RV News On Line

Using the Internet
Consumers, the Internet and E-mail -
What's it all Mean to RV Companies?
In an effort to keep RV News' readers abreast of how RV companies can use the Internet, the editors have compiled information from the RV America On Line web site which might be useful. RV News believes that knowing how consumers are using the Internet to find answers to their questions will help companies decide whether or not there is a reason for them to plan their own Internet presence. RV America is a sister company to RV News, and one of the things that we have discovered is Internet visitors come searching for information, in some cases, very specific information. It could be that they have been unable to find the particular RV they want in their local community and use the Internet's e-mail system to seek help from other parts of the country. Another thing we have discovered is that Internet users like the speed and convenience of e-mail.
This month we focus on e-mail and how consumers depend on it to find answers to questions or to express opinions and ideas. One of the features of RV America is the "Guest Book." Visitors are invited to sign the guest book and many do - and of those, quite a few leave comments. In the first section of this report, we review the comments, unsolicited comments, that visitors express about the RV America web site itself. We use this information as a gauge to how well we are doing as far as meeting the expectations of consumers who are using the world wide web to find information about RVing.
Also, we refer you to a sampling a service RV America offers, called the Bulletin Board. This is where consumers who are looking for specific information turn to help them find answers. After the e-mail is received, RV America posts the question on line to the Bulletin Board, allowing other visitors including industry professionals to offer advice and/or solutions by answering the questions and e-mailing the responses directly to the person seeking information via an on line e-mail form.

RV News' readers can learn from reviewing these messages what potential the Internet has for their company, as well as get a feeling for the kinds of people who are using the Internet to find RV information.

Editors Note: For more information on the Internet and/or RV America and RV News call Steve Koehn at RV News (602) 839-8130 or he can be contacted via e-mail at:steve@rvamerica.com

The Guest Book
RV America's E-Mail Bag
What people are saying about RV America
The following messages were left in the Guest Book on the RV America On Line web site. It gives an indication of the kinds of people visiting the RV America site and what they think of it.

Hugh T. Mitchell, Jr. 
Arlington, TX 76011-3206  
Email = imt@airmail.net 
Comments = Thanks for allowing me to browse. By 
the way, while I was camping in  Europe, I found some 
very elaborate campgrounds. Where are the  top 50 
fanciest, nicest, campgrounds in America?

Bachellier Hamilton
Ontario Canada
Email = bachell@maple.net
Comments = Enjoyed my visit & learned that 
Airstream make a Fifth wheel which we would 
like more info on.

Doug  Stewart
Acton ,CA, USA
Email  =  stew@ptw.com
Comments  =  Good Show, Folks

Larry M. Reese
Beaumont, Texas  USA
Email = lreese@sat.net
Comments = Finally a real place for the RVer.  
Thanks and keep working. . .

Len Harris
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Email = lnharris@mbnet.mb.ca
Comments = I have enjoyed your information 
and hope to continue to check this location 
in the future.

Philip M. Meyer 
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Email = msys@sc.net
Comments = Looking for used diesel pusher 
or new class c with diesel power

Steve & Barbara Hamilton 
Palmer, Alaska
Email = shamilton@lasertone.com
Comments = Great site!  We are RVers and 
love to read about and keep track of what's 
going on with RVing in the "lower 48".

 Christopher Russell
Las Vegas, NV USA
Email = incorp@assetprotect.com
Comments = I find this very interesting.  did not 
find many pictures, though.  
Chris Russell
Thanks

Hi
Signed in as guest while surfing.  Getting serious 
about an RV in 3-5 years.
Ed

Dick Landis
Port Townsend  Washington
Email = dlandis@olympus.net
Comments = I would like to know about RV sites 
attached or affiliated with golf courses.

Gordon Fake 
Fresno, CA
Email = gordonrf@valleynet.com
Comments = You have a ways to go, but it looks 
great.  I don't understand why no one has 
managed a good camp ground directory on 
the Web yet.  That would be a great service to me.   
have a home page and would be glad to have you 
add it to your list when you get around to it. My wife 
and children and I have been in 37 states and 4 
provinces of Canada so we have RV'ed a bit.  

Joseph Worrall
Fairbanks, AK USA
Email = 75303.625@compuserve.com
Comments = I am looking for Airstream. Do they 
still make trailers?  I would like to obtain a product 
brochure from Airstream.

Tom Rutigliano 
Wasilla, Alaska
Email = rutigliano@micronet.net
Comments = Keep up the good work.  I'm doing 
a bus conversion from a GM 4106 Greyhound 
tour bus.  
Tom

Ron Smith
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Email = ronsimth@wchat.on.ca
Comments = Any plans for incorporating 
information in Canada?

 Mike Smith
Hixson, TN
Email = tp1mike@aol.com
Comments = Looking for info on products 
for towing, camping etc.
 
Jose F. Pereira
San Jose, California, USA
Email = jpereira@sj-coop.net
Comments = I like your site.  It sure looks like 
you have quite a few selections of links.  
Keep up the good work.

mjm0958@ix.netcom.com 
(Michael J. Meadows)
This is a great site! We needed this to help 
our industry progress into the next century. 
I'm new at this, so if I can do this anyone can. 
I read your article today in RV News and I 
never thought about putting my 
e-mail address on my business cards. 
Maybe a new way to get contacts. 
After 11 years in the retail side of the 
business I thought I had seen everything. If 
there is anything I can do to help you, please 
do not hesitate to mail me. I'll be back in the future 
to see what's new. 
Thanks for a great job!
Mike.

Hollywood Lights, Inc.
Portland, Oregon   USA
Email = hlights@teleport.com
Comments = You have a nice site.  I am happy 
to see  additional RV web sites coming on line.  
We provide power to RV Rallies.  We will be doing a 
Good Sam Rally in Salem OR  and the Holiday Rambler 
Rally in Springfield Mass. this July.  Check my 
site: http://www.teleport.com/hlights

Ernie Rowland 
Shirley, NY  USA 
Email = SkinsMastr@aol.com
Comments = Excellent!!! I plan on coming back 
here with my wife to convince her that this is what 
we should do when I retire & get away and visit the 
rest of this great country of ours. Congrats and 
good luck! 
Ernie R.
RVN


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Most recent revision: June 1, 1996