Utility Warehouse

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cheaputils

Cheaputils

Prior to firing from the hip with the all too common (& anticipated) Utility Warehouse mantra. I would suggest you read my post again.

My beef, is about seeing my (good natured but slightly gullible) partner. Being sucked in to this (almost) Evangelistical 'selling marketing' cult. Watching it consume her topic of conversation and seeing our friends who have little interest groan when ever UW is mentioned.

You say you make £75 per week! Excellent! Bravo! WAHOO! Like my partner I anticipate that since you took up this little project, you too have become dull as ditch water, spouting robotic UW statistics and constantly working out a new way to sign up resellers (The gullible) or customers.



Soft sell you say? For me - no sell please. My sincerest hope is that my partner is one of those people (who you at UW frown upon) and who isn’t cut out for long run (i.e - sees the light) dropping out with post haste!

Bravo Adventurelife - I agree with you 100%

I didn't fire from the hip. My response was considered and coherent. Like you, I don't like the Evangelical approach, but then I just avoid it. It's quite possible to build your business without all that nonsense.

No, I didn't say 'I make £75 per week', I was calculating what you quoted as a weekly income, ie £4,000 per year, so you misinterpreted what I was saying, maybe I could have phrased it better.

Your assumptions about my methods are entirely incorrect. So are your assumptions about my demeanor (which you are rather insulting about if I may make so bold. why do you feel the need to be that way and hurl personal insults?).

If your partner has been consumed then I sympathise with you, but slagging off others just because they are involved in the same business is way out of order IMO.
 
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cheaputils

For those reading this thread who think I may be a slave to Utility Warehouse, nothing could be further from the truth. My main income is still from my day job, then have business interests in web design, publishing, advertising and lastly utilities. I spend comparitively little time on the latter, but still think it a viable part of my business portfolio, although income is small compared to the rest.
 
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Rhyl Lightworks

This thread comes at a very opportune time for me. I have an appointment with a UW seller next Tues. I have no interest in becoming one of their sellers, but she says she will look at all my utility bills for both the business and home and see if she can save me any money. Should I go ahead or cancel? I will not be changing utilities often (if ever again), I have better things to do than chop and change to save a few pence here and there. In fact I find the whole thing incredibly boring (the result of flawed privatisation).

Barrie
 
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garyk

Free Member
Jun 14, 2006
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This thread comes at a very opportune time for me. I have an appointment with a UW seller next Tues. I have no interest in becoming one of their sellers, but she says she will look at all my utility bills for both the business and home and see if she can save me any money. Should I go ahead or cancel? I will not be changing utilities often (if ever again), I have better things to do than chop and change to save a few pence here and there. In fact I find the whole thing incredibly boring (the result of flawed privatisation).

Barrie

The bottom line is this, let them quote and they (UW) will either save you money or they won't. Of course as you say it needs to be a significant saving to switch. I compared them for electricity and they were no cheaper but others' experience differs.

Gary
 
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Geoff T

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Apr 30, 2009
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sorry, but couldn't be ar*ed to go through the whole thread - did anyone mention "pyramid" at any time? - will maintain enotice for a bit and see what comes of my question, else I'm sorry to have interfered!:eek:

I'm a member of a "face" networking group that has UW members, run into it before, and it just seems "next gen pyramid" to me!
 
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yourfuture2

Lets put this into perspective.

Does the UW business work for everyone? No
Can you earn a good living from it? Yes
Can you earn a really good living from it? Yes. But it takes time and effort.

To come onto this forum and say "it doesn't work" is a very unfair and incorrect statement. Perhaps it didn't work for you, that doesn't mean it won't work for someone else. Many people join UW and many fail, however, many are successful. Yes, many join and earn nothing, many may only earn an extra £100 a month, others £500 a month or £2,000, however, there are now many earning much, much more, it's all down to how long they have been in the business and the effort they put in on a regular basis.

It definately is not a pyramid scheme. As somebody said earlier, in pyramid schemes only the few at the beginning make all the money, but I personally know many who have joined UW in the last few years who are now earning a good income.

As for alienating all your friends and family!! What are you doing wrong? Personally I have never had that problem. It actually took me 4 years before my own parents became customers (because I didn't badger them constantly) but since then I have had several referral customers as a result.

