We left our Pebble in Fremont. So many Pebbles in the yard and factory. I got a distant glance into the factory. It was exciting. No pic as I was “escorted” to the restroom.
I think if we had a better search feature and one or two more categories it would be 100%.
It’s a tough but important job. It will help define the company in the long run.
To the list of categories, I'd add:
I know this is negative and could scare potential buyers, but with a little input from Pebble staff, it could really turn positive. If Pebble staff could explain that a known issue has been changed in later builds and tell earlier-build owners how to get a resolution, that would build confidence.
If we had a Punch List category, owners could edit posts with resolutions or Pebble staff could respond with resolutions. It would show that Pebble cares and fixes problems, and it would help new owners find and understand problems they might be having.
I’m happy with Discord, especially knowing that the folks regularly monitor and respond. Thanks.
I think Discord functionally works fine, but the need to sign up and use another dedicated app that the majority of current and prospective owners don’t otherwise use is the main issue. I’m pretty tech savvy but only downloaded Discord for this purpose. It is also essentially a closed community. Most prospective buyers are unlikely to join to learn more about the trailer, and none of these discussions will show up in a Google search.
A public web-based forum would get more engagement from owners reluctant to sign up for Discord and from prospective customers considering a Pebble. The key either way is continued engagement by the Pebble team. This is critical for people to gain trust in a startup in an industry dominated by a handful of huge legacy companies.
I like Discord, but I also have problems finding content that has been previously posted. I worry that other Pebble owners may not be using it. Maybe pitching it to them harder would help? I have gotten great tips from other users, and I think all owners would benefit. It is great when Pebble staff respond, straighten out misconceptions, and give updates. We are hungry for more of that!
I have used silveradoevforum.com and chevybolt.org. They both seem to use the same forum engine. They don't require a special app, as they are just URLs, but they both make it hard to find old content. Formatting text in posts uses markup code. So, I think Discord is easier if you can overcome the resistance to downloading a program.
I was going to say an owners group also! Discord's the closest thing we have, and I think a lot of owners are older and resist getting on Discord.
Agreed. Discord does not seem ideal for a user forum. I joined the RVForums Pebble group last year hoping it would catch on, but it never did. And I am not, for various reasons, a Facebook guy. But I don’t think it is really made for an owners forum either.
On what platform is that RV forum?
RVFORUMS.COM > Clubs > Pebble Flow Owners Club. Latest entry was back in February. There is also PebbleFlowForum.com, which I also joined and tried to generate interest in last year—same effect. Think there is only one primary post since January. Ironically, that post also notes, “The interior ceiling is really floppy about at the center of the front window,” which has been noted on another unit too.
Hey, I’m older!
I am old too! But I have been into computers since punched cards. Many friends my age can barely use a smartphone. I have been on Discord a long time, as my son is a gamer, and the only way to talk with him is to game with him and chat on Discord. 😄
Most friends my age have never even heard of Discord. 'Tis why I think we lose a lot of Pebble owners here.
You don’t have to be old to dislike Discord for our purposes here. Part of the problem is Pebble employees administer it part time, which is understandable.
I don’t think WhatsApp is better. Not sure what app is for this.
Yeah, I am avoiding Facebook. My EV club uses Heylo, but that's just another app you have to acquire and check. There is BlueSky, which is a Facebook replacement, and then many different forum apps.
Ugh. I have to get back on Facebook for another thing. Blah.
What kind of forum/community makes the most sense to you outside of Discord? Would love to hear your opinions—happy to take back any ideas to our leadership team to help spread the community.
Discord works for me, but it would be good to have more active participation from Pebble staff to address technical questions.
It would also be good to help new owners during onboarding get set up on Discord to encourage their participation.
My $0.02: Any usable tool with a good user interface that allows segregation of topics into reasonable categories and a robust search capability so topics can be found later. Categories can be debated endlessly, and the ones here in the Pebble Discord are a great start, but also at least a semi-official channel for Pebble communication. I have used a number of auto forums which seemed easier to use, but now I’ve become accustomed to Discord, so I can work with that if it is the choice. It is all about the content—and the ability to find the content.
Anything but Facebook!
Discord is also accessible via URL without an app, correct?
It is accessible through a browser, but from my understanding you need to set up an account and be logged in, unlike more traditional forums. The sign-in process creates friction that may prevent people from joining. It also prevents useful information from showing up in Google searches.
I spent 25 years in customer service, 10 as a manager of an online store selling automotive merchandise. Little bits of advice leak out here and there, but I'm biting my tongue to not give an in-depth critique with an overhaul of Pebble's customer service. Engineers don't always make the best customer-service communicators.
Pebble has had my camper for almost a month!
What were the primary items they were addressing for you?
What color? I may have seen it Monday.
Time for me to go back into my cave before you all catch on to me 🙈
Sky blue.
Yeah, there were two that I could see in Sky Blue on the back lot; one looked like the pass-through hatch was being fixed.
Thank you—hopefully we can get it back soon!
Per a short discussion with the sales team at an Orlando show-and-tell this past weekend, they are definitely moving units along. It would be nice to get at least a general count of units in the wild, preferably by state. Would encourage formation of owners groups and possible meetups.