web.burza is not WeBurza (or customers are not stupid)
Recently, a few people contacted us via agency’s web form, requesting the quote ‘as arranged at the meeting’. At first, I was confused about getting messages from the clients I never heard about and after some of them requested a quote for server leasing (WTF is that, anyway?), we investigated this unusual situation.
Apparently, Google search for weburza (with a single letter B) returns a company which provides similar services like the agency I work for. And this other agency, WeBurza is also from Croatia. If somebody’s doing business with WeBurza, she might unintentionally land to our contact page if she searched for webburza (with a double letter B). A trivial spelling error could make her finish up with entirely different company.
Now, I can’t find a single reason why would some company want us to take over it’s potential customers. The thing is, the other company’s original name – ADASTA d.o.o. – has nothing to do with the words web, burza or a combination of the two.
The only thing that comes to my mind (that would partially explain their unbelieveably similar choice of a brand name) is that they’re trying to pick up some of the incautious clients coming from Google… If that’s the reason behind it, it’s very, very lame reason – imagine how would you feel if someone sold you Rebok instead of Reebok.
Now, why do I care? Maybe I’m afraid of somebody steals our business, I can’t tell… But what I know for sure is that I can’t believe that there’s still people who think the customers are stupid. They are not. Customers are not stupid.
5 Comments
Well, at least they spelt it different. My personal design studio has been named Frish for several years now. Recently someone decided to start a similar company, under the name Frish Media.
It’s just a shame… why would someone not search first before registering a company name if they have good intentions?
And it’s not like frish is such a common name…
Comment (#) by Rogier — 6th July 2006.
Not claiming to be David Carson or anything, but I second the first comment:)
Comment (#) by Brady J. Frey — 6th July 2006.
Mind the portfolio, what if someone shares his negative experiences about the website that he contracted WeBurza to do? :(
People don’t always share experiences in written form…
Comment (#) by gog — 7th July 2006.
If that’s the case, they are doing a really sleazy thing.
I might add one thing though that is closely related to the topic regarding naming conventions of these new Web2.0 companies and products, one of the main advantages of having your product/company named e.g. “shabang” lies in it’s uniqueness, later come the humorous connotations and this and that, but that’s the main thing. I mean – flickr – can there be any other? I don’t think so.
Comment (#) by Dragan Babiæ — 10th July 2006.
There is one smart tactic that I will use in this case. Sometimes it works sometimes not, depends on how clever the company manager is.
You can send them an official mail where you explain how they are using your company name and how they will meet yor advocates if they do not stop in let’s say 7 days.
Hope this will help.
Comment (#) by Ivan — 10th July 2006.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time, but if you have anything to say, please send me a message.