Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Mike #1 on October 29, 2015, 07:36:30 am
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So recently another windy who i know has recently had van signs done using the same colours as i use in my logo ,and he has also had a work hoodie done in a very similar colour as my fleece tops .
Anyone else got a copycat local to them and what's you're thoughts on this .
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I'd be flattered. Someone has copied my logo and style I noticed the other day. Had someone build a website in my company name and put thier contact details on it. I don't wear a uniform as such, so no problem there.
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Dave I have spent over 4 yrs creating an identity as such with websites logo clothing etc .
I don't want potential custys assuming we're in anyway connected I present a totally different overall image of myself and business and I can't speak for his workmanship .
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When he happened to be working in the same street as me last week I even had a custy asking if I had someone working with me .
I have always passed work his way well over a £100 but last week were I clean every house in a block of big terraces he pulled up to do one house front .
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Dave I have spent over 4 yrs creating an identity as such with websites logo clothing etc .
I don't want potential custys assuming we're in anyway connected I present a totally different overall image of myself and business and I can't speak for his workmanship .
id change your image to say a "drag queen".stockings,suspenders,plenty of make up,hair extensions,get your van sprayed pink and purple,matching business cards etc.
you ll "stand out" from the crowd then.
if you need any help to change your image my girlfriends son has all the gear! ;D ;D
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on a serious note what can you do?
are you called M&M window cleaning?well surely you ve heard of the sweets with the same name?
i use my own name for branding like ian lancaster does.that way nobody is going to put my name on their van/stationary.
lots of vans will use the same colours(usually blue and black)for signwriting/workwear etc.
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Local competitor copied my complete website. Word for word including a spelling mistake.
Didn't say anything. Google penalized him and i no longer pass work his way.
The day when my competitors stop copying me, means i am doing something wrong i guess. A local lad copied my complete leaflet design and then had the cheek to ask where i got it printed a few weeks later. In his own words "it's just business mate" He is currently off work due to a "karma" injury lol
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theres competition everywhere mate.
is his logo and branding "exactly" the same as yours?no?then theres nothing you can do.
stop passing work onto him unless he s a real friend.let him find his own work.ive built my business all up from scratch with no help from anyone.
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Local competitor copied my complete website. Word for word including a spelling mistake.
Didn't say anything. Google penalized him and i no longer pass work his way.
The day when my competitors stop copying me, means i am doing something wrong i guess. A local lad copied my complete leaflet design and then had the cheek to ask where i got it printed a few weeks later. In his own words "it's just business mate" He is currently off work due to a "karma" injury lol
did you kneecap him?lol ;D
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I had the same problem so Trademarked my company name
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At least the chap is not using the same trading name to you which can happen unless you’re a ltd company.
Annoying as it may seem you see plenty of vans about with similar colours used in sign writing, chaps also wearing similar colour branded work ware etc but they are obviously a totally different firms to others. The different name they call themselves and contact details are a big giveaway really unless custys are that daft they don't know the name of the firm they are dealing with.
You many think you are trying to be unique but on the other hand there are only so many colours that can be used to look the part as different shades of blue happen to be very popular in this game. That chap after seeing yours obviously thought that looks good I will do something similar which annoyingly there is nothing you can do.
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He phoned me today after a light hearted post on my personal Facebook page about been different .
He said he was going to get a truck like mine but I think he was just saying it to gauge my reaction .
So I told him Fecking hell i am not been funny but you will be like my twin you're copying me I have spent 4-5 yrs building up my image and brand across websites clothing etc .
This is a lad I class as a friend we have worked a few guttering jobs together and have got on well over the years so of course I am going to be a bit peeved .
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Dave I have spent over 4 yrs creating an identity as such with websites logo clothing etc .
