[Graeme@Access]

Hi,

Ive not had this prob before, but a promotion company used my name, website copy and phone number in a voucher scheme that totally trashed our systems. Not only did they do it once, but twice!

Approx 600 calls (i kid you not and i have records) later we still get them. Today they accepted liability in a public broadcast after me going mental and threatening legal action.

They continually lied and i can prove that. They did nothing to correct the error despite many requests... it was a thing to clean a whole house for 2 balloons and a goldfish, nothing we would ever do.

Does anyone know of a good way (or anyone who can advise me of a good way) to screw them?

I figure invoice (£1 a call, £1/call in lost business, £2/call in damage to our brand/ip) then fight in the small claims, but i thought it best to ask if anyone knows a better approach or put me in touch with someone who does.

Cheers

Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions

[Craig - CW Window Cleaning]

try your solicitor 

[derek west]

hope you got all 600 callers emails, these are people that would consider having there carpets cleaned and are potential clients in the future, surely you could of explained the mis understanding and then offered them a free quote for being inconvenienced.

[Matt Lindus]

How on earth could this ever happen, did you sign up and pay for some stupid lead generation or does someone hate you?

Either way, it’s not a mistake.

[ryan mca]

Graeme

Call the federation of small businesses if you are a member or try
a good litigation lawyer

[charles911]

I'm a qualified solicitor. This sound like fraudulent behavior; which is an ilegal act and dealt as a criminal matter.
How do you mean 'accepted liability in a public broadcast' Is it somthing that can be proved as genuine evidence? How can you prove they lied? Remeber  a civil matter is proved on the 'balance of probabilities' which is nothing to do with the actual turn of events. Does your website have copyright? My adive to you would be...
Do not contact them your self at all! Seek legal advise and let them communucate on your behalf.

[Graeme@Access]

Hi,

It happened because some tard didnt check the details. If you search for a company with a very similar sounding name to us, we come top of the listings as are our SEO is strong. The people who did this just didnt check.

Our name: Access Cleaning Solutions Ltd
Thier name: Access Cleaning Services (they are based about 10 miles from us and just started out) - not happy they are so similar in name, but its two daft wee lassies by the sound of it with a mobile number. Not sure if i can do anything about the similarity in name?

Liability acceptance - I have a voicmail, and a copy of the correction email they broadcast to all the clients.
It says: "“Up to Two Hours of Deep Cleaning for your Home from Elite Cleaning Services for £25 instead of £99” – CORRECT CONTACT DETAILS!
The correct contact details for Access Cleaning Services are 07947 xxx xxx. Please note this is a different number to the one provided in our previous email which was for another company not partnering with us. We’d like to apologise for any inconvenience or wasted time this may have caused."

Sounds like liabilty acceptance to me.

I also have a copy of the original email sent to their clients with all my details and website copy on it.

Proof of calls: We run a cellroute system through the mobile network with itemised bills. its normally a few pages long for the router mobile. LOL you should see it when the tards issued the wrong details.

The funniest thing is that the original company went under because they couldn't undertake the work. Now im getting the calls from the people who have waited 10 hours for the cleaners to turn up etc. Looks like the people who have taken over from them will go the same way.

With regards to converting them to leads- people who want something for nothing basically are not my demographic. The best ones are those who bought it for people as Christmas presents... i have a lot of fun with them saying things like "thats nice of them to tell you your manky and you should get your house cleaned"

Its just not feasible for us to put out such a discounted deal that meets their expectations. Even the decent sounding ones i have tried to convert expect to pay pennies for our services as their minds are set on the silly low price for cleaning. In my opinion this kind of pricing is just damaging the cleaning industry as a whole.

Anyhow, its another day with money to be made and i feel better that i got it off ma chest.

Cheers

Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions - not bloody services
PS any further advice much appreciated as im not an fsb member.

[Mike Halliday]

this is annoying but will it do any real harm to your company?

instead of legal action could you find a more lucrative and mutually agreeable solution, if they are a marketing company perhaps they could as compensation do some promotion for you, they may have messed up this time but they might be a good company

unless you have suffered financially then i do don't think legal action would be the way to go

[sherco]

Hi,

Ive not had this prob before, but a promotion company used my name, website copy and phone number in a voucher scheme that totally trashed our systems. Not only did they do it once, but twice!

