Re-designing the website

very nice Mike. I like the two video chat where I can see who I may be helping and vi ser ver sa

I like that idea, Mike! I think the "tabbed" services, it makes the site look less cluttered..Karen :D

Clutter is cool!

We are trying to put more free space on the page. It should not look congested for a person reading the homepage. Spend some time on the homepage and give us your suggestions. We will work on it. Sometimes the best thoughts come all of a sudden and it can be from anyone on the board.

I vote for less clutter. :-)

I know when I first started comming here, I was confused on how to post a commment and how to retrieve it, etc. If that can be simplifed for a new user, that would be great.

Lukeskywalker, we have the video section on which there's a video clip of how to post in the forums. Have you gone through this section?

http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/video/

Are we missing anything important that????????s not on the homepage?

wow, i did not know it was there, i feel like a kid in a candy store. I love you guys, that is so cool. I am so at home here, and I look forward to comming here every day. Thank you so much Mike.

You are always welcome. It's a place where we all stay together and a smiling face means a lot to us :) We feel that we are taking the right step. Let me know how we can further improve the DebtCC homepage

I will

I definitely like the idea of less clutter...less confusing to new comers...when I first saw your message about the redesign...the first thing that popped into my head was a notebook...with tabs for each different section...and bingo..there you are!! Great idea...

and maybe we could have a section with more expanded definitions...

The new design looks great. I really like the idea of the tabs. Anything streamlined looks better, catches people's eye, and is easier to read. People might take a better look at a more streamlined look than a cluttered page. They get confused, they don't understand, etc. The less clutter would make it more attractive to draw people to it. The ease of making it read more easily will draw people to it.

Would there be "tabs" to include the closing the bank information, the Cash Call information, maybe a link to template letters, etc? How about some sort of "tab" or something otherwise where we could list the d/b/a's of the pdl's? That would be sooooooo awesome. We could add to it as we learn more d/b/a's of pdl's. Also, how about a "tab" regarding the whole CSO issue, which has been very popular lately?

Also, (okay, tired of me yet?) a "video" (as Mike suggested) or even just a "tab" that explains how to pm members. I get so many quick messages on my home page with questions rather then people pm'ing me. They don't understand how to pm or how to check their messages, etc. You try to explain it to them and it ends up being a quick message on your home page. If we could have something instructing new members on the pm process, that would be great!

The idea came from your mind, Cann :)

Anyways, we will make a video on how members can send Private Messages to others. It will be included in the Video section.

Awesome, Mike. Like I said, you are an angel! :D

I really like the tab thing! I think it will make things a lot more organized. One thing though...How important is The ranking chart? Does it really need its own tab? Could it be a sub-category of something else? I also think that some directions on maneuvering around the site should be included..For instance, I don't think a lot of people know and understand the free phone system, and can you still search throughout the site for threads on certain companies? It seems the last time I tried I couldn't, and that was always very useful for me in finding old posts for reference.

You are wonderful Mike!!

i have no ideal how to use the free phone system, but I have heard about it

there is a link currently under "our services" that tells about the phone service Luke...

maybe there could be more than 1 row of tabs...and each row would be info of the same group...or maybe like all blue tabs would pertain to pdls, red to collection agencies, etc. Just thinking....

Yep.. there you go, Morningstar.. let the ideas flow.. The best ideas are boiling out and this will be helpful for the website in the long run.

Fins, I am preparing a task for the technology team. You sure are going to keep everyone busy for the next few days :)

A couple things come to mind....first, is there actually a way to make it so that when logging in, selecting the "remember me" option actually works? I dont know much about this kind of thing, so I dont know whats involved in that. I do know, however, that many of us thought we were logged in when we werent...

Second, I noticed that you are trying to free up the menu a bit on the right side of the page. Perhaps we can combine a few of these things together, such as making your message mailbox and your home page combined into one link. Then, if you want to free it up some more, we could take the links for editing profiles, my threads, posts since last visit, etc etc and put those on the membee's home page instead of the main page. I think that the DIY and articles are too important to get rid of, but perhaps we can combine all of that into an archive section so that there would be only one link on the right of the page where we could access all of those things. I am a member of some automotive based forums online and I notice that they usually have that kind of setup. It seems to work well for them, and one of those has over 80,000 members worldwide, so we could use that kind of change no matter how big this forum gets. I hope that some of this stuff is helpful.

