What is EO All About?

ATeam · Sep 6, 2010

In a recent post, an Open Forum member urged members to "...get back to what this site is really all about!" It occured to me that members do not have a unified view of what this site really is all about, and that it might be instructive to hear what members think EO really is all about.

So, fellow members, let me ask, what do you think EO is all about?

highway star · Sep 6, 2010

It's about expediting and expediters. Duh... Is it really more complicated than that?

Dakota · Sep 6, 2010

#1 it is a place where expeditors and people who are interested in expediting can get answers to their questions
#2 it is a social networking site where we can get together and entertain ourselves or help each other out.

I think it is doing exactly what it needs to be doing, it's not that hard to figure out

Dreamer · Sep 6, 2010

Dakota , I couldnt have put it simpler.

Dale

jujubeans · Sep 6, 2010

Dreamer said:
Dakota , I couldnt have put it simpler.

Dale

Me either...Dreamer...you're doing a lot of double posting lately..your trigger finger itchy cuz you've not written any poetry lately?

Dakota · Sep 6, 2010

I think the double posting is a problem EO is trying to fix. Although I only saw one post from Dale, so either the double was deleted or removed before I saw it or it only shows doubles on some peoples computers, weird eh!!!

highway star · Sep 6, 2010

I think Dreamer's having issues with his 'puter.

Dale, did you get my PM?

Lawrence · Sep 6, 2010

Yes, we expediters were social networking before social networking was cool!

....but EO is many things to many different people. To a sponsor - it's a place to get their name in front of people in the industry. To an OTR driver who wants to learn about our side of the trucking industry - it's a great resource to learn. For an expediter - it's a great place to stay up-to-date on what's happening in the industry and build on and offline friendships. For that person who is exiting expediting - it's a place to sell his truck, for free I might add.

We are one of the strongest - if not the strongest trucking community online. EO works offline and in the real world - that's what makes this community awesome. It really comes down to the people. We've all seen it action over the years. The Thanksgiving dinners at truckstops, annual truck show get-togethers, the sympathy cards for the passing of an expediter, the daily introductions of one EO'er to another at a lonely truckstop. Plus much more. It's many things to many people.

xiggi · Sep 6, 2010

On the social network side it will never be the same to all members and the current attempts to make it so are in vain. As with any forum there is and will be many personalities here and no one size fits all solution will ever work. Some people will will never be totally happy with how some things work here and to try to make every aspect work for every person will only meet with failure. Trying to force natural evolutions of some threads into something a few people "supposedly" asked for is in my opinion nothing more than a control issue being put on display for all to see.

layoutshooter · Sep 6, 2010

It is all of the above. We learn and we teach. We keep track of "road friends". We advise. We plan picnics. We banter and complain. We draw advertisers to pay the bills. Sounds a lot like life to me. Like a big, normal, dis-functional family. This site can be what ever we want it or need it to be. It will all work as long as we show a bit of courtesy and don't scare newbies or advertisers away.

chefdennis · Sep 6, 2010

Banter...either useful / informational or entertaining....oh and that banter may at times be totally a waste to some...just as the pay of a TT is to me....

greg334 · Sep 6, 2010

I thought I posted this but I guess I got to much going on here.

Lawrence, can EO not be better?

dabluzman1 · Sep 6, 2010

Isnt asking if something can be "better" along the lines of saying someone is more "succesful".
What is better to one may be the pits to another.
Trying to qualify "better" is very subjective.

EO will always be the whatever the the site allows it to be. For better or worse in the eyes of its members.
In ownership there is the privilege of direction and control.

greg334 · Sep 6, 2010

I kinds of agree and disagree at the same time.

See it isn't about what I think it could be better, it is what we or better yet the powers here can do to make it a better visiting experience for the people who find this site through different means. I have been doing this long enough to know what works and there are a number of things that actually work well everywhere but require some work.

For example compiling a list of threads that actually answer some of the more common questions or issues. I started one for the newbie section, it should have been left as a sticky in the main forum because it seemed to help a bunch of people and is where you start looking. I expected that the instructions (or suggestions) within the thread were clear and someone would actually get the idea to continue but it failed to get anyone's attention (mods?) to take the ball and run with it. Instead the diesel fuel tax thing is still there as a sticky but mine and another good one is moved. The really popular and active sites do exactly this as a way to relieve the frustration of "do a search a year back" common comment that seems to be the norm here. If we are so inclined to have people post location only because of some silly frustration about "I don't want to wade through banter" then why do we insist on new people to search for answers and waste their time?

That's making it better.

dabluzman1 · Sep 6, 2010

I have been doing this, as you, for a very long time. I am 58 years old and have been around a bit.
As far as your ideas, they may be okay, they may work.
They may not improve the site, hence making it better.
If the owners of the site are satisfied, it is the best it will be until a new direction is seen as a necessity, and none of the
the new direction may align with your or my ideas of what constitutes better.

chefdennis · Sep 6, 2010

what is eo all about?

oh oh oh !!!!

"ALFIE"

greg334 · Sep 6, 2010

I got all that, the thing as you know, web marketing is never ever static. What may be a good idea, might bomb but on the other hand what may be a poor idea may succeed.

The problem with "my ideas" isn't that they may work but they do work. Many of the technical sites with large members and with a lot of traffic tend to be overwhelming to new members and when something like that (a list of threads) happens, it attracts more and more people.

I'm curious, what is "this" by the way? Trucking? Web work?

dabluzman1 · Sep 6, 2010

greg334 said:
I got all that, the thing as you know, web marketing is never ever static. What may be a good idea, might bomb but on the other hand what may be a poor idea may succeed.

The problem with "my ideas" isn't that they may work but they do work. Many of the technical sites with large members and with a lot of traffic tend to be overwhelming to new members and when something like that (a list of threads) happens, it attracts more and more people.

I'm curious, what is "this" by the way? Trucking? Web work?

Glad you asked Greg.
"This" is a rather long career in warehousing and distribution with small ( 2 mil gross sales ) and a large ( 2+ bill gross sales) companies.
My training began in 1970 at Kent State where I had my first computer courses. Learning to write programs in cobol, fortran and basic.
I consulted on the side for over twenty years helping companies set up MRP systems. Helping their data processing departments install inventory, sales, and productions standards to better serve their needs.
My area of expertise so to speak evolved into production and inventory control.
In a nut shell thats"this".