[tlwcs]

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

[Clever Forum Name]

Damo Karma is a bitch  , The cheek of it asking you to cover his work 

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. 

[Mike #1]

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 

[Johnny B]

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

[andyM]

All sounds just a little bit pretentious to me. 

[Mike #1]

Cheers for that Johnny some well made points . 

[Shane sharples]

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'

[Mike #1]

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

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

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

[CleanClear]

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 ?

[Mike #1]

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 .

[Mike #1]

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

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

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

[8weekly]

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.

[supernova77]

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

[Smurf]

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.

[8weekly]

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.

I have worried that people might think I was financially unstable as opposed to just mentally.

[Smurf]

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.

I have worried that people might think I was financially unstable as opposed to just mentally.

  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.

[Dave Willis]

Most windies round my way wear pyjamas with arrows printed on them.

[Smurf]

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”