Approx 600 calls (i kid you not and i have records) later we still get them. Today they accepted liability in a public broadcast after me going mental and threatening legal action.

They continually lied and i can prove that. They did nothing to correct the error despite many requests... it was a thing to clean a whole house for 2 balloons and a goldfish, nothing we would ever do.

Does anyone know of a good way (or anyone who can advise me of a good way) to screw them?

I figure invoice (£1 a call, £1/call in lost business, £2/call in damage to our brand/ip) then fight in the small claims, but i thought it best to ask if anyone knows a better approach or put me in touch with someone who does.

Cheers

Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions

Go onto this web site, you will get loads of good advise. www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

[derek west]

Hi,

It happened because some tard didnt check the details. If you search for a company with a very similar sounding name to us, we come top of the listings as are our SEO is strong. The people who did this just didnt check.

Our name: Access Cleaning Solutions Ltd
Thier name: Access Cleaning Services (they are based about 10 miles from us and just started out) - not happy they are so similar in name, but its two daft wee lassies by the sound of it with a mobile number. Not sure if i can do anything about the similarity in name?

Liability acceptance - I have a voicmail, and a copy of the correction email they broadcast to all the clients.
It says: "“Up to Two Hours of Deep Cleaning for your Home from Elite Cleaning Services for £25 instead of £99” – CORRECT CONTACT DETAILS!
The correct contact details for Access Cleaning Services are 07947 xxx xxx. Please note this is a different number to the one provided in our previous email which was for another company not partnering with us. We’d like to apologise for any inconvenience or wasted time this may have caused."

Sounds like liabilty acceptance to me.

I also have a copy of the original email sent to their clients with all my details and website copy on it.

Proof of calls: We run a cellroute system through the mobile network with itemised bills. its normally a few pages long for the router mobile. LOL you should see it when the tards issued the wrong details.

The funniest thing is that the original company went under because they couldn't undertake the work. Now im getting the calls from the people who have waited 10 hours for the cleaners to turn up etc. Looks like the people who have taken over from them will go the same way.

With regards to converting them to leads- people who want something for nothing basically are not my demographic. The best ones are those who bought it for people as Christmas presents... i have a lot of fun with them saying things like "thats nice of them to tell you your manky and you should get your house cleaned"

Its just not feasible for us to put out such a discounted deal that meets their expectations. Even the decent sounding ones i have tried to convert expect to pay pennies for our services as their minds are set on the silly low price for cleaning. In my opinion this kind of pricing is just damaging the cleaning industry as a whole.

Anyhow, its another day with money to be made and i feel better that i got it off ma chest.

Cheers

Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions - not bloody services
PS any further advice much appreciated as im not an fsb member.

tell that to enterprise, they'll laugh there heads off.

[John Kelly]

No expert, but I think legally you would have to prove that they have actually damaged your business. Think Mikes ideas good. Try and turn it round and get some free work from them.
What has been their response when you have talked to them?

[PaulKing]

this is annoying but will it do any real harm to your company?

instead of legal action could you find a more lucrative and mutually agreeable solution, if they are a marketing company perhaps they could as compensation do some promotion for you, they may have messed up this time but they might be a good company

unless you have suffered financially then i do don't think legal action would be the way to go

Thats a good idea

[PaulKing]

Don't bother with legals everyone shouts "I'll sue" but in reality it's expensive, stressy and time consuming.

Just tell them if they run the same ad in the spring with your price on it, for you you'll forget all about it. Plus if it works next time you might use them and pay, And you can all stay friends.

Failing that, just swallow it, its just business.

[Graeme@Access]

Hi,

I could and probably will invoice them, issue a pre sue letter then file at small claims. It will cost them more to defend it than the invoice total and they will settle out of court. Thats the plan as they would need to send a lawyer from London the Glasgow to defend it.

Most of the time its about gesturing from a strong position. It has worked in the past with monies owed to us, but this is slightly different.

To be honest the anger is fading and by next week it will all be in the past... were too busy for the hassle if im honest, but it was good to get it off my chest 

Thanks for you help and ideas though

Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions

[heritagecleaning]

Important Questions:

1. Have they now stopped doing whatever they were doing?

2. What loss have you suffered as a result of their actions?

[Graeme@Access]

Hi,

It Still goes on but lets just say that my bullish tactics scared them enough to pay me a 4 figure sum.

Never Give up 

Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions