By Dave Millhouser

"Them hogs are really traveling in comfort," said the truck-stop attendant as the Scenicruiser driver ordered a fill up.

Offended, the driver asked the pump jockey why he thought his passengers were piggish.

It turned out that an enterprising farmer had bought a similar ex-Greyhound and was using it to haul hogs to market. He frequently fueled at this truck stop.

I hear you all snickering out there. But this column is NOT about our passengers.

Looking for an efficient way to transport hogs, the farmer had spotted the old bus. It had been gutted, in someones half-hearted attempt to build a motorhome, and was available for short money. With a little effort it was ideal as a piggy paddy wagon.

It was a clever way of using something intended for one purpose, to fill an entirely different need. (Thats the end of our pig metaphor, for now.)

Have you thought about your board of directors?

Many companies are organized so they require a board, but often its a formality. Other operators are set up so they dont need one. Many CEOs look at a board like its a speed bump -- necessary but irritating.

When properly done, it shouldnt be that way. If you have the right folks involved, either formally or informally, you can gain valuable insight into how other businesses and coach operators are making money and solving problems.

Unless your corporate structure demands it, you dont have to have a formal board, or even meet. But a group of trusted advisors, committed to your business success, cant be a bad thing.

A number of operators make frequent phone calls to colleagues. They have a number of folks they informally poll when making important decisions. They use friends as a sounding board for ideas.

Thats not much different than the farmer using a bus rather than a truck. Using friends in a larger and useful capacity is healthy (heck, they may even get something out of it).

Along the same lines, (and just as cheap), consider staying in touch with retirees whove worked for either your company, or ones like it. It makes us old geezers feel relevant, and once in a while we slip and say something useful.

Theres another set of resources who REALLY want to help, and who cost nothing. The sales people who call on you regularly have a wealth of knowledge about all sorts of things. Every group has some good folks and some losers. By now youve figured out which are there just to sell you stuff, and which really want to contribute.

Use the best ones as resources. They can help you understand their product or service, but just as important, they can tell you what other companies are doing. The good ones want to be like Johnny Appleseed, planting good ideas along the way, helping their customers and industry grow.

Your vendors all talk to each other, sharing information about customers, market conditions, and creative ideas. You want to be in that loop. Your fuel vendor knows a ton about engines, and your engine dealer has something to offer about fuel economy.

Chemical folks can tell you a lot about how other, related, industries resolve issues, and your accountant can give insight into how unrelated businesses handle things.

Coach sales people cover large territories, and talk to compatriots and competitors all over the country. Its likely that, whatever your problem, they (or one of their buddies) have seen it somewhere, and know potential solutions.

You want to be careful what you share (and who you share with), but these folks all have an interest in your success. When you do well, theyll get a chunk. Figure out who you can trust, and use them. Theyll love it, and it offers extra value to whatever theyre selling.

The ones you cant trust, why are you buying from them?

Cultivate honesty. Years ago a business book recommended that every company have a "Vice President of Bovine Organic Fertilizer," someone who had the courage to tell the CEO that his ideas were, well, manure. We all need someone like that (for me -- its my wife).

Any time you can get several of these people in the same room, treat it like a board meeting. Bounce ideas off them. You still get to be boss but if most of the folks you respect think an idea is bad, take a hard look at it.

Their primary function may be selling you the "stuff" it takes to operate, but why cant you do what the pig farmer did, and use them for something different but just as important?

Now, if only the farmer had taught the hogs to use the lavatory ... this would have a happy ending (well, maybe not for the pigs).

Dave Millhouser is a bus industry marketing consultant and freelance writer. Contact him at: dave_millhouser@hotmail.com.