I don't want potential custys assuming we're in anyway connected I present a totally different overall image of myself and business and I can't speak for his workmanship .
id change your image to say a "drag queen".stockings,suspenders,plenty of make up,hair extensions,get your van sprayed pink and purple,matching business cards etc.
you ll "stand out" from the crowd then.
if you need any help to change your image my girlfriends son has all the gear! ;D ;D
Cheers daz bit cold now to be walking around in just stockings if it was the summer i might consider it :-* ;D
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Local competitor copied my complete website. Word for word including a spelling mistake.
Didn't say anything. Google penalized him and i no longer pass work his way.
The day when my competitors stop copying me, means i am doing something wrong i guess. A local lad copied my complete leaflet design and then had the cheek to ask where i got it printed a few weeks later. In his own words "it's just business mate" He is currently off work due to a "karma" injury lol
Local lad/competitor that is what has peeved me had it been someone miles away i would not have cared or even known for that matter . Damo clearly its a case of live and learn
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Sorry I still don't get why you feel he has copied you ???
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At least the chap is not using the same trading name to you which can happen unless you’re a ltd company.
Annoying as it may seem you see plenty of vans about with similar colours used in sign writing, chaps also wearing similar colour branded work ware etc but they are obviously a totally different firms to others. The different name they call themselves and contact details are a big giveaway really unless custys are that daft they don't know the name of the firm they are dealing with.
You many think you are trying to be unique but on the other hand there are only so many colours that can be used to look the part as different shades of blue happen to be very popular in this game. That chap after seeing yours obviously thought that looks good I will do something similar which annoyingly there is nothing you can do.
I have been the only local window cleaner to cover my local area who has worn a uniform/branded work wear for over 10 years until the copycat i was still the only cleaner with a visible professional presence with uniform etc , So their was plenty of colours left in the rainbow to choose from other than Royal Blue .
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Local competitor copied my complete website. Word for word including a spelling mistake.
Didn't say anything. Google penalized him and i no longer pass work his way.
The day when my competitors stop copying me, means i am doing something wrong i guess. A local lad copied my complete leaflet design and then had the cheek to ask where i got it printed a few weeks later. In his own words "it's just business mate" He is currently off work due to a "karma" injury lol
did you kneecap him?lol ;D
He tripped over in the dark doing leaflets drops of my copied design and busted his knee. He rang me up asking if i could cover his work!!!!!!!
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Damo Karma is a bitch ;D , The cheek of it asking you to cover his work :o :o
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I am not sure how I would feel if someone tried to copy me. They would have to be mad for a start!
The only thing I would be a little concerned about though would be if they approached my customers to say they worked for/with me, or worse, to say I had passed my work on to them. This has happened to me in the past. Fortunately all my customers knew me well enough to know I would tell them beforehand if I were to sell up or move on, so I didn't lose any.
John
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Johnny that could be an issue at worst , I have worked really hard to ensure i stand out amongst all the other cleaners in the medium size town i mainly cover and i have done this in various ways over the years so for an apparent friend to wear a top of the same colour as me is just taking the pee to a point .
So i have done a few posts on my Facebook business page to let potential new customers know who the face of my business is and state that i only have the one vehicle . Its pushed me into doing a little advertising/awareness of my business plus a leaflet drop in the pouring rain this morning and another one tomorrow .
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Hey Mike,
I'm not being funny but after 10 years building are you not full?
I know it's not the point but you can't stop this industry getting more professional or this guy copying your colours, workwear or vehicle.
I would just distance yourself from him and would defo not highlight the fact by putting it on Facebook, if he reads it he knows he's getting to you.
People buy people, they buy from you because they like you, he can't copy that mate
Tony
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Damo Karma is a bitch ;D , The cheek of it asking you to cover his work :o :o
He is salesman of the year mate. Really is. I was gonna get 60% of what i cleaned lol.
Last Friday i picked up 3 of his customers. This will be fun when he comes back. Told customers straight. He's busted his knee, they cant wait. ::)roll
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Hey Mike,
I'm not being funny but after 10 years building are you not full?
