Another business with our business name

[leasehelp]

So it's come to light over recent months that another business in the same industry as us has pretty much the same name as ours! (The difference being a 's' so think Ramsey Bar or Ramsey's Bar)

What on earth do we do? They are based at the other end of the country but it's causing confusion to customers.

We are a small hospitality business and we are losing business as a result because we are taking bookings and then those customers aren't turning up presumably because they've actually meant to book the other one.

It's only come to light today when I was taking a large group booking and was making small talk with the customer when it became evident she thought she was talking to the other place!

It explains a few other no shows where customers have booked via our website and it's not been a local phone number.

I wonder if they're having the same issue, when you google our name we are at the top of the listings and it's easy to miss the dialling code for somewhere when you just click on the 'call now' link.....

I've checked out the other place, they don't have a website but I can see reviews on Tripadvisor dating back to last summer so think they are probably reasonably new (we've been going over 20 years)

So what do I do!? Call them? Trademark our name? What a ball ache!

If they're a fairly recent name, you're best option is to trademark both names if available and then contact them.

You could contact them and see if they'd be willing to change their name however that's extreme CF territory and they'll likely say absolutely not.

Alternatively, you can change your name, although if you're more established, it's a hassle.

If it's a common name/variation it might be tricky to establish that you own it.

I would get in touch and let them know the issue and ask to work with them to resolve it.

On your on-line presence can you make your town location more prominent?

Ask if they are going to get a website and online booking system.

Well if it is affecting you then it's affecting them. Maybe call them up and agree that you'll both add your location to the main website/ad?
Ramsey Bar, Bournmouth
Ramseys Bar, Newcastle

Could you not add your town to your company name?

Ramsey's Bar Horton.

If they’re at the other end of the country, you need to up your branding and marketing, and pot briskly change your name to “The Ramsey at Cliff Head” (or whatever).

If your name is Ramsey and their name is Ramsey, there’ll be a lot of businesses with the family name. You won’t be able to defeat them all.

Agree with adding the name of your town or city as in The Ramsey at Bournemouth and then trademark it.

Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions.
To answer a few questions:

So it's not a common name in as much as it's not an English name, but it fits with the identity that of the business (so if we were an Austrian restaurant for example- it's the difference between Mozart Restaurant and Mozart's!)

Having looked into it there are a couple of other 'Mozarts' around the UK.

I've also looked at the trademark database and there is one Mozart's registered - and needs to be re-registered in June this year from what I understand.

Interestingly that actual business was a take away only establishment and according to Companies House was dissolved in 2016.

So we could look to Trademark Mozart Restaurant but might be prevented because of Mozarts!

In terms of social media, our insta and FB are all really active so i would rather not do a whole rebrand.... but on the profiles it does have our address/postal town.

However maybe on our website landing page we need the postal town in bigger letters...

I'm going to check our business insurance on Monday and see if we have any legal cover, might be worth a call I guess
Thanks again for the all feedback!

It's difficult to trademark a name and I don't think you can when its a common, actual name. You might be able to trademark Smithi but you couldn't trademark Smith or Smith's for example.

But anyway, you're putting your attention in the wrong place.

• go over your online and social presence and add your place name to it
• you need to make sure google location is turned on too, it's easy enough (but a long time since I've done it so can't remember)
• if you use a booking engine, make sure it's added too
• when you answer the phone, use place name: hello, Ramsey of London or whatever
• when you take a booking, check they've got the right place verbally: and just to double check, this is Ramsey of London. Train this in with your staff.

Maybe you need to add Ramseys of bridge street or Liverpool or whatever to avoid the confusion

When someone googles your name they should only be shown the Google Business profile for the one near them. It picks up your location.

How is the location described on your website? Can you have a line like

"a quirky spot in the heart of Newcastle"

I'm trying to work out how people can be booking the wrong thing if the other company don't have a website

You could also purchase the domains which are similar to yours so the other company can't get it

You are likely going to have to go the route of making your location more prominent.

more a surprisingly common problem. As a customer I have fallen victim to it myself.

There is a restaurant in a nearby town to me that has another branch about 100 miles north. They are, apparently, constantly getting bookings for one another, but that's because it is very difficult to establish which branch you are talking to if you email or phone (it's a mobile number).

So I'd add to the body that says add your location to your company name.

It's better for your SEO to have the location prominent in your titles and headers anyway

I'm not sure if there is much you can do, especially as it's in different areas.

I made this mistake a few weeks back. I booked a hair appointment at my local salon online whilst away. When I turned up, having paid a deposit, they had no recollection of my booking,

Turns out I'd somehow booked a hair salon 300 miles away with the same name and similar looking website!

Luckily my salon was able to fit me in the next day and the other salon saw the funny side and refunded me my deposit too!