The 2015 Ideas Thread

Now that we have the single most complained-about thing on mtvan pretty much nailed (checking that people are proper mission-ready couriers and/or courier companies before they get access to the site), we're looking for more ideas about how to make mtvan work better.

Suggestions could be a tech improvement, e.g. Please add the name and phone number of the bidder to the Offer Alerts for Vendors to save me the hassle of looking it up. Or: Please add a field for what the Vendor wants to pay to the Job Alerts. Or please write an Android App. Or: Please offer a GPS tracking page. Or: Please improve the POD sheet/Job Confirmation Sheet.

Or it could be more of a business idea, like: Why not charge 3 quid a week on Paypal instead of upfront fees for Pro. Or: How about offering a system to pay for courier work direct from the Vendor to the Courier?

What would you do if mtvan was your business, and you wanted to take it up a level?

Usual mtvan forum rules apply.

This site went down hill when you let c/e post the life style jobs, people pissed off at the wrong alerts, we need the correct checks done on new members, ins git and so on, clean up the crap! We also need checks on vendors, some posting on here who have been booted of Courier Exchange, change the site so phone up the vendors instead of applying on line then every one knows what going on! a few bits there to start with!

Telephone with bids, would be huge improvement.

Make this work - it never came to pass in 2014 and it was there when I joined back in 2013.

Maybe an opt in and out or check box. This way only people who want these jobs are alerted.

Nottingham & Derby Couriers said:

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Maybe an opt in and out or check box. This way only people who want these jobs are alerted.

This was meant to refer to retail jobs

MAYBE A ANDRIOD APP , BIDDING BY PHONE, AND MORE JOB POSTINGS OF PROPER COURIER WORK.

BIDDING BY PHONE

Telephone with bids, would be huge improvement.

change the site so phone up the vendors instead of applying on line

Is there anything to stop you calling the Vendor using the phone number given in the txt alert/email alert/app?

MORE JOB POSTINGS OF PROPER COURIER WORK

Any suggestions as to how to make this happen?

Maybe an opt in and out or check box. This way only people who want these jobs are alerted.

I definitely like this idea.

You can, of course, ask not to be alerted about types of work (e.g. Retail). Not that there has been any Retail work on here for months and months.

Notify me of replies to this thread (coming soon).

Yes, I think this would be a good way of bringing people back to the forum several times a day.

I think the pro badge on the directory would be useful. When is the new directory going live?

Allowing email addresses on profiles.

There needs to be more "job types" when posting work, ie, "next day" "multidrop"

There is a tick box for "wait and return" but it doesn't appear in job alerts.

More detail on the delivery note, ie, signed and timed on collection as sometimes the delivery point is the customer.

More to follow.

Job alerts should also be sent to members whose base post code is near the delivery point.

A live chat room for general chit chat for members only.

mtvan.com Ltd said:

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MORE JOB POSTINGS OF PROPER COURIER WORK

Any suggestions as to how to make this happen?

There are members on here that are prolific posters of work on Courier Exchange but don't bother to post on here because of poor response.

It has been said before, chicken & egg, you don't post the work you don't attract Pro members. You don't attract Pro members, you don't get bids. I have been posting work for 10 years now and have not given up!

I am convinced that if we all work together this site could be bigger & better than Courier Exchange.

Over 150 jobs posted on Courier Exchange today for my area alone! We have a long way to go Steve, I would like to see this site as the leader aswell, as I started out on here, i think mtvan needs to give free membership for a few months to grow the numbers,its just not worth paying at the moment,its a expensive forum. but must vet the subbies and vendors ,to get the quality needed,

ILKLEY EXPRESS said:

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Over 150 jobs posted on Courier Exchange today for my area alone! We have a long way to go Steve, I would like to see this site as the leader aswell, as I started out on here, i think mtvan needs to give free membership for a few months to grow the numbers,its just not worth paying at the moment,its a expensive forum. but must vet the subbies and vendors ,to get the quality needed,

I Totally agree Bill.

mtvan.com Ltd said:

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MORE JOB POSTINGS OF PROPER COURIER WORK

Any suggestions as to how to make this happen?

MARKETING - plain and simple! Ive spoken to many courier companies who have NEVER HEARD of mtvan.

Admin NEED to employ someone to promote the site and tell vendors about it rather than waiting to be found on Google.

I personally have made these suggestions over and over again but like other members ideas,it seems they listen but don't hear!

By the way Happy new year to all... YES this is my first visit since early December.

Disillusioned by the way the site has gone ...You know where i am if im needed

G

First of all for mtvan to be nearly as good as courier exchange they need to get the courier work page so its not being flooded with the argos silly jobs. mtvan you picked up on most of my comments on the forum but skipped over the android app suggestion, theres alot of drivers like me who don't get a look in on some off the work as lot of vendors ring direct, (i have an ipad but app never comes up to say its tracking i have mess you about this but no reply.

maybe a bit of a promotion work would help with lack of work on here or if you get certain number of drivers in an area target that area and promote it . maybe offer vendors a better rate if they can offer the site certain number of job posts.

1. An android app would help. Money is tight. I can't afford an iphone. 2. Copy what works, ie, look at other exchange sites and copy the best bits.

DROP THE PRICE OF PRO until you get the vendors posting more work on here.

I posted 468 jobs on Courier Exchange in the last 9 months and have sold them all within 10 minutes. I can check there feedback quick & easy because i dont want numptys doing the work. I also have tried posting on here before and had very little response ( SADLY ) But i will try again. Would be easier if i could post and allocate and check their feedback as quick on here.

Useful feedback so far, thanks very much to all. More please!

Would be easier if i could post and allocate and check their feedback as quick on here.

Can you give us a little more detail, please?

The allocation, I know needs to be by name not/as well as by id number to make it easier. Anything else?

The posting work has a choice of "quick and easy" or "detailed", and there's a how-to video. What else does it need? Or what is unnecessary?

The feedback link is in the panel in the top right hand corner of the member's profile. Is there more needed?

Members should get reputation points for work allocated to them, not just for bidding. You can bid all day at silly prices to build up your Rep!

Simply by typing in there ID number it comes up with the 3 options would / maybe / wouldn't use again. If i see a wouldnt use again by 1 person they would not be doing my job. Also its so easy to allocate jobs to Courier Exchange drivers.

Also its so easy to allocate jobs to Courier Exchange drivers.

You have the advantage of having used it :)

I agree the allocation on mtvan makes you work hard, requiring you to know the member ID.

mtvan.com Ltd said:

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Also its so easy to allocate jobs to Courier Exchange drivers.

You have the advantage of having used it :)

I agree the allocation on mtvan makes you work hard, requiring you to know the member ID.

By simplifying things it might make more people post jobs on it :)

DROP THE PRICE OF PRO until you get the vendors posting more work on here.

I must say, I think the amount we are charging could be a barrier for some people, given the amount of work, especially in some areas. Payment by instalments instead of in a lump upfront is also something I'm looking at.

Of course Vendors can post work even as Free members.

I must confess i dont how much it costs to go PRO, But i dont buy loads anyway so FREE suits me fine. However if you could maybe do a copy / version of Courier Exchange you would probably have a lot more larger vendors on here.

a copy / version of Courier Exchange

Obviously I'd never actually copy anyone's software, and in any case I don't have access to it.

What I am interested in is your list of "must haves" that we don't currently have, for you and other larger vendors to go for it.

Basically, we're a freight exchange for courier work, you can post work, which gets txt/email/app alerted with your phone number, you can allocate the job to a courier who we have spoken to when he joined, you can read his feedback, he can print a paper POD/job confirmation, he can add POB & POD info, you can track him on an iPhone app, and see his insurance declaration, and there are tools for invoicing and/or self-billing.

So I think we have the basics. Fully accept some of it may need tuning to make it easier or work better, and that's what this thread is trying to thrash out with your help.