I know it's not the point but you can't stop this industry getting more professional or this guy copying your colours, workwear or vehicle.
I would just distance yourself from him and would defo not highlight the fact by putting it on Facebook, if he reads it he knows he's getting to you.
People buy people, they buy from you because they like you, he can't copy that mate
Tony
Cheers for that Tony , The Facebook business page posts are simply a way of reinforcing my business identity which can only be a good thing .
As for been full not just yet natural wastage moving to pastures greener and all that its an organic process ;)
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Mike, Tony makes a good point that people buy people because they like you. If you have a good relationship with your customers you really have nothing to worry about. I do take your point that you have gone to a lot of effort to brand your business though, only for a so-called friend to try to cash in on it.
If I were you I simply would concentrate on enhancing your reputation, and show that you are the number 1 in your locality. Don't worry about Hopalong, he'll come across as the poor imitation that he is when/if he gets back into action.
Best wishes,
John
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All sounds just a little bit pretentious to me. ::)roll
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Cheers for that Johnny some well made points . ;)
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Mike- at the bottom of your website, it says ' all right reserved'
Rather than 'all rights reserved'
Is it suppose to?
A waiter once said that to me as I walked over to a table in a restaurant ' all right (nodding head) then pointing to the table he mouthed the word 'reserved'
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Website needs updating badly lads I now have a new truck without any signage and it won't be carrying any at all .
A lot of my regular updates are done on Facebook page www.facebook.com/spennymoorwindowcleaner
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He phoned me today after a light hearted post on my personal Facebook page about been different .
He said he was going to get a truck like mine but I think he was just saying it to gauge my reaction .
So I told him Fecking hell i am not been funny but you will be like my twin you're copying me I have spent 4-5 yrs building up my image and brand across websites clothing etc .
This is a lad I class as a friend we have worked a few guttering jobs together and have got on well over the years so of course I am going to be a bit peeved .
lol welcome to the north east its full of poopster like him I think they breed them there , Ive found that as soon as you do well in the north this happens
1. you lose friends
2. they all start talking about you behind your back
3. the ones that stop your friends only do so because they think you will buy them beer
4. they stop your friends to copy what your doing because they let you male the mistakes first
on the up side your friends that stop friends will be very loyal to you and help you in life right until your very last day
been there and done this in the north happened when we moved from yorkhill cres to aycliffee village we had it all because we didn't want to move the young ones from tudoe school still see the same people living in the same houses claiming the same dole money
last time I was there the only window cleaner I saw was working out of a black l200 type thing , quite a new truck
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Looks like you're not taking a bit of competition well Mike? You mentioned this before about people turning up to do one house. It sounds like a "get off my patch" mentality, i'm not saying it is. Thats just how you come across to me. Also as for copying you it turns out the extent of his "copying" is to use the colour Blue on his logo and hoodie ? Do you have much competition where you are ?
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Susan I had my black truck from late 2011 till last week .
And I get what you mean I used live in Byers Green for over 36yrs , I now live in Ferryhill were know one really knows me on a personal level other than custys I have gained
We left the green for similar reasons that you describe and worse .
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Clean clear it ain't a get off my patch thing I will be friendly and chatty to anyone .
Competition mainly their is 2 local trad firms been going more than 30yrs both I get on with and chat if we bump into each other . So no gripes with each other .
Couple of other local wfp guys this guy included who I am always happy to stop and chat with all of which I don't see as competitors they are just lads doing the same job as me .
Clearly this guy is attempting to appear like me and its annoyed me
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Looks like you're not taking a bit of competition well Mike? You mentioned this before about people turning up to do one house. It sounds like a "get off my patch" mentality, i'm not saying it is. Thats just how you come across to me. Also as for copying you it turns out the extent of his "copying" is to use the colour Blue on his logo and hoodie ? Do you have much competition where you are ?
you have to live there to understand whats going on cc , its like going back in time , theres a massive patch thing and a massive green eyed monster thing goes on in and around this area , not just window cleaning its , tileing,pluming ect ect
to many people there are to lazy to do something for themselves . let alone the threats and the flat tyres that goes on there , I was lucky not to get this due to my husband been well known
I have even seen bullying going on at school due to kids over hearing there olders talking about someone doing well and saying things like "who do they think they are " , " oh a new van where did they get the money for that " ect ect ect
they hate anybody having 10p more in there pocket then themselves , glad we don't live there anymore I feel his plain , seen this going on round there for years
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I'm annoyed with Tesco because their new sale sign is very similar to my logo. I don't like being copied. They even wear a uniform.
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Mike #1
You can't really say that the guy is copying you just because he uses the same colours... There are loads of window cleaners around who have a logo / workwear that is royal blue.
Blue is the colour of "most" window cleaners in my area to be honest.
I think you are overreacting a bit... You've been going 10 years and have obviously built a decent business, so why worry about a newbie starting up just because he wears royal blue.
If he had copied your colours / name / logo/ website etc ... That would be a different story.
Andy
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I'm annoyed with Tesco because their new sale sign is very similar to my logo. I don't like being copied. They even wear a uniform.
You forgot about the bit tesco happens to be in finacial trouble so branding don't mean jack now does it as people can vote with their feet so to speak. ;D
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I'm annoyed with Tesco because their new sale sign is very similar to my logo. I don't like being copied. They even wear a uniform.
You forgot about the bit tesco happens to be in finacial trouble so branding don't mean jack now does it as people can vote with their feet so to speak. ;D
I have worried that people might think I was financially unstable as opposed to just mentally.
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I'm annoyed with Tesco because their new sale sign is very similar to my logo. I don't like being copied. They even wear a uniform.
You forgot about the bit tesco happens to be in finacial trouble so branding don't mean jack now does it as people can vote with their feet so to speak. ;D
I have worried that people might think I was financially unstable as opposed to just mentally.
;D Bit like me then.
Some of the wealthiest people about are into shabby sheik and drive old bangers as they don't like flaunting their wealth but some are also raving bonkers too. I should now I've met a few in my time.
On the sales side of things turning up in a sparkling brand new flash motor to sell someone something be it as service or product can also put peoples backs up too as is just how many perceive things which is just human nature I suppose.
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Most windies round my way wear pyjamas with arrows printed on them.
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Most windies round my way wear pyjamas with arrows printed on them.
Now that would be a great branding to use.
I can just see it now “community service window cleaners - inside and outside specialists.
Don’t call us we will call you and make your windows look positively see through” ;D
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I fancied setting up a female only window cleaning company and calling it 'Scrubbers'!
Let's see who will copy that... ;D
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Clean and Clear is a trademark registered to Johnson and Johnson, there's also a Clean and Clear Ltd . window cleaning, think he's in Norfolk. I'm clean and clear and my mate is. I had someone called clean 'n' clear ask me to stop using the name. If i get calls asking for Gary (my mate) as they've been recommended (he's the other clean and clear) then if its a small house i pass it on to him. If its a big job i don't, i just go quote and do it !!! ;D ;D Plenty of copycats out there ;D ;D
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Best branding I've seen to date is this firm http://meninkilts.com/
the story how it came about https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hey6Kxfrlw8
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Best branding I've seen to date is this firm http://meninkilts.com/
the story how it came about https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hey6Kxfrlw8
Now that is setting yourself apart from the competition .
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I wonder if men in kilts will get copied some way or another as to be honest It's a brilliant bit of marketing. No Peeking ;D
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I had the same problem so Trademarked my company name
Easy enough. Costs about £150 and you register the design with the Intellectual Property Office. You get the same protection as Tesco's etc.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f234/ianlancaster61/trade%20mark.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/ianlancaster61/media/trade%20mark.jpg.html)
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Sorry but why tm that ???
