To the Future! (And Beyond)

[macgeek]

Lets start talking about the New SEG and what we would like to see.
(Carla, get out your notebook!)

:)

First thing I would love to see is communication.

The last mile is a GREAT start to that, there should be a rallying point
where events (just like the post about the NYC/NYS law) can be posted and
information what Gliders can do to help.

There should be a PROTECTED Database were ALL segway owners who opt in can contact other segway owners.

Events calender

Glide meets (post a glide meet in a NY section all opt in get a notice)

Dealer discounts

Tour database (I saw Segway, inc is doing something already like that!)

International information

Flying updates (Legalities / segway friendly airlines)

Fest Location voting / volenteering

Factory tours / visits (Segway day) (Fest in NH was one of my best memories)

Ticket to Glide events! - Help Us, get more people to glide
a RV with 6 segways - with public demos. travel the country.

Police activities - Let police depts speak to gliders and get insights

Tech support; How DO get that tire off.. you have a resource of people
who would love to help.

Glide Pride - Took my segway to Hawaii here is the glide pride picture of the week.

(more)

To The Future!
http://img.blogads.com/593194459/img.gif

Jonathan

[pam]

Wow,, Jon, I can see you've been thinking of these things. And I agree, INC is much more likely to see this kind of thing through than an organization with 200 or so members nationwide. (Can't say that's 4 per state, not with California <G>)

Pam

[Sal]

Impressive list to be sure.

Many of them require a just little bit of research and an update to a website to begin. Many are mere "official" references that can be placed online in a single repository that Segway users can and should be privy to.

I'm looking forward to INC's involvement in the user community.

-Sal

[wwhopper]

In our discussions with the powers that be at Inc about a new Segway Enthusiast Group. I know they are looking for Segway owners (not just the ones that have been active in SA in the past) but enthusiasts that want to participate and give their input and work towards the goal.

Some of us who have been active, need to take a few steps back and let others get up front to provide their input on what they would like to see and get out of an international users group.

Jon, great to see the Seg Club creative juices are still very much flowing up there in Brooklyn!

[hellphish]

Good list, Jon.

I'm wondering about tech support though. I doubt Segway Inc is going to show users how to subvert their dealer/service network.

[4rmgt]

Jon,

That is awesome. I really think the protected database is a huge one. I can only imagine how many fellow gliders I could find in the area. When we head out together for just friendly glides, it attracts attention. I can't think of better ambassadors than OWNERS/USERS of segways.

It is different if WE are the ones talking to people rather than just employees of Inc. Because we are walking, breathing, and gliding testimonials.

Nice list! I hope at least some become reality. If I can help, let me know.

[BringOnI2]

Tour database (I saw Segway, inc is doing something already like that!)

International information

Flying updates (Legalities / segway friendly airlines)

...

Tech support; How DO get that tire off.. you have a resource of people
who would love to help.



I can definitely see that in the form of a wiki that only members can edit, but is viewable by the general public.

[gbrandwood]

How about:

(struggling here - Jon, your list is mighty fine)

sample letters, templates, business cards, etc. for helping people get the segway approved in their areas.
"Ask INC"
Segway FAQs
Extensive links to other websites
Segway records / challenges
Segway myths
Comebacks 101s
Member photos

[Rebooter]

How about:

(struggling here - Jon, your list is mighty fine)


Member photos

Yeah - Great List Jon!! one thing to add, I want my pictures of Robyn back on site-and have I got a great picture for all you red-blooded males!! (just ask Nickyboy!)

Jeff

[polo_pro]

I do want to point out that my local segway dealer feels legally bound not to share any customer information with anyone. That said, he's readily pointed fellow gliders interested in polo to me. But I doubt he'd ever send out a mass mailing, mainly because as a car dealership he clearly knows how much he can pester his customers before he's broken the law.

My point in saying this is Segway INC may have been bound by similar laws. Also, we need to keep our expectations in check. Few of us can appreciate how businesses might be restricted in interacting with their customer. And Segway INC may not be able to do a whole lot to increase membership even when they've taken over SegAmerica (or whatever new org takes its place).

Perhaps JohnM might be able to discuss the matter...I don't know if his broad knowledge base would include somthing like this.

ps - Many customers wouldn't dream of giving personal information to a manufacturer for fear of being pestered by that company for years to come. "Buy the new model", "New upgrades" or "What about getting this accessory?" junk mail is already flooding their mailbox and email box from dozens of other manufacturers. That said, I fully appreciate why it's useful to be well connected to the segway community besides recalls or warranty repairs. The wealth of knowledge alone makes it worthwhile (but I really like to see the new ways people use their segway just as much)!

[macgeek]

I do want to point out that my local segway dealer feels legally bound not to share any customer information with anyone. That said, he's readily pointed fellow gliders interested in polo to me. But I doubt he'd ever send out a mass mailing, mainly because as a car dealership he clearly knows how much he can pester his customers before he's broken the law.

My point in saying this is Segway INC may have been bound by similar laws. Also, we need to keep our expectations in check. Few of us can appreciate how businesses might be restricted in interacting with their customer. And Segway INC may not be able to do a whole lot to increase membership even when they've taken over SegAmerica (or whatever new org takes its place).

Perhaps JohnM might be able to discuss the matter...I don't know if his broad knowledge base would include somthing like this.

ps - Many customers wouldn't dream of giving personal information to a manufacturer for fear of being pestered by that company for years to come. "Buy the new model", "New upgrades" or "What about getting this accessory?" junk mail is already flooding their mailbox and email box from dozens of other manufacturers. That said, I fully appreciate why it's useful to be well connected to the segway community besides recalls or warranty repairs. The wealth of knowledge alone makes it worthwhile (but I really like to see the new ways people use their segway just as much)!

As I said its a "opt in" to be contacted by other segway users.
when they fill out there registration, a simple check box
don't click it, nobody bothers you, clicked it get emails,
changed your mind? unclick it nobody bothers you.

Jonathan

[Stan671]

One thing we discovered while running SEG America is that having Email as the primary means to contacting the members does not work very well. People seem to change thier EMail addresses as often as thier socks and our member database got stale really fast.

The number of undeliverable EMails from each mailing was always a major pain. If I used one Emailing method, I would not hear back about undeliverables which is nice, but then I have no idea how bad it is. Using another bulk Email method would return all of the undeliverable messages. But then that produces a lot of work to go through them and decide how to handle them.

Also, most people get so much junk mail, that stuff from SA can get lost. Or, the Email can get stuck in an spam filter.

I think that Snail mail should be the method used to inform the members of important stuff. People don't move that often. And a letter or postcard from the club is much more likely to get noticed and acted upon.

Also, some of our members were just not technical and don't use Email or the web.

[byped]

-- dedicated, scheduled corporate participation - e.g. Segchat once a ...year, quarter...month?

[4rmgt]

Stan,

Did you ever look into using an online mail system that handles and tracks all of those bounces for you, such as iContact?

[Stan671]

Yes, Ryan, we did look into stuff like that. We also looking into tracking options to see how many of the EMails actually got opened and read and which links were clicked on. Never got the chance to actually implement anything, though.

The thing is that its not just a Emailing list we have, but a membership list. We would need a tie-in between the EMailer and the membership system. But we cannot just drop a paid member because his Email address stops working. I was manually dropping old expired members when thier Emails got returned.