If it were me I would be sending sales and marketing stuff to courier companies. "Join mtvan free 3 month trial" Once you get courier companies on board you've started the chicken and egg. There needs to be an incentive to post work. Normally the incentive is so you cover the work but as that's unlikely at the mo there needs to be another way of getting vendors to post. How about free membership to those that post 20 jobs a week?

Speed Couriers Nationwide Ltd said:

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If it were me I would be sending sales and marketing stuff to courier companies. "Join mtvan free 3 month trial" Once you get courier companies on board you've started the chicken and egg. There needs to be an incentive to post work. Normally the incentive is so you cover the work but as that's unlikely at the mo there needs to be another way of getting vendors to post. How about free membership to those that post 20 jobs a week?

Good idea Rob, you have to get people posting jobs otherwise the site offers no more than an expensive forum.

A app for windows phones Please

JKL Courier said:

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A app for windows phones Please

I know a very clever app developer who would help..

I am convinced that if we all work together this site could be bigger & better than Courier Exchange. Now that would be nice.

Glad I got this topic to be confronted. Not out to pee people off (TIM) but this could be a much better site with thought and imagination.. Shame you closed my topic grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I think the app needs to be updated. Since the update for iphone has come about, i can't get the app to work. When i try to update my status, it just freezes and then i can do anything with it. I think an android app is needed also, which has been said on numurous occassions, but still no android app

mtvan.com Ltd said:

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MORE JOB POSTINGS OF PROPER COURIER WORK

Any suggestions as to how to make this happen?

Sure

Business plan alert:

Spam every source of courier you can find placing/highlighting an offer

The offer is free membership to any company or sole trader who posts up work beyond the 10th load . The membership is instant and theres a time frame to achieve the load count otherwise the free membership lapses . Stick to low numbers and realistic time frames and sure enough its now in the individuals interest to post up work.

Now slash the cost to join. None of this per month nonsense, a 6 or 12 month rolling membership at a price of a couple of hundred quid at most. An increase in membership will bring in a higher return rather than hoping on the elitist . Think of it as the 1 pence off millions method rather than a grand off a handful .

Get a better platform rather than the present guise . You want clear topics and ease of finding stuff as the platform here looks out of the dark ages , just something as simple as CODForum will do . You could easily link this off the main page and its not expensive .

With an easier assessable forum it will be easier to generally chat about stuff . Stickys will envelope subsections for van choice , work type , mpg , suspect companys etc etc . Choose respected people on here to moderate these sections piggybacking off free membership means you have an established membership already given . These people will by-proxy drag associates here and further the membership and potential loads

got to go , stuff to do , to be continued

I am sure that admin must know what is expected. Surely they would have done their homework on how to set up and run a site like this. Many complaints were made about the expert and the damage being caused but was always being defended. Look at the result. If ya dont listen to your audience you get James Blunt instead of Ed Sheeran (whos an Halifax lad). There is a lot of experience and intelligence on here look after them.

East-Lancs Sameday Couriers Ltd said:

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I think the app needs to be updated. Since the update for iphone has come about, i can't get the app to work. When i try to update my status, it just freezes and then i can do anything with it. I think an android app is needed also, which has been said on numurous occassions, but still no android app

Yep same problem.. Admin never sorted it when the Ipad 8 froze... Gave up a few times..

Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

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East-Lancs Sameday Couriers Ltd said:

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I think the app needs to be updated. Since the update for iphone has come about, i can't get the app to work. When i try to update my status, it just freezes and then i can do anything with it. I think an android app is needed also, which has been said on numurous occassions, but still no android app

Yep same problem.. Admin never sorted it when the Ipad 8 froze... Gave up a few times..

I've just done the new Iphone update 8.1.3 but still the same problem. I've given up asking admin to sort this. I don't see the point in using the app if it doesn't work. Come on admin, get this problem sorted will you

I've just done the new Iphone update 8.1.3 but still the same problem.

It's the other way round. The update requires us to do some work on our app, which we're currently working on.