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Sorry but why tm that ???
Ian got there first.
Now nobody can use Ian's name, even if they are also named Ian Lancaster.
Ionics have registered the Wash & Reach logo, so the only ones who are allowed to use it are those who have bought an Ionics system.
Mike from M & M was complaining that someone in his area was piggy backing off his name and reputation. Anybody in Spennymoor or the surrounding area can use M & M Window Cleaning (eg Mark & Michelle) but if he registers the name then they can't use that Logo. The will have to give their business another name.
If my memory serves me, Ian can also include in his registration the font, font size and colour of his lettering.
Every Bosch dealer had to have the Bosch Name and Bosch logo (anchor the German's call it) to an exact size. If it's smaller it has to be in the exact proportions/perspective.
Have you noted how the Coca Cola emblem and signage is exactly the same world wide? Have you also noticed that a store in the middle of drought stricken Africa has the same sign which probably cost more than the store building did? Its all about branding and brand awareness. So its protected at all costs.
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So what happens then if someone should want to tm say Ian Lancaster Window Cleaning (not cleaner)?
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So what happens then if someone should want to tm say Ian Lancaster Window Cleaning (not cleaner)?
That's an interesting question. I thought that the idea of registering your name was to protect it from being copied.
I did a search of the Intellectual Property Office and Ian Lancaster Window cleaning is free (open - has no trademark secured on it). So I guess as colours and logo style/font are part of the TM they are covered as well. Someone trying to copy Ian's logo to piggy back of his reputation and business success would need to duplicate the look of that image. So this is where Ian would have a case in a dispute.
If this cleaner used his logo in another part of the country without broadcasting it, then he may get away with it for a while. However, as Ian is pretty well known country wide on this forum, it would soon be reported that someone saw one of Ian's vans up north etc etc.
Wasn't there a new cleaner on here a few years ago who copied another cleaners van signwriting, posted photos of it on here, and then had to remove them and redo it as he copying a registered tm. I remember him apologising on the forum and changing it.
I see Ionics have registered the Reach & Wash logo under a few 'classes'. If you do a search for Wash and Reach, Wash & Reach is listed. Does this mean that Wash and Reach is also covered by Ionics? (One of the classes is the advertising sector, pamphlets etc.
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So what happens then if someone should want to tm say Ian Lancaster Window Cleaning (not cleaner)?
That's an interesting question. I thought that the idea of registering your name was to protect it from being copied.
I did a search of the Intellectual Property Office and Ian Lancaster Window cleaning is free (open - has no trademark secured on it). So I guess as colours and logo style/font are part of the TM they are covered as well. Someone trying to copy Ian's logo to piggy back of his reputation and business success would need to duplicate the look of that image. So this is where Ian would have a case in a dispute.
If this cleaner used his logo in another part of the country without broadcasting it, then he may get away with it for a while. However, as Ian is pretty well known country wide on this forum, it would soon be reported that someone saw one of Ian's vans up north etc etc.
Wasn't there a new cleaner on here a few years ago who copied another cleaners van signwriting, posted photos of it on here, and then had to remove them and redo it as he copying a registered tm. I remember him apologising on the forum and changing it.
I see Ionics have registered the Reach & Wash logo under a few 'classes'. If you do a search for Wash and Reach, Wash & Reach is listed. Does this mean that Wash and Reach is also covered by Ionics? (One of the classes is the advertising sector, pamphlets etc.
even when you have your logo tmed , it still costs well over 10/20k to take them to court to do something about it and around three years in time that's with out appeals and the like , most people cant afford to do it so your kind of free to do what you like as long as you don't own anything , mean northing to sell for the court when they sell send in the bailifts so these scum bags still win
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Trademarking stops another company from using your name, If it went to court and you lost, you would have to change sign writing on vans, adverts, workwear etc
Better to be safe than sorry!