NEW Survey software - help us test

[Steve St.Laurent]

We are continually working to add new products/features to both the magazine and the website that provide members with the best information possible. One of the features we have added to the website is software that allows us to survey members on a real-time basis.



We have located a survey package that we believe will satisfy our needs. But, before we spend too much time customizing the software, we thought a "test" survey would be appropriate. Long term, we plan to use this tool to gauge your interest in new products/services, check how we are doing with the website as well as magazine, ask for direction, etc.



As long as we're surveying you, we thought it would be fun to compile some of the data the members ask about (i. e. favorite truck color, favorite transmission, etc. ). We can finally determine (statistically, that is) what truck configuration/look is really the most popular.



The following survey is being used as a "test" only. We would appreciate your taking a few minutes to complete this survey for us. We'll share the results of the survey with you as soon as possible.



Thank you, in advance, for your support of the Turbo Diesel Register.



<center><font size="+2"><b>**** MEMBERS ONLY - CLICK HERE ****</font>



Use your forum id and password for access. </b></center>



-Steve St. Laurent

Webmaster

 

[formula]

Gotta love that 1000+ horsepower option



SP

 

[csevers]

formula that is so they can test the BS meter

 

[formula]

"BS meter" I like that one

Is someone running a 6C8. 3? OK, maybe not



SP

 

[benhall]

Idea

Steve,



Good survey! I would only change one thing on it, and that was in the miles block. I ran out of room while trying to type "Me-0, Dad-8,000".



Ben

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Looks well thought out.

(Addition of work/play , work , play would work well too. )

 

[MLee]

forum

Steve:

you guys as moderators are doing a good job. the vast improvements that you have put in the TDR with new server is great. it seems to be running like a well tunned CTD should be, with new muffler bearings.

Thanks

Marv.

 

[DuallyDean]

multiple trucks

Steve--



Nice test survey.



Got a problem though. I own 2 CTDs, and I hate to play favorites--so I took the survey twice. Can the software handle being set up to do this survey with 2 (or more) trucks concurrently? Can it refuse to allow a user to repetedly take the same survey (stacking the deck)?



These might be important considerations depending on the type of survey being administered.



Great job on the website, thanks for all the hard work!



-Dean

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Right now there is nothing stopping someone from doing the survey more than once. I'm going to be working on the code and tieing it into the user database on the forums to do that though. We wanted to test it out and make sure it would work before I spent time customizing it.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Thanks for the excellent response thus far! One of the reasons for this poll was for us to learn the intricacies of the survey software. We have learned that having text entry fields will not work. Because of this we will not be able to report on some of the questions. On other ones we will have to manually tally some of the results. The reason is on the questions that had a blank entry field there was a wide variation in how people answered the questions. For example, on the yearly mileage questions we had answers ranging from 3 miles up through 80,000 miles. Somehow I doubt anyone is planning on putting 3 miles on their truck in the next year! We had many responses in the single digit range, a bunch in the double digit range (less than 100 miles), etc. What we've learned from this is that we need to keep the questions to radio button, check box, range, etc.



We're certainly learning some interesting information from this. For one, the members are predominantly male (98. 5%) - BIG SUPRISE ! Based on that information I asked Robin if we could start having models posing on the trucks in the magazine? She said since one of the owners was a female that wasn't gonna fly ! Oh well, I tried guys :{. It looks like Dodge and Cummins have hit the nail on the head with the new '03 based on the results that 45. 1% of respondents said they'd replace their truck with an '03 if their truck was totaled and only 65. 1% of the respondents said they bought their current truck new. Also, 72. 5% said they estimate their trucks have under 300 hp.



Enjoy these preliminary results and we will publish all the results when we close the survey in a few weeks. Thanks again for your responses!



-Steve St. Laurent

Webmaster



<center>Click here for preliminary results</center>

 

[Doc Tinker]

What's the free gift we get for filling out the survey?







Doc

 

[shendren]

i would really liked to have had the option to express how dissatisfied i am with the dodge portion of the truck and how happy i am with the cummins. the dodge portion is a p. o. s... ..... leaks, brakes, noise, underdesigned front end, etc... ... .

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I kinda thought that's what question #11 would cover on interior and durability - those are truck related, not engine related.

 

[dseabaugh]

From the discussions I've had with others and in my own opinion the only reason everyone says they would replace with a '03 model is because on all prior straight from the factory models the track bars are junk, the brakes are junk, the trans have weak components, the lift pumps are worse than junk, the headlights are weaker than candles and the the vp pumps are not any better. There is a general consensus of hope the '03 has addressed all these problems and the increased HP without having to bomb to have enough power to pull a rabbit out of a hat. . It is not because of the warranty which we see will be ignored, denied and voided at will and it certainly is not because it is a Dodge with it vast network of Servicing dealers. ; everyone I talk to says they prefer the Ford body but the Cummins motor is why they buy the truck. You need a survey listing all the different reason why we would prefer to buy whatever truck we would prefer to buy.

 

[ladyjaine]

Models

Originally posted by Steve St. Laurent

We're certainly learning some interesting information from this. For one, the members are predominantly male (98. 5%) - BIG SUPRISE ! Based on that information I asked Robin if we could start having models posing on the trucks in the magazine? She said since one of the owners was a female that wasn't gonna fly ! Oh well, I tried guys :{.

-Steve St. Laurent

Webmaster

I'm so used to seeing models on the covers of magazines that I'm interested in that it would make zip difference to me if you put some sweet young thing on the cover. Just make sure that once a year, the sweet young thing is male.



Jean

 

[phoekema]

a suggestion

Steve,

I write computer software for a living and have a comment/suggestion re: the problems you are having with some of the fields on the survey. I have found it to be very helpful, when there may be different ways of entering information in a field, to make a note or comment on the screen explaining what kind of format you expect. For example in a field where the number of miles are entered, add a note something like: "please enter in thousands of miles without punctuation" or something similar.

I have found out too that no matter how hard you try to be specific or explain clearly, there are always those who apparently don't read instructions/notes. Most people, however, do read the notes and try to conform.

Just an idea. I would like to add my thanks for all the work that you put into this "list". Many do not realize how many hours get poured into this type of project - keep up the great work!!!!



Paul Hoekema

Hoekema Consulting

 

[MLee]

servay

Steve;

could it be the way the question of HP was asked for the low numbers? of under 300HP? is it possible that there were so many of the respondents that said under 300HP were figuring RWH???? this is mostly the way the TDR refers to horse power on our trucks. specially if you have been DYNO'D, course, if you talk face to face, its what will float. if you have the podium, guess that you can stretch the the reality a little. maybe thats the reason most truck drivers have brown eyes------.



just my penny's worth.

Marv.

 

[kevincook]

I am looking forward the seeing the results from the survey!



KC

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Kevin - you can see the results on most of the questions thus far at https://www.turbodieselregister.com/phpESP/prelim_results.phtml .

 

[kevincook]

Originally posted by Steve St. Laurent

Kevin - you can see the results on most of the questions thus far at https://www.turbodieselregister.com/phpESP/prelim_results.phtml .

Thanks!!



KC