Meals On Wheels4u

[hagler]

That is NOT business, it is theft

If they copy the website word for word then yes.

However, an ex employee setting up on their own, using their experience gained to help set up their own business, NO!

How do you think industries advance in the world?

Totally agree. I learnt my business working for someone else for 6 years and then left and set up my own practice. And yes I did approach all the customers to try and win their business and yes I did manage to get some to come over to my company. The ones that came over knew that it was me that had made the busines relationship work before and they wanted that to continue. 7 years on my company is the market leader in its field and demographic. And yes I do know that 2 of my current employees will go out on their own at some point in the future and will try and get some of the custom base to go with them. Thats business and thats why I employed then in the first place. They are hungry and driven and while they work for me they make me good money. Rather have people like that working for and with me than some dumb robot slave who just "punches in and out" every day.

[Greenside]

I don't want to hijack the thread but since it already has something to do with the underlying thinking (or not?) of Asian businesses, maybe someone can help me out on a few points that have always puzzled me about retailing in particular.

In most developed markets (read western, my only experience) you choose to put a shop in a position which offers the most potential customers and the least established competition, the exception perhaps being that if you have a unique offering that would appeal to customers of a neighbouring business you might feel you can convert their traffic. It seems to be different here.

Over about 18 months I bought several crash helmets from a shop on the moat owned by a nice old couple: helpful, OK prices and a fairly decent stock aimed at local consumers. Came time to get one for my son and I rolled up to find that another old couple had opened up identishop next door. Really. Same stock, same display same prices as far as I could see - even the old lady looked uncannily similar. So, given that the existing shop was clearly not a goldmine - no fancy fittings, no Benz outside, no line of dissatisfied customers harping on about the wait to get served, what had the new couple got in mind when they signed the lease? Presumably not "Here's a just about viable number of customers, let's half them, both work all the hours God gave and go meet our maker poor." or "How nice it will be to sit together and discuss falling sales figures and loan shark interest rates as our landlords get richer." What's going on?

Same kind of thing: a row of six new shop houses eventually finds tenants despite being on a fast section of the inner ring road, miles from the nearest moo ban and within about 5 minutes of a shopping plaza with plenty of free parking, a supermarket, 7-11 and dozens of retail units many of which are clearly on their last legs. What do these hopefuls do? Open three half hearted general food stores with identical Sanyo coolers carrying pretty much the same stock, not one but two salons and (hurrah!) a pet food outlet. Just for a moment suppose that you decided to stop there long enough to buy something, what do these people imagine will make you choose their shop over their neighbours' version of the same thing? Already, prices are cut to the bare minimum, a can of Sprite is just a can of Sprite and that goes for most of the commodities on offer. I used to think it had something to do with family ties but in a city I'm not so sure.

So what do you think - is it a lack of imagination, of education, of experience or simply a hangover from the days before people were as mobile as today and craftsmen clustered in streets to be found?

Edited March 31, 2009 by Greenside

[photojourn]

Take a screen shot of the site and download a copy of the site in it's entirety.

Submit them a Digital Millennium Copyright act notice by email.

Submit a report to Google, Yahoo and MSN. This will result in their website not appearing in searches.

Find out who their host is and send them a copy of the DMC notice. If it is CAT then they will probably comply and remove the site.

Copyright breach actually carries very heavy penalties in Thailand.

[jayinoz]

I would not be drawing attention to the copycats- they will dissapear if you have the loyality of your restuarants and customers. I have ordered from you on several occasions when we been to lazy to head out. Your service has been great everytime, without an issue. Can the indian guy offer the same--- naturally others will try copy you if you making a buck out of it. Look to Maccas Vs burger king Vs million other burger places.

That is life and competition can make you provide the best possible service to keep all your customers... I will try you both out and give you my feedback- u will be annoyed that I will try out your competition yet that is life. You have many years advantage, they have a lot of catching up to do. Basically to be converted to them they will need to offer something special- like 20% discount for starters........I think u will be safe.

Chok Dee

[djk]

You are just starting to see the inevitable, anything that is successful here will be copied. Ask the guy that opened the first massage shop, coffee shop or (now) fish spa in the street, any success and you can guarantee another will open next door! That's life...

Take it from someone that started and stil has a successful eBay business and over 60 websites, it will be copied! I found that trying to report all of them was a waste of time, as soon as one went another would appear...

The way to beat them is to stay one step ahead of the game and give a superior service. You already have a loyal customer base, take care of them and the imitators that are appearing now and the one's that are still yet to come will soon disappear.

All the best,

[Ulysses G.]

This thread is more than one year old and I have never heard  a word about this former employee's business. I would hazard a guess that justice has already been served courtesy of Meals on Wheels better service, the lousy economy and the redshirt antics several months ago. He seems to have vanished into thin air. 

[realthaideal]

Ghost of TV threads past! Funny when a little archeology finds an old one we've forgotten about. Yep, you can copy everything in the looks, but as for service and ability - that's alot more difficult to do (isn't it, you copycat b@st@rds?). I think UG's observation is true.

[Chiangmai1st]

This thread is more than one year old and I have never heard a word about this former employee's business. I would hazard a guess that justice has already been served courtesy of Meals on Wheels better service, the lousy economy and the redshirt antics several months ago. He seems to have vanished into thin air.

I think this a way to get to advertise there business as for sure the thread is over 1 year old there sure are some triers out there

[Ulysses G.]

Well they can probably use the advertising. Meals on Wheels is a good service and with everyone watching their pennies these days, they are probably suffering as much as most of the other farang-related businesses.

[prism]

I'll keep using your service and I'll avoid using any copycats. I know you've worked hard building up your business and I'm glad of the service you're providing. Go after this thief and don't let up.

[eek]

Well meals on wheels are still going, so looks like they werent knocked out of business. As UG pointed out, its tough times for all at the moment.

Best of luck to all in business here.

As this thread is over a year old im closing it to avoid confusion.

//Closed//