How interested are Vendors in tracking people using the app? (Some of you may have seen the tracking map on here).

mtvan.com Ltd said:

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I've just done the new Iphone update 8.1.3 but still the same problem.

It's the other way round. The update requires us to do some work on our app, which we're currently working on.

How interested are Vendors in tracking people using the app? (Some of you may have seen the tracking map on here).

I prefer to see where my goods are & it makes it easier for when the customer is on the phone for an update. The problem with it though, many could just switch it off anyway, which means i have to ring the driver. I've not seen the Tracking Map on here though. Please share

We would welcome your comments on this.

The map button is on the right hand side of the top line.

Note the way you can filter results to show only your Trusted people, so you can build your own subbie network on mtvan.

we need the correct checks done on new members, ins git and so on, clean up the crap!

Just in case anyone isn't aware, we have spoken to every new member for the whole of 2014/5, to talk to them about who they are and what they do, and what kind of insurance they have.

It's really clear on the website now that you can only join if you're "mission ready", i.e. a proper courier or courier co.

So the crap problem is behind us, I'd say.

From a vendors point of view, could we have a system whereby, if a member does not log in for a month he disappears from the directory until he logs back in?

mtvan.com Ltd said:

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we need the correct checks done on new members, ins git and so on, clean up the crap!

Just in case anyone isn't aware, we have spoken to every new member for the whole of 2014/5, to talk to them about who they are and what they do, and what kind of insurance they have.

It's really clear on the website now that you can only join if you're "mission ready", i.e. a proper courier or courier co.

So the crap problem is behind us, I'd say.

So the call goes something like this then...

Hi, is that 'We move any old crap that's been sold on eBay?' and 'You have courier insurance then?'

Hey ho, new member.

Unless more stringent checks are in place with copies of insurance uploaded for all to see you'll never stop the muppets.

Could I suggest one improvement, when notifying couriers of work available, could you notify them of RELEVANT jobs?

Most of the notifications I get are either for a larger van or lorry, or are at the wrong end of the country or too far away to get to for pick up

Is this a wind up? A typo perhaps as surely you meant the 2005 ideas thread..

Is that you Tim as something sounds diferent here. Has there been any changes in ownership or management at mtvan?

On a personal resentment note -

Are we allowed to mention the android app now without having our posts deleted after being patronised by a "website admin" (who then edits his posts after deleting ours so as to appear less moronic) and then being suspended from the forum and being warned to never make reference to the event.

The "website admin" who claimed that android users are insignificant and that if we wanted to use the site then we should go and buy an iPhone as they don't cost that much.

The "website admin" that said that even if you thought an android app was necessary, you couldn't afford to develop one as you are only a "start up". Over a decade trading and still a start up! I could think of better descriptions.

On a serious business note -

Sorry to say it but you are flogging a dead horse. The whole business model for this site (and industry) is defunct.

Charging monthly subscriptions for access to the scraps of the middlemen and brokers of a dying industry in its traditional closed shop format..

The future called - you weren't available. Perhaps you were busy counting your unlimited resources as unfortunately you will need them if you persist with this format.

Nothing personal but there is only so long that one can bite ones tongue.

A move efficient process where jobs are taken off the system that have expired - nothing more annoying for a busy courier travelling through different region's and old jobs start popping up on your phone!

Of course what I meant to say was that if I was paying to use this site as a source of income, it would be somewhat worrying that the owner suddenly pops up with a series of basic questions and strange admissions - basically saying that the site does not work and is hard to use.

He then asks how can he generate more work and even "what should I charge". Sound familiar?

Lowly owner drivers get ripped apart for coming on here with questions like these.

This is not a new site. It has been around a LONG time. The only sites I remember using before mtvan are Courier Exchange and Loadup.

Tim (if it is you as you haven't identified yourself) you have value in your directory and database. It is very well indexed - if you type iDeliver in to Google my mtvan listing comes top of the page. I have had more work from public enquiries via that route than I have from jobs on here. One job in six months for the record and that was a direct approach, not a bid. (Thanks Steve).