If somebody wants to work in Tesco or Sainsburys I am sure there will always be plenty of vacancies, but they won't be paying you for months at a time when you are not working. That is a big difference here.

Yes, you can also earn money on the internet, but that isn't as easy as some would have you believe. I know many people who have lost money trying, myself included.

Its horses for courses, if you like the sound of it then give it a try, if you don't, then find one of the many other opportunities that are out there or just stick with your job, but please don't keep saying "it doesn't work" as a business model because that is just not right.
 
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Geoff T

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In business do you not gain financially from bringing a new customer/sales person into your business?

true for customer, sales person can also add value to your business, but not in same context...:rolleyes:

I am not connected to UW, but people seem to bandy about the words 'pyramid scheme' without knowing/understanding what one is.

also true, glad I'm not one of those...;)
 
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In business do you not gain financially from bringing a new customer/sales person into your business?

I am not connected to UW, but people seem to bandy about the words 'pyramid scheme' without knowing/understanding what one is.

This is a common statement from UW or Kleeneeze sellers - 'ahh but in business people earn money by recruting people'. Another common thing is that they have cheesy user names - yourfuture, JOB is just over broke etc.

Why do they have these cheesy names? They want to recruit you as a seller. Why? Because they stand to earn more money recruting others.

In a pyramid people lose out. There will be someone recruited who does not recruit others, and does not sell - hence they loose out. UW sellers are aware of this and so recruit loads - in the hope one will sell well. In business someone is recruited and that person gets a job and earns a wage. The recruiter may make other recruits and earn more money, but people do not lose out - recruiter is on wage plus maybe bonus, the recruited is on a wage.

The whole 'make money, I have a fast car, blah blah' is really sad. These people are not well off as they make out to be - and only tell you this to lure you in. You do not go to a job interview and here the interviewer say 'I have a big house etc'.

And on another note - a report in the paper shows that UW came out most expensive out of a number of suppliers.
 
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lockie

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May 4, 2007
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Its like a weird cult where at every opportunity members/sellers fee lthe need to on about it. The first networking event i went to i got given two cd's on it, attended a marketing seminar and met 3 people doing it.Two weeks ago attended another seminar where a load of us swapped emails so we can support each other with the stuff we learned and the first email i get is from one of the other attendees offering .......................


Youve guessed it UW !!

Its got to the point i now have an instant dislike to the brand because of this constant bombardment of the brand by those selling it.

I can see why UW widow has friends who avoid her now.

Its almost like anyone involved feels an irreversible urgeo to tell you about it if they have never met you before.

Do they use NLP or covert hypnosis techniques at the
"motivational meetings" ?
Its something i would like a serious NLPer to look into as its weird behaviour for so many seperate people to behave like in such a similar way i feel.
 
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DotNetWebs

This is a common statement from UW or Kleeneeze sellers - 'ahh but in business people earn money by recruting people'. Another common thing is that they have cheesy user names - yourfuture, JOB is just over broke etc.

Why do they have these cheesy names? They want to recruit you as a seller. Why? Because they stand to earn more money recruting others.

In a pyramid people lose out. There will be someone recruited who does not recruit others, and does not sell - hence they loose out. UW sellers are aware of this and so recruit loads - in the hope one will sell well. In business someone is recruited and that person gets a job and earns a wage. The recruiter may make other recruits and earn more money, but people do not lose out - recruiter is on wage plus maybe bonus, the recruited is on a wage.

The whole 'make money, I have a fast car, blah blah' is really sad. These people are not well off as they make out to be - and only tell you this to lure you in. You do not go to a job interview and here the interviewer say 'I have a big house etc'.....

Excellent post.

Have a look at some of the Kleeneze people trying to justify themselves with their ridiculous claims in this [ongoing] thread here:

Kleeneze Thread

They always come out with the same mantra:

"It's not pyramid selling - pyramid selling is illegal", "Kleeneze works it people that don't", "don't be a wage slave - have financial freedom", "5 year plan" etc. etc.