Mike I like the tab idea very much.It is time to remove clutter.I also like sky's idea of a remember me cookie.I have to constantly refresh or get logged out. Another Idea since we are on redesigning is to build a database of all the regular pdl lender,creditor,or collectors.Put the link up and it takes them to a read only database containing the latest contact information for them.More ideas may come to me after I have my coffee.

Mike, how about this ideal, how about having a "quick link" to all the important updates in the payday loan industry, good or bad that effects all of us in every state.

what do u think?


thanks

Fins, you can use the "Search Forums" box and put the name of a company in there, or a thread you are looking for.

Mike, maybe we can either do a video or tab on how to search the forums? Alot of people come here looking for a company and if we can make it a little clearer on how to use the search box, it would help. :D Keep up the good work!!..KAren

The "tabs" is as good idea. I'd also make such sections as the DIY easily found, because it is a great service to many who visit the site.

Mike, all that I can say is, when consumers enter this site, it may seem difficult to navigate to most. I would suggest, that every page, no matter what the topic is, have a sidebar menu, listing all that is available in the site. I am a firm believer in having too many links, rather than not enough. I have never thought there was clutter of links, in fact, it is very helpful to have links, clearly listed on the side. I would, perhaps, change the colors to a more attention grabbing spectrum, rather than the mental hospital color, that is presently seen, unless the visiting collectors enjoy their home color.

Karen, that doesn't work anymore. Just like there is absolutely nothing in the archives. One day I was bored and totally combed through the site.

There seems to be stuff no one needs..Like group events and does anyone really care about the calculator?

I totally agree with changing the colors!! Fire us all up with some red..

Okay, here's a good one. Some members don't realize they have a "home page". They discover later. Maybe something that instructs them regarding their home page, how it works, what it's used for, etc. Or the fact that they even have one! I'm being serious! I've had to pm other members and say "what the???" regarding my own home page! LOL! And also instructing members on the differences between quick messages and private messages. That needs to be distinguished. New members don't understand the difference and some messages end up as quick messages rather than private messages and get "missed".

Yes I think the tabs on the collection agencies are the ones who need to be in red!!

Mike, I have an ideal. How about having a post/site/forum just for the guys. I love the open room/forum here, but there are times where I could use/need the advise of a fellow guy are just want to talk about guy stuff that might offend the ladies. Sometimes a guy needs a brother.

thanks

Oh! I feel as though I have been stabbed in the heart, luke! I can be "one of the guys"! I'm not a prude! I can be just like one of the guys! We love you and you want to have a "gentleman's only" club....Stabbed.....stabbed in the heart!!!!

Our technology team is working hard in re-designing the website look. They have taken the community's suggestion posted in this topic. We will try to implement the ideas as much as possible. Please post your thoughts till the last minute. We are open to all kinds of suggestions helpful for the website. :)

Regards
Mike

How about an entry message, saying that if 49.99 was taken from your account, we didn't do it. :lol:

Anthony! I sooooo love you! :D Yes, big bold letters, please! We are not Ever Private Card. We did not debit your account.

Entry message #2: "If you are a collector coming here to take the side of crooked collection companies, then you are wasting your time. We are consumers with knowledge."

AMEN!

It could be a rolling disclaimer at the top of the page....LOL

Honestly though..most all the suggestions are good ones...I like the tabs, I do think we need more than one row, I think it would be great if they were in different brighter colors...and I am all for anything that simplifies the searching.

cannr,

you can be one of my guy friends, your big heart and all, love ya

I love (as always) Anthony's suggestions, lol. I would also add "And yes, we ARE working to pay what we REALLY owe!"

Thank you, luke! I swear, I can be one of the guys! I'm not a girlie-girl! LOL!

But, man, I was LOST for a second when I got on the site this morning! Pretty cool. Took me a minute to realize where I was and what was going on. I like the "less cluttered" look. Now I have to play with everything and see what's up! Looking good! :D

I like the look too!! It took me a while how to figure out how to log on :lol: Karen

Thanks, karen! I thought maybe it was because I hadn't had that second cup of coffee yet! But, I like it! :D

:lol: I haven't had my first yet, and only 3 hours of sleep, so I though I was still dreaming for a while!!..KAren

I like it too....it's different but the lay out is nice...course I didn't log in till I had my 2nd cup of coffee in hand...LOL

We will try to keep it simpler. :)

Mike, it's looking good! I like the "little" tabs to click on. I like the "little" log on and log off. It's looking really good! Pretty cool! :D

Can we put David Jacobs as the sleaziest known collector, in our top 100 worst collection companies.

It took me a little bit to find the 'log in', I was way off. :lol: