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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that a lot of small businesses are essentially con artists?

101 replies

SecretWineBox · 10/10/2015 11:29

Even if they don't admit it even to themselves?

I'm getting rather sick of crap service from builders (there are NO honest ones!), driving instructors (ANY instructor you are paying in fact), small online shops, local food suppliers, bad restaurants...

I really want to support small businesses but i can't afford to be ripped off all the time.

At least large organisations generally have a proper complaints process.

Then people blame big corporations for the demise of small business.... If there was a national chain of builders and tradesmen I'd be over the moon!

OP posts:
Original poster
SecretWineBox · 10/10/2015 12:32

GP's are small businesses, but thankfully heavily regulated!

I used to think like many here - that supporting small business was the right thing to do.

However, not any more.

Good point above about the tax credit thing, suspect that was the motivation for a lot of them.

OP posts:
BabyGanoush · 10/10/2015 12:33

Really OP?

I have the opposite experience!

But I always ask local friends/neighbours for recommendations.

Personal recommendations is the way to go. Also, a local person has his reputation in the community at stake. My experience with all local tradesmen has been great (touch wood).

you're unlucky, or forgot to go by recommendations!

Egosumquisum · 10/10/2015 12:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DiscoGoGo · 10/10/2015 12:35

GPs are self employed aren't they (?) or in partnerships or something, unless that had changed, so they are running small businesses aren't they?

Anyway

OP they aren't all con artists obv but I too have had much shitter service than from larger concerns. It's mainly tradespeople of the plumber / electrician / carpenter / new drive variety. They only turn up when they say they (to quote) will about 1 time out of every 6. Of the ones who turn up it's normal for them to say they will quote and then you never hear from them again. It's infuriating. I think it's something to do with the area - there's a lot of work round here so they pick and choose and don't need to keep people sweet? Anyway this is a common experience with everyone I know - if you need something done and call say 4 people and book them in for quotes you're surprised if one turns up. It's a massive PITA with arrangements for someone to be here for the appt and then it's another sodding no show.

Anyway.

Some are great, we had FANTASTIC electricians recently if anyone wants a recommendation for north london / herts just ask!

laureywilliams · 10/10/2015 12:39

ANY instructor you are paying in fact
What does that even mean? Would you prefer an instructor that you don't pay?

What a ridiculous sweeping statement.

DPotter · 10/10/2015 12:40

As an instructor trading as a sole trader, I take great exception to your comment that 'ANY instructor you are paying for' provides crap service. If I don't provide at least a good level of service, I don't get customers - simple as. Word of mouth is a very powerful way of damning a business and if I don't turn up on time, don't pass on my knowledge and experience, manage their expectations in a constructive way and all at a price they think reasonable, the customers I have will go elsewhere and they will tell their family, friends, acquaintances and uncle Tom Cobbley and all. You could say my reputation is only as good as my last class.

Sadly I don't pay a lot in tax, for the sad and simple reason I don't earn enough.

Egosumquisum · 10/10/2015 12:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Arabidopsis · 10/10/2015 12:42

Many small businesses don't pay much in tax and lots only exist as its a way of playing the tax credit system to its full advantage whilst avoiding having to sign on

What do you mean?

Have small businesses got some kind of exemption from corporation tax that I'm not aware of?

I think this refers to the fact that it used to be the case that someone could set up a small business, register as self employed, never make a profit equivalent to a minimum wage salary but have their wages topped up with tax credits.

It's either already changed or in the process of being changed.

BlueJug · 10/10/2015 12:42

Ha! Ha! A goady, ill-informed, stupid post from someone who cannot even define small business, clearly has no idea how the economy works and naively believes that all big businesses pay all their taxes whilst the little guy is Ripping off the State.

This is the same sort of mindset that produces statements like "All single mothers...." or "All Muslims..." or "All teachers...."

What is the point?

Happy to discuss small businesses and the problems they face, the benefits they bring, their place in a mixed economy, the regulations that affect them, peoples' experiences etc - but suspect this would not be that sort of thread.

mumblechum1 · 10/10/2015 12:46

Yep another small business owner here who's a bit put out Grin

My business is absolutely tiny (only me!) but it's ranked number 1 out of over 500 will writing firms in the UK because I give bloody fantastic service at less than half of what a big company would charge for rubbish service.

So please take your tar brush and, and, brush some tar!

(have never claimed a penny of tax credits btw, I don't get how that applies particularly to small businesses)

Original poster
SecretWineBox · 10/10/2015 12:49

I fully aware of the tax issues with amazon etc. That's one of the reasons I have chosen to use small businesses in the past.

However, I don't have the time or money to do it anymore, not worth the risk.

The person above who mentioned being passionate about your work; that is not always a good thing. It means that people take complaints as some kind of personal attack.

OP posts:
Spartans · 10/10/2015 12:51

yep, tax credits is exactly why I started up my small business. Tax credits are so lucrative that was my motivation.

Of course if you said the same about lone parents having kids to increase benefits you would be ripped to shreds on mn.

BondGate · 10/10/2015 12:52

I don't agree that it is in a driving instructor's interests to string the lessons out as long as possible.

I had 3 driving instructors before I passed my test. One of them was the "string lessons out type". So after a while, I found a different driving instructor, and told friends who were thinking of learning to drive that while he was a lovely man, in my opinion he wasn't a good driving instructor and should be avoided because he strung things out more than necessary, insisting on spending lesson after lesson on things I'd already mastered.

I instead recommended the driving instructor who got me through the test - he didn't string things out. He aimed to get me ready for my test as soon as practical, and only dwelt on particular aspects of driving if it was clear that I was having difficulty with them.

So while the second driving instructor I mentioned would have stood to get less money out of me personally, he also got good personal recommendations, and enough of those from happy clients is the sort of thing which leads to new clients and a sustainable long term business.

Original poster
SecretWineBox · 10/10/2015 12:58

it may not actually be in their best interests, but there are certainly those who do it.

OP posts:
Egosumquisum · 10/10/2015 13:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
SecretWineBox · 10/10/2015 13:03

Why would I continue to do something that had regularly proved to be detrimental to me?

OP posts:
Spartans · 10/10/2015 13:36

Some huge business are shit. So what will you do if a few big businesses piss you off?

No one is saying you have to use small businesses. We are saying you can't say 'all small businesses are a con' based on your experiences of a few.

DiscoGoGo · 10/10/2015 13:50

Big businesses are usually better at resolving complaints and are a lot more sensitive to people slagging them off on social media.

Small or one person outfits - If I say Fred Blogs who is a plumber in Blah is crap no-one knows who he is or gives a toss. If I say "big name company is crap" then loads of people know who they are, listen, join in with the slagging and the company often rocks up to grovel (online).

I suppose that's the thing isn't it. I know for eg that John Lewis has good customer service and Curry's is shit. (On the whole). When I look for a small business I have no way of knowing. The sites with reviews and stuff - I think they get their mates to write them. Because the last load of work I contacted 4 or 5 people on trusted trader or whatever it is, all had 100% "showing up" rates, not a single one showed up.

Original poster
SecretWineBox · 10/10/2015 13:51

I didn't say all.

All I am stating is that I've had far more bad experiences with small businesses than big ones.

OP posts:
RebootYourEngine · 10/10/2015 14:08

I havent had much dealings with small businesses or trades people but do have a driving instructor.

He isnt a string you along person. He tries to get you test ready as soon as you feel its possible. He does this because he has a waiting list of people wanting to start lessons. He has a waiting list BECAUSE he is good at his job.

Currys is a big business and it has shit customer service. So does sky. And has anyone ever gotten through to the HMRC. I seem to always be in a queue or they cut me off before i have spoken to anyone.

Spartans · 10/10/2015 14:18

stating is that I've had far more bad experiences with small businesses than big ones.

How does that translate into your thread title and saying are no honest builders?

Personally I find smaller business are better and the staff in them care more. I find big businesses are not generally bothered unless you kick up a huge stink. That doesn't mean that big businesses are out to con people. Or that certain trades have no honest people

laffymeal · 10/10/2015 14:21

YABU. I think you've made very poor choices and done little or no research. Therefore you've had bad service.

Perhaps you should take your complete lack of responsibility in finding a decent service provider into consideration before you denigrate small businesses.

laffymeal · 10/10/2015 14:22

The poorest customer service I have ever received was from the Halifax building society. Utterly awful. I will never buy any of their products or save with them again. Total and complete cunts they were.

laffymeal · 10/10/2015 14:23

Arnold Clark are cunts as well.

laffymeal · 10/10/2015 14:23

And Marks and Spencer. Tesco are also utterly shite with customer service.

See this forming a pattern OP?