The direction that you take the site in? I should not have commented and i apologise for doing so. I do know however that advice on running your business should not come from your paying customers and should not be done in public.

Anyway, my 6 months free runs out next week so I guess this is goodbye.

Be lucky everyone : )

Viva La Evolution!

more stringent checks

The telephone calls are to weed out people "just doing research at the moment", people who think they can fit it in around a full time job to help pay the bills, dreamers who are thinking of doing it in the family car as a lifestyle thing, people who are "just getting some insurance quotes right now, and, er, who can you recommend" and so on. Actually we refuse quite a few, but in reality most people weed themselves out either by not applying in the first place (compared to the old days) or not answering the phone when we call them. We're not trying to do a kind of courier-CRB check, as that's unrealistic whatever anyone says, we're simply trying to stop Vendors' time being wasted when they contact members who are not ready for work/not really couriers etc. We've been doing this for over a year now.

if a member does not log in for a month he disappears from the directory until he logs back in

We do already doing this, but we allow a longer period as we think it's a bit more realistic.

when notifying couriers of work available, could you notify them of RELEVANT jobs?

GeeGee, your alert settings are set to "do not specify vehicle types" and radius 101 miles, so some of the work alerted will be irrelevant to you, I expect. You can fix that here.

Is that you Tim as something sounds diferent here.

Same Tim Gilbert here, always happy to talk in public about how to improve mtvan, not least because when people complain it's usually in public on here, so why not?

advice on running your business should not come from your paying customers

Here I completely disagree with you. Paying and not-paying-yet customers are the very people who every business should be talking to, aren't they? For example our paying customers said "too many non-couriers on here", so we worked hard for over a year to do something about it. Now we're asking "what else can we do for you?"

Android

Sorry is all I can say. It's a big job. Most Android phones have a good browser to use mtvan.

hard to use

I said the Allocation was hard to use, because you have to know the Member id of the courier you are allocating to. Quite a small detail, but annoying. I think generally the site is easy to use, but I was asking if there was anything else people found hard, and still am asking that.

A more efficient process where jobs are taken off the system that have expired

Thanks for this. Personally I think every job should have an expiry date after which it is not shown.

Charging monthly subscriptions for access to the scraps of the middlemen and brokers of a dying industry in its traditional closed shop format..

Not sure that the No1 site in the UK for exchanging courier work would agree with you there. However, I do agree with you that the industry is changing, and needs to get slimmer and more efficient, and I've always said that to serve the courier industry of the future mtvan needs to be more than a work exchange. For example (and I think this is what the 100s of people who login every day already think) it can be a recruitment tool for adding new people to your own subbie or customer network, it can be an invoicing system, it can be a tracking system, it can be a source of information, it can be a well-indexed (i.e. top of Google search results) webpage to attract new business, and so on. It can be a tool to run your courier business on in fact.

I guess this is goodbye

There's no need to go, as you can use most of the site as a free member.

I've not seen the Tracking Map on here though. Please share

Please share your feedback on the tracking directory.

I think the pro badge on the directory would be useful. When is the new directory going live?

Allowing email addresses on profiles.

There needs to be more "job types" when posting work, ie, "next day" "multidrop"

There is a tick box for "wait and return" but it doesn't appear in job alerts.

More detail on the delivery note, ie, signed and timed on collection as sometimes the delivery point is the customer.

All good suggestions, thanks. Feel free to email me precisely what you'd like on the POD pdf. tim@mtvan.com

copies of insurance uploaded

M&P, feel free to upload your own insurance here.

And confirm your postal address here.

Many Vendors won't call you unless those two things show on your Profile.

copies of insurance uploaded

M&P, feel free to upload your own insurance here. And confirm your postal address here. Many Vendors won't call you unless those two things show on your Profile.

Not worked for me yet.................................

I've not seen the Tracking Map on here though. Please share

Please share your feedback on the tracking directory.

How do you access the "tracking directory" without clicking this link.. It then goes to say "courier directory"

Which is different to the one on menu bar..

Confused... com

How do you access the "tracking directory" without clicking this link.. It then goes to say "courier directory"

At the moment, you don't. It's a prototype. We're asking for feedback before putting it on the menu.

Would be good to have a map for tracking only seperate from the directory. But the directory does look good tho

Would be good to have a map for tracking only seperate from the directory. But the directory does look good tho

Thanks for the feedback.

We have in mind to add a filter for "Tracking" so you can use it separately from the rest of the directory, just as you can add a tick to the Trusted box, and see only your Trusted members.

mtvan.com Ltd said:

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How do you access the "tracking directory" without clicking this link.. It then goes to say "courier directory"

At the moment, you don't. It's a prototype. We're asking for feedback before putting it on the menu.

It definitely needs the Pro badge next to the member so We can see without having to click on to the profile.

mtvan.com Ltd said:

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I think the pro badge on the directory would be useful. When is the new directory going live?

Allowing email addresses on profiles.

There needs to be more "job types" when posting work, ie, "next day" "multidrop"

There is a tick box for "wait and return" but it doesn't appear in job alerts.

More detail on the delivery note, ie, signed and timed on collection as sometimes the delivery point is the customer.

All good suggestions, thanks. Feel free to email me precisely what you'd like on the POD pdf. Tim@mtvan.com

Just the same as delivery but for collection. Signed, print, time, date.

"GeeGee, your alert settings are set to "do not specify vehicle types" and radius 101 miles, so some of the work alerted will be irrelevant to you, I expect. You can fix that here."

Tried that Tim TWICE and still getting irrelevant posts!

Did you click the green "Save" button before leaving the page?

Certainly did, both times. Since doing that first thing this morning I have had at least four notifications, one being for a 7.5 ton lorry

My point is, the settings are still the same.

I'll try changing them for you, if that's ok with you, to check it's working ok.

mtvan.com Ltd said:

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DROP THE PRICE OF PRO until you get the vendors posting more work on here.

I must say, I think the amount we are charging could be a barrier for some people, given the amount of work, especially in some areas. Payment by instalments instead of in a lump upfront is also something I'm looking at.

Of course Vendors can post work even as Free members.

I don't think that makes a lot of sense as you can post jobs without being a pro member

The biggest drawback for vendors is the total lack of response

Ive said it before the site needs a proper r/j page the current one is totally useless which is why there is rarely more than 2/3 vehicles ever showing on there ...there should be a direct link to an r/j page at the top of the page along with all the other links... Empty vehicles are what VENDORS are looking for... No vehicles... No vendors

Anything about an Android app? Most people I know use Samsungs rather than iphone

The main problem as mentioned by lots of people is that as a vendor I get no bids on the bulk of work posted so why bother, a 270 mile job this morning and no interest, put on courier exchange and sold within a minute.

It's also frustrating when you are asking for suggestions after I've made loads of them with no response at all

Feedback

Backloads

GPS Tracking

These are just the last 3 but there are many many many more

PS This forum is crap, just install one of the many FREE ones that are available

Believe me Preston if it had been in my area it would have been of interest to me. Not the forum that's crap its the lack of work that's frustrating, and when the site says its the number 2 site ( such a negative thing to say in the first place) then the gap between first and second is absolutely huge.

The trouble with the forum is that everything is listed as one rather than seperated into different ones

Most forum software comes with an option to view new posts, subscribe to topics

It uses non standard ways of using links and images, formatting etc etc

A decent user friendly forum would attract more visits and therefore more users and therefore more signups.

OK more...

Given that a lot of people will be using the site on their mobile you need to have seperate pages for them to make the site easier to use. You can code it so that users are directed to it automatically.

EG

Preston Courier Company Ltd

Try that link in a web browser, then try it from a mobile device.

Note that a good mobile site + gps tracking negates the need to go and spend money on an android app.

Oh look no edit function another problem with the forum

Couldn't agree more Preston (apart from the Android that is) needs a lot to make it work, saying that some serious investment would make the site more attractive for posting/picking up loads. Take a look at the yellow one to see why