Caveat emptor!

[PabloV8Haggis]

I wish forum users would just perhaps consider doing a little more research before posting the same questions that many before them have set! The use of the search engine on the forum would provide so much information, beats me why Matt went to so much trouble in providing such a feature!
I have no problems whatsoever of any newbies joining the fray with 10/20/50 towers, but they must/should/carry out a little bit more footwork before investing any cash as the title suggests Caveat emptor, we are seasoned operators waiting in the wings for newbies to fail so that we can purchase your towers at a vastly reduced rate. The websites they see fantastic sales from are fake news, don't take my word for it ask Donald!
Nothing wrong with making some money on the side however, you need to keep a full time job until established and need a significant amount of sites/towers to make a living from this business. Do your research!

[Siting Services]

Yes it’s good to research old threads but some are very old and out of date so I am of the line of thinking that questions should be asked from newbies and from all who are seeking help, advice or just want to network. All forums need input and it’s the new blood joining in which makes it an interesting place don’t you think so? We also want to welcome newbies to make them feel this is a place where they can come, have a question answered quickly and get to know the community.

Just my tuppence worth.

Barbara

[PabloV8Haggis]

Nothing sinister about the post, it was factual and very many of the posts available still ring true. Too many bushy eyed operators joining the business thinking they are going to hit really big time without researching before parting with money. You yourself have said many times how difficult it is to find sites for operators due to saturation. I would have thought a more productive and time saving post would be to let people know exactly how many operators are in an area, you know, nothing exact but a ball park figure and then they will know what they are up against. Hats of to Central for giving the heads up to the op!
I encourage competition but being honest, I just want them to know before the invest hard earned money on a venture that may, if they are resilient, turn negative.

My pennies worth!

[PabloV8Haggis]

Should read NOT resilient

[Snackmore]

I think that's one of the reasons those that have been on here for some years do not comment on posts as it as all been discussed before and we keep going over the same old same old.

I agree that people should not be scared to ask questions but agree do your blooming research first!

[PabloV8Haggis]

Hi Steve,
I thought that was the reason, been posting since 2014, just a different name. I appreciate questions from newbies however, some of the things asked are so basic and, they want to run a business (only some, not all), no wonder we have a high turnover of operators. Before the PC brigade jumps in, yes we all have to start somewhere and need the knowledge but, some people want to be spoon fed. To be in this line of business, you have to hit the ground running, think quickly on your feet, have a good database of answers in your head to appease many customers and, have the gift of the gab to get sites. If they cannot trawl a site like this for the answers, what can I say. That is why I put the long post which is now a sticky as it answers all the questions they seek.

I look forward to questions in the main as we are all on a learning curve and learn something new everyday.

Pablo

[vendingventure]

As a new member I'd say the welcoming and helpful way members of the forum answer questions is really useful.

There's plenty of information to be found already on the forum by reading through and using the search function but I've found lots of the answers are quite old and so not necessarily still accurate and sometimes the specifics are not available which are useful to someone who is evaluating whether it is worth investing to start a business.

Also I'd imagine sometimes people want to ask the questions themselves to get answers more specific to the way they are thinking and to build up a network of relationships with people already operating or otherwise connected to the industry.

Personally I've found the forum has a wealth of information and very helpful members.

[Siting Services]

I do agree with what is being said and yes using the search function is a good start but it's not for everyone. To make a forum 'worthwhile visiting' to new members and add value and to ensure we don't scare away any new members, my line of thinking is to welcome all questions as it feeds the community. The forum has been dead for some time now with just a few of us posting. I for one welcome the newbies as it gets us chatting and when newbies see we are a friendly bunch they will invest more time in coming here to ask and in time those very people will be the future givers to the newbies that join in the years to come.

When I helped run UKBF as a moderator for 8 years we had tens of thousands of members and I learnt a hell of a lot about how to build a forum and how to encourage new members to join in. This very aspect of 'repeat questions' came up quite often and even though the search facility, sticky threads etc were introduced we still encouraged newbies to ask away.

I know it may be boring for the established operators to repeat their answers but as we have all seen just in the last few years, vending has changed dramatically and old threads are just that, old threads and some bear no relevance in today's market. If I look back at some of by blogs, one of which boasted about getting 8 x B&Q shop floor sites in an hour's campaign .... today that would be impossible as B & Q after 20 years of having our towers have now thrown them all out.

This is my opinion, it's not for everyone, just call me an old softie and a person who doesn't mind taking a few minutes to reply to someone's question even though it's been asked several times before. If it wasn't for the last few newbies asking the questions we would not be communicating now.

Sermon over.

Kindest regards as always.

Barbara

[PabloV8Haggis]

Barbara, I think you have got your business hat on, you need the newbies more than anyone. I use the site for information to help me run my business however, I always keep getting pulled in as I am helpful in answering questions that can be so easily answered if people would take the time to use the search engine. The vast majority of questions that are requested, as Steve has outlined, have been answered many times before, so should be searched for. When I came into the business I answered many questions and went away and did research, after all, I was about to invest a significant amount of time, effort and money so therefore, it was important that I research, research, research!

If people are going to start a business purely on what is said on a forum they are taking one hell of a risk, I know that and you know that.

Steve flagged correctly that these days he looks at but does not respond to things that have been asked before, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. Yes, the forum is in place for information but, the answers are all here! I often go back and look to see if there is an answer to x, if I cannot find it then I ask a question! But come on, some of the questions asked are so basic/common sense that it makes me wonder if they really should be doing what they are contemplating.

I have said for sometime that this forum should be a subscription forum and would gladly pay for that, me wonders how many members we would have then, one thing for sure, if we paid we would use it for sure and, network better as the community would be closer for it. The information that newbies ask would never be an issue then because they are paying a small price for it. Look at the last year and, the effort/information that operators have provided to potential newbies or have gone/or never started. I think the forum is loosing its way on that. Perhaps, we should redefine the rules and ban direct business unless Matt is recompensed correctly, the site requires effort to manage/update after all!

So I guess I just might take a leaf out of Steve's book!

[Siting Services]

I'm all for the forum being subscription based or at least have a member's area where paid up members can post etc - that is not our decision to make it's Matt's. In my experience if you have given something for free then want to start charging then you will lose a lot of members, but on the other hand you will gain more new ones possibly who may want to pay to glean information. It's not an easy one to crack. An active forum attracts new blood and without new blood it's going backwards.

I am not sure what you mean by me having my 'business hat on'. I talk from my experience of being involved in business forums and the largest in the UK which has several thousand members, I was just merely sharing my 8 years of hard experience seeing how the big boys in forums work and passing that on to this community, you don't have to take it. I have always been one that gives help and for the many I speak to I don't do business with them, if I can help I do and it's not just vending I am involved with, vending is just one aspect of my business and I will carry on giving help and advice to whoever wants it if I can provide it. As with any forum, its the members that make it or break it.

Kind regards

Barbara