As lokcie says: "Its like a weird cult"

Regards

Dotty
 
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sellickbhoy

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Jun 5, 2009
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i joined up once, but shortly after all the prices for elec, gas and telecoms went mental, the amrket was all over the place.

i found i could get better deals outwith UW, so i did. After that i wasn't able to sell a product i didn't believe in

i think the system could well work and i think it is for a certain type of person. But i have to admit, i really didn't like the "evangilism" of it all

a good product will sell and there is no need to over egg something. personally i didn't think it was a good product and i didn't like the other people involved.

Wasn't for me.

But i'm sure plenty of folk make something from it - i can only really see it as pocket money though
 
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garyk

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The whole 'make money, I have a fast car, blah blah' is really sad.

That is the biggest laugh with all those 'make extra money now' stickers on cars, they are normally on $hitty 10 year old vauxhalls or nissans, always makes me smile!

And of course that isn't specific to any one opportunity, its any MLM.
 
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My Owl 1

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Nov 17, 2008
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Not looking good, check this thread

problems with hmrc isnt good pr


Just like to put people right with the above thread.


I think that the thread originator might be confusing the requirement to use sequential invoice numbers with vat numbers.

since vat liability is different for each part of the TelecomPlus Group, it is a legal requirement to provide each vat number on an invoice, & as long as it is easy to see which vat limit applies to each portion of the invoice no breach is occurring.

I hope that clears up this scare mongering.

I have looked into this thoroughly since the member first drew my attention to this and I was relieved to find out from HMRC that the way we bill customers is legally correct providing we inform them of the different VAY number, which we do. The reason we have different VAT numbers is because we have three perts to our company but bill customers on one detailed bill. The VAT is calculated correctly for each of the services and of course full returns are submitted on time to the HMRC VAT division.

I can understand that some people do not like UW and have their own personal reasons, but publishing threads which are suggesting that we are operating unlawfully, is outrageous and slanderous. I hope that the moderators will stop any further posting on this VAT UW thread.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss this issue further.

Avril:rolleyes:
 
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Geoff T

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...but publishing threads which are suggesting that we are operating unlawfully, is outrageous and slanderous. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss this issue further.

Avril:rolleyes:

to be pedantic...if it's a thread, then would it not count as 'libel' - having been written - rather than slander...also it's not outrageous, as it is just an expression of opinion.

It could be wrong, it could be based on personal opinion or experience, which is countered by the opinion/experience of others, but until the Westminster ripping sods take away my tongue, I'll defend our right to free speech(as our forefathers have) - as long as it is not "verbally"/morally offensive!

Surely if the ALLEGATION is out there - it's for the defendant to prove the claim is unjustified?!?
 
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My Owl 1

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to be pedantic...if it's a thread, then would it not count as 'libel' - having been written - rather than slander...also it's not outrageous, as it is just an expression of opinion.

It could be wrong, it could be based on personal opinion or experience, which is countered by the opinion/experience of others, but until the Westminster ripping sods take away my tongue, I'll defend our right to free speech(as our forefathers have) - as long as it is not "verbally"/morally offensive!

Surely if the ALLEGATION is out there - it's for the defendant to prove the claim is unjustified?!?

I think I have done that defended it and if you would like more evidence then Companies House and the Annual Accounts will show that Utility Warehouse are credible and lawfully trading.

I agree freedom of speech is important, especially when stating the facts. Blantant untruths however are just a waste of effort and I will always contest those.... using my freedom of speech
:rolleyes:
 
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Geoff T

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Apr 30, 2009
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I think I have done that defended it and if you would like more evidence then Companies House and the Annual Accounts will show that Utility Warehouse are credible and lawfully trading.

I know from personal experience that there are tons of "legal" companies out there who make a "legal" living by ripping people off - , NOT saying UW do that, but my point is being registered at Companies house - which costs a hand full of £ - does NOT make a company morally or ethically correct... equally, filing company accounts - "per se to enable those companies to continue their rip off once they're in" - still doesn't satisfy the criteria...:eek:

I agree freedom of speech is important, especially when stating the facts. Blantant untruths however are just a waste of effort and I will always contest those.... using my freedom of speech
:rolleyes:

Glad you appreciate what has been done for you, and the rest of us...:cool:

Last - back to my 1st point - PROVE IT...what/where are the "blatant untruths"?:rolleyes:
 
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yourfuture2

Gogojonny said " They want to recruit you as a seller. Why? Because they stand to earn more money recruting others." Completely untrue. I have introduced many people to the UW opportunity who chose to do nothing. They didn't earn anything but guess what? Neither did I. I did however give of my time to try to help them but like I said, I didn't earn anything!

