while the store is close so I bet it you it does calculate it even when the store is closed. I run my Diner 24 hours for several days so that may be why I tend to get more than some of you guys are getting.

[MsMaria]

My owner received about 1500 dollars his first day as a remote owner. I haven't gone back to play him yet, so I don't know how consistent it will be. We'll see how accurate the quide is.

[cwykes]

I think the level of the business is supposed to affect the calculation as well.  That's what the in game help message said to me last night anyway when my popularity sim called in to her loss making bookstore to be told it made Zero profit.  Not making a loss beat going to work!  She sold her office computer and some of the furniture as well to make a profit.  When she got it to level 10 she flogged the whole flawed business to some unsuspecting townie for a huge profit.

[J. M. Pescado]

Even assuming that guide is right, you can expect to lose about 66% of your business income outright simply because they chop it into a per-hour average income, but then only pay you for 1/3rd of the hours.

[cwykes]

Not restocking is good for cash flow.  That was another trick my bookstore sim pulled.  Delete the empty bookcase instead of restocking - of course that nukes the value of the business, but if you're trying to max cash flow before leaving a manager in charge it helps.  You can put it back when you come to sell.  The amount of stock doesn't seem to affect the profit, just previous history.  Have to try selling all the stock and leaving the manager in charge - see if she can make a profit!

[Motoki]

I do restock but I don't right before I close up the shop and leave. Otherwise you will be leaving with a loss.

[Pegasys]

Motoki, your avatar - what's that, a Robo-nanny that peed on itself? 

[Motoki]

Yes.