UPDATE: Software Upgrade & Working with Airstream, Inc

[Andy R]

Software Upgrade:
It's been a long time since the software running our site was upgraded. Next week (tentativley planning for wednesday) I will upgrade the forum, photo gallery, classifieds, and review software. I will post an update early next week on the exact time of this upgrade. Lots of new features will be rolled out after the upgrade including member blogs (great for posting about your travels) and social networking (connect with your fellow Streamer friends).

Working with Airstream, Inc.
Earlier this month I went to Jackson Center to meet with Bob Wheeler (President & CEO) and Ben Owen (Marketing) of Airstream, Inc. It was a very nice meeting (long overdue) and we talked about how we can work together moving forward. For those of you who know the rocky history, we agree to leave the past in the past and to start fresh.

So what does this mean for our community?

We will remain an independant community but we will work with Airstream, Inc to better understand what their clients (our members) need. We looked at the total post counts of the forums (over 17,000/month) and there is nearly no way for them to read everything. So once we upgrade software our mod team will be able to tag discussions to help filter the huge amounts of data on here so they can more easily see what is going on.

Airstream, Inc will also start to promote the forums in their monthly newsletters and over time I would like to explore the idea of having some info about the forums at all the dealers across the country and at the factory. For those of us who know about the forums, there is not better place to get answers to our questions but there are tens of thousands of people out there who have not found our community and hopefully we can help them find our site through promotions with Airstream, Incs. help.

Last month Airstream finally included links to our community after being a licensed partner for 3 years. It's nice to finally be awknowledge by the mothership! THANK YOU!

In the next few days I will post a link to a survey that Airstream, Inc is doing which is designed simply to identify the demographics, behavior and attitudes of Airstream owners. I was really impressed with their desire to keep learning about their clients and their attitude to constantly make Airstreams better.

That's all for now but I will post more updates soon.

Have a great weekend.

Andy

[safari57]

This is all very positive Andy. It is nice to know that Airstream Inc are on board to some degree and recognize the significant value this Forum has added to all of us with our silver bullets. It would appear that there will be a mutual benefit to Airstream Inc and those of us on the Forum which is very good news.

Thanks for all your efforts. We do appreciate it.

Barry

[AirHog]

This has been a GREAT website for the New England Unit in building its membership and advertising all the fun we have in our unit.

Look forward to the updates and the continuing growth of Airstream members and meeting new friends. This website has been VERY informative to all in many different ways.

Thanks again!

Gail
New Membership-NEU (Region 1)

[azflycaster]

Great news. Good to hear that Airstream is going to promote the best Airstream site. It's a win-win thing.

Have you ever talked with anyone from the WBCCI?

[Mikethefixit]

Thanks Andy R
Wife and I were at AS in JC last month also on a Tuesday I think. Enjoyed our tour.Our Guide was Don who retired after50yrs(or is he) Im glad U had a great dialogue with AS .We found all the employees there warm and friendly and they take a lot of pride in thier work.We are still currently lookin and gettin closer we think.
Thanks Andy For what U do
Roger & MaryLou

[nohillgrish]

Andy,
It's a wise man that doesn't let bad history (experiences) dictate his future. Great job in opening the door to dialogue with AS. I don't see how this can be anything but positive for us all. As a WBCCI member, I hope that some day this relationship can be expanded to a "three legged stool". Imagine the future of AS if that could happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[87MH]

Originally Posted by Andy R

.....

Working with Airstream, Inc.
Earlier this month I went to Jackson Center to meet with Bob Wheeler (President & CEO) and Ben Owen (Marketing) of Airstream, Inc. It was a very nice meeting (long overdue) and we talked about how we can work together moving forward. For those of you who know the rocky history, we agree to leave the past in the past and to start fresh.....

Now, if you could just do the same thing with the WalleyBanger Association...

[markdoane]

I think I would hold their feet to the fire and see if they won't agree to support a "new owner" forum. Could have a Q&A section, a "quality and owner satisfaction" thread, and maybe a thread for new design ideas, and a thread to rate appliances and interior furnishings.

Then they wouldn't need to read the Vintage forums and the Rally forums and all the other stuff they don't care about. And we would have more access.

I think making them a "super vendor" (with concomitant responsibilities) would be a great customer relations move.

Sorely needed, especially with the reputatation of some of the dealers.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by Andy R

... It's been a long time since the software running our site was upgraded. Next week (tentativley planning for wednesday) I will upgrade the forum, photo gallery, classifieds, and review software. ...

What are the projected improvements associated with this upgrade? Everything appears to be working well now.

Tom

[Buzzy4]

Working with Airstream, Inc.


Airstream, Inc will also start to promote the forums in their monthly newsletters.

Andy[/quote]


What newsletter? I have bought two new Airstreams in the last 17 mo. and have never seen a newsletter. Is this something new; something that has to be subscribed to?

Ed

[TomW]

Originally Posted by Buzzy4

.. What newsletter? ...

Check this thread: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f224...ter-36152.html

Tom

[InsideOut]

Check out the Airstream, Inc. survey at the top of AirForums! (right below the google ads)

Cool!

Shari

[campadk]

I was a bit disappointed that I had to fight with the survey since I am Canadian. Did they forget about us? Tsk tsk!!!

Thankfully I was able to fool the survey with a zip code '11111' and didn't fill in the state field.

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by campadk

I was a bit disappointed that I had to fight with the survey since I am Canadian. Did they forget about us? Tsk tsk!!!

Thankfully I was able to fool the survey with a zip code '11111' and didn't fill in the state field.

They also had no selection for the SouthWest...

[InsideOut]

I found some minor faults with the survey itself too...but at least they are soliciting AirForums Members opinions! I choose to look at that positively...

Shari