"In a pyramid people lose out. There will be someone recruited who does not recruit others, and does not sell - hence they loose out." True. As in any business/job, if you do nothing, you earn nothing.

"UW sellers are aware of this and so recruit loads - in the hope one will sell well." Many who are new to the business will hope to recruit just about anyone but they soon learn (usually anyway). Why would any of us want to waste our own valuable time (and sometimes money) finding lots of people and spend more time helping them, all in the "hope" one may do something? We are looking for people who genuinely want to earn some extra money and are willing to give it a fair go.

Unfortunately many will not do things the right way, just as in Kleeneze, FLP, B.G., Tesco, Barclays Bank, the local newsagents etc etc etc.
 
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Exactly right. Like most businesses, you need to be careful who you take on board. Do you want someone who understands the business and how it works, or do you just want anyone? Sadly, that's how some distributors operate, and they get pissed off very quickly and make no money, not because the business model is at fault, but because they recruited the wrong people.

I regard my Telecom plus business as my own. I ask people to partner me when I know and trust them, and teach them to do the same. The business doesn't grow at an unsustainable rate and I know the people I work with are committed, reliable and honest. The people who fail in Telecom plus will be the people who fail at everything else. If you regard that as a 'mantra' of some kind then you are delusional, it's just a fact. Approach any task in a negative, unrealistic and naive manner and you will fail. Do it in a professional, respectful way and you will succeed.

To expand on what was said above, simply recruiting people into Telecom plus pays absolutely nothing, unless you can teach them the same things you learned. I could sign up 100 people tomorrow, but if they didn't bring in any customers then I would earn precisely zip. But, if I teach them lots of other things as well as the stuff they learn on their UW training (and agreed, some of it is cheesy crap, but we're all adults here and hopefully we can weed out the good stuff from the chaff), and make sure they do it right, then this is a good business and I can be pleased that me and my team behave in an ethical, respectful way.

Telling people lies is not my style, and if I can't save potential customers money I tell them so and walk away. You need to listen to the customer above all else, and that applies to any business, not just Telecom plus/Utility Warehouse.
 
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My Owl 1

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Telling people lies is not my style, and if I can't save potential customers money I tell them so and walk away. You need to listen to the customer above all else, and that applies to any business, not just Telecom plus/Utility Warehouse.


Couldn't agree more my customers are very important to me after all that is how my business stays stable by looking after them and by also being honest and saying when you cant do them such a great deal. A cafe owner has become a customer of mine for both electricity and gas, because I was honest enough to tell him that i couldnt quite save him any money on his gas bill, but could on his electricity. he decided that he wanted both bills on one bill and decided to try our services He is extremely happy and that is what really matters to me.

Being honest and credible is No 1 to the success of any business and business owner.:)
 
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bishop

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Jun 18, 2013
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Hmm, interesting reading your experience with UW.
For the record, here's mine. Joined 5mths ago as a distributor, had been a customer for 2 years, really impressed, saved a lot of money. The support i've had from the company and my initial sponsor has been great and the residual income is building.

And what's great about this is that it only works if we're saving people money!

And with a customer retention rate at 99% with no contracts, it looks to me as if folk are voting with their feet and staying put!

Sorry you had such a negative ride.
 
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Paul Brooke

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Mar 8, 2011
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Sorry but I only see this one way. The only way that UW can make any savings at all is if they get hold of someone who is paying way way over the odds already for the services they provide. Anybody that does a little searching, via USwitch, Go Compare, Money supermarket et al will always get a better deal than any UW could offer. This current year so far I have had 3 UW agents ask to quote me for services. All three were totally confident they could do something with a least one of my bills if not all. Not one could beat any deal that I am on and that can be had online with about 15 mins research time. And as far as I know now all 3 have packed it in after being disillusioned with it all
 
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garyk

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Doesn't really matter garyk...it obviously got resurrected......2009 or 2015...UW still can't beat prices if you are prepared to look for cheaper. I am just surprised they are still going and that people haven't wised up by now

Agreed!

They cant be cheaper as they have commissions to pay agents across their pyramid...oops I meant to say 'network' :)
 
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