Non-Sponsor Participation

[Just Plain Jeff]

First of all, I have never met a single person who has said, "Hey, I've got Espar heaters and just love 'em!" Secondly, if you call Espar with a problem, they start speaking some other language (assuming you get a real person, which is a different issue altogether).

The key here is that we get some people who want to show up at rallies and pitch members about their products without the benefit of any technical information or educational value. So, the critical idea is to insure that any participant at a rally is there to add something educational or of technical assistance in a seminar.

We did that: At POG III, there were four non-site sponsor participants.

At prevost-stuff, here and at the rallies, we work hard to protect the membership from unwarranted intrusions and people who think that our groups are a free ride to cash.

Ain't gonna happen on my watch.

[Jim Skiff]

On Tuesday of the Branson Rally at 1:15 or so in the afternoon we have invited an non-sponsor to talk about towed vehicles. She is Teresa Ott of Ultimate Toweds LLC. When I spoke with her this afternoon, I made it clear that members would like to learn something at her seminar and that she would probably learn quite a bit from them. I also noted that none of our members are interested in a hard sell but would like to learn what vehicles can be towed unmodified, modified correctly and so forth.

I think that her experience, combined with member experience will result in something worthwhile to membership.

If you have any questions for Teresa let me know so she can prepare. She has told me that she would be interested in addressing these at POG IV.

[dreadnought]

Why aren't Prevost, Marathon, Liberty, Michelin & Crapco members of this forum? They don't want to be? The site owner won't let them? Because it costs a hundred bucks?
Or a thousand? Give me a break. What would it be worth to be able to ask a converter a question and get an answer in writing that we ALL could see. No more rumor, conjecture, he said, she said bull*#@^. You know, questions like,.. Why does it take a weeks labor to align slide pins? Or... Who's bright idea was it to make a tire size that you can't get. I wouldn't care what they did at rallies, ain't got time for em, got to work to pay for this million dollar contraption. Get em on here. I got first dibs on cross examination.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Bill I have wondered how many of those folks are here in GUEST status just listening. I'll bet there are a few.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Bill,

I know some are, and more specifically there are some who can address your questions. I cannot understand why those manufacturers or suppliers do not jump in when we try to bumble around and answer some questions.

We as owners only develop a degree of knowledge when we personally experience something on our own coaches, so when we try to help one another our perspective is limited compared to the folks that build the product. Since I doubt that Michelin or the Double Coin tire manufacturers are monitoring this I'll use that as an example. We had a lot of discussion relative to tires. I for one would have loved to have one or both start posting the reasons why their product might be more appropriate for our coaches. Would it be selling....yes, but if the selling was in the context of explaining the attributes of the product we all would have learned a lot about tires.

Is there anybody that is a member of this group that would object to someone from Prevost responding to questions or comments? All of us would benefit from those posts.

All I can say is that we as group members need to keep reminding our converters and suppliers that we want their participation in our forum, or some way to establish lines of communication that would allow information sharing. I would like it even if it were via links to the converter's or supplier's web site and their own forums limited to customers. As long as we can get the information we require. Newell has an excellent site in that respect so there is no reason our converters and suppliers can't do it.

As to the tire size issue....I'd bet that Prevost is responding to the market that insists on adding more and more weight, and that there is no readily available tire size that will get the job done. If I had your coach I would weigh it and if the individual axle weights and the side to side balance was OK I would put 315 all around. They are not sitting in stock at the local truck stop, but at least they are more common than the 365s. I would be surprised if your new Liberty front axle weight would exceed the limits for 315 tires.

[JIM KELLER]

While dealing with my KVH issue I mentioned to a senior tech that other customers were unhappy with their products. I told him someone from their company should go on our site and review some of the comments posted. As in any business the customer satisfaction level is paramont. Companies spend thousands of dollars for market research and opinion polls. He stated they were not aware of any customer satisfaction issues like I discussed. I gave them the web site address to do a little research but they said they couldnt get in.

Do we want companies like this to "get in ?" Would it accelerate our position in the marketplace ?

[rfoster]

It is very easy for me to put in my two cents worth on this subject as I am not the owner of this site. However I am of the opinion that the more support, knowledge, experience, suppliers, that this board can offer to the Prevost / SOB owners the better and stronger this forum will be. As a member of this forum I attempt to promote and encourage all bus owners that I have the opportunity to speak with to sign up into POG because of all the help I have received from the existing Members. Many times the question comes up - Are the Converters on there? Yes Sir some of em even sponsor meals at the Rallies etc.

Imagine the possibilities if we had the pertinet Tracstar, Alpine, Webasto, Kohler, DD, Allison, Prevost, Norgren, Tire Companies, Converters, Appliance, plumbing, electronics, you name it suppliers on board monitoring questions and giving good answers to questions from our members. In addition our members could praise their product or fire em up because of a stupid faulty design. ( I should say constructive criticism)

Everyone in every quality business wants a good name, good reputation, and direct customer feedback inorder to get that "repeat customer and referral business'.

I would encourage our Webmaster/ Administrators to consider a program to encourage supplier type members to participate in this forum. At last check I see the membership is over the 300 mark. If you assume that most have a bus- some have two, maybe three (too embarrassed to claim) that is a lot of LEWBUCKS in anybodies market.

Exsposure is the name of the game to sell a bus, it also applies to information, the more the we have on board to offer info, the more apt we are to receive credible info and inturn offer the feedback for these companies to improve their products and design the flaws out of the product.

Maybe that was three cents worth.