[TeamCaffee]

We have a Expo geared towards our way of making a living once a year. During this event we have access to vendors who specialize in Expediting and we have access to many colleagues. How can we afford to miss out on this during these hard times?

The Expo is very seldom truck stop talk or who can one up the other on the oddest load hauled for the most money.

We have found the Expo to be one HUGE group of expediters from all companies more then willing to share information and ideas with each other. We have enjoyed many laughs and also sad moments at the Expo but we have never left not feeling our life was enriched by attending.

We have met people we have stayed friends with us over the years that have become mentors to us. We have met people that we only see once a year at the Expo and enjoy catching up on how the past year has affected all of us.

We have spent time talking to vendors and while we might not buy at the Expo we will often come back to that vendor during the upcoming year for parts.

When we bought our truck we attended our first Expo six years ago and we talked to all the truck vendors there. After we got home we figured out which expedite company we were going with and then from there we picked our truck vendor. While nothing actually happened at the Expo it was due to the Expo the company we chose and the truck vendor we chose. Wes of Middle Georgia took the time to go over the truck with us and also give us literature. To him I am sure when we left we were a no sale but we remembered all he told us and how we were treated. He got the sale and he has the next sale.

So while you think the Expo might not matter vendors and attendees can be missing out on great information they do not even know about by not attending. If you are considering getting into Expediting this is the show that has everything at your disposal, vendors, recruiters, and drivers and in one area.

[piper1]

This really is a great chance for people to communicate. As Expediters we can educate the vendors as well. When they leave after the weekend they will be full of the conversations they have had with us. Recruiters will be armed with fresh insight as to what really matters to us based on the questions we ask. Vendors will hear our "wants" for things and also be able to validate whether or not they are priced right. As expediters this is a great chance to help move things in a better direction, and before you all think I'm being naive, in this kind of economy, any vendor or recruiter that wants to ignore "us" is not interested in recovery. Show up, learn and share!

[Dynamite 1]

this is all very true, it is very important to talk to these people and give them your opinion. they all have their own ideas of improvements or necessity but those ideas are not always spot on. in the long run it may get you what you want and save them some time and money to boot, which hopefully will be passed along, if they are a good dealer or vendor. i know some ideas we had were used and we have reaped some savings do to it. has for the educational value of expo and other shows, if you talk to people you will come away with something to use down the road. has far as new recruits in the business, linda and bob are correct. these people come looking for information and direction, while they get a pile of info the only good direction they can get comes from people in the business. not that we owe these people anything, but i simply hate to talk to people that have talked to the wrong people and have delusions of grandure about this business. so if you can come to show then come and if you are able do me a favor and talk to people, find just one that either is a newbie or thinking about expediting and give them one good piece of advice. if we do this alot of people will be informed. last plug for this post. dont forget the roundtable discussion that linda is doing on saturday @ 11:00 direct anybody new to come to it and you experienced expediters come and give your good advice also. see ya @EXPO