Rant - Another Provider Copies EVERYTHING I Do!

[permanentvacation]

Mrsmichelle,

That's why I haven't said anything to anyone else, I didn't want to seem immature. But enough is enough. The part that irritates me so much is that for years throughout our conversations, I would willingly offer her help and ideas here and there, but then it got to the point that she would call me for the sole purpose of getting information and then get off the phone with me. It became obvious that she was just using me and copying me.

Her running out of 'new' ideas is my thought as well. I won't talk to her anymore and I have just removed all the details about the way I do things from my website and ads. At least if she gets any 'new' ideas, it won't be from me!

Like I said though, I truly don't mind helping other providers with ideas. And tossing around ideas and advise. I just don't appreciate her literally copying me.

[permanentvacation]

I just put the details BACK on my website and ad. I thought, why should I not inform parents of the great services that I offer just because she copies them. I have had them on my website and ad for a while. I'm sure she has memorized them by now! However, I will not add any new details to my website or ad. So she will not be able to get any of my new ideas.

[MarinaVanessa]

If she is copying an add word for word then here's what I would do. From now on whenever you post an ad of any kind, anywhere, make/keep a copy of it and put it in a folder. Keep checking her advertisements on Craigslist, her website (if you both have one), etc. and start making a copy of hers and keep track of how many advertisements she copies. Go through and read every part and highlight complete sentences and phrases of things that come up on your advertisements. If there is a lot then send her a cease and desist letter. Those are fairly easy to write out and there are a lot of examples online. If she argues that she is not copying you send her copies of your advertisements vs hers with the copied phrases highlighted (keep your copies for yourself, give her her own copies). This usually stops it without having to go further (I once had a woman copy my entire website word for word and had a letter ready but another provider wanted to call her first to tell her that it's copyright infringement and the site was pulled down within the hour).

The hardest part about this however is that advertisements tend to be a lot of brief points and bullets and it's hard to call those copying. Also if they offer the same things but word it differently then not much you can do . For example:

Can be Called Copying
YOU: I am a state licensed family child care provider. I offer Blankety-Blank an award winning curriculum. As a part of our daily curriculum we teach Spanish and simple Sign Language. We have convenient hours of Monday through Friday from 7am to 6pm and offer extended hours and weekend care on an occasional basis. Healthy meals are served throughout the day at no extra charge ....

HER: Copies everything word for word or many parts of it word for word.

Can't be called copying
HER: I am licensed by the state of _______. I provide Blankety-Blank curriculum and teach Spanish and Sign Language. My hours are Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and occasionally before/after hours and on weekends. All meals are provided at no extra charge.

or

HER:

• Licensed Childcare
• Blankety-Blank Curriculum
• Spanish & Sign Language Lessons
• Healthy Meals Provided at No Additional Charge
• Convenient Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-6pm

It's super annoying, I get it. And it ****s more because you help other people and now it seems to be biting you in the butt and making her an exact replica and direct competition. I've been there, done that. Maybe it's time to revamp your advertisements to make yourself stand out again, like maybe adding/changing your photos of your space on your ads, adding a colorful flyer to your Craigslist posts, making a web-site if you don't already have one and if you do maybe it's time to re-word it. And plus you have something that she doesn't have ... you're established and have experience. Make sure that you put that in your ads somewhere. I'd add it something like "XX years experience working with children of which XX of those years I have been licensed. Mentor of several other daycare providers in my immediate area to help them set up their child care program. Can be imitated but not duplicated"

And for next time maybe when you help someone else out instead of giving them all of your ideas why not give them a list of options to choose from instead and maybe some articles to give them ideas. That's what I do now. Instead of giving out all of my secrets I have a small packet with a list of options for curriculum, supply companies, furniture companies, books they should buy and read, Care Courses they can take and articles to read. If they ask me to come and help them organize once they buy everything then I'll help them but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot again KWIM?

[permanentvacation]

She doesn't copy my ad word for word. She copies the things I do/offer/things I teach. Basically copies my new ideas of operating.

For example...

I have used Home Preschool Program off and on for 25 years. One day, she asked me what curriculum I use. I told her I have tried a couple of things and named a couple of boxed curriculum as well as a couple of curriculum that are planning/idea books for teachers to get ideas from then make their own lessons. But I did stress the Preschool Program more. Next thing I know, she advertises that she uses the Preschool Program.

My father has Alzheimer's disease. So I started wondering if I could help myself not get Alzheimer's. I researched for days! Then decided to do some things for myself and also incorporate Spanish, Sign Language, and Computers into my daycare curriculum. I told her this story about my dad and my research and deciding to add those things to my curriculum. Now she's offering the same things.

I was talking to my ex-husband about needing to get my daycare name out there more. He had previously brought a large board - almost like plywood- to my house to block the rain from the basement door during a huge storm we had. I asked him if I could get some paint from him so I could make a sign out of that board. He chuckled at that idea and told me that if I want a sign, he'll buy a sign for me. I told her about how he got me a sign, where he bought it from and all - just in conversation as friends. Next thing I know, she has a sign similar to mine!

There are more things that she's copied. These are the more recent though.

So, I don't think I can legally do anything about this. It's just unbelievable that she does this.

[permanentvacation]

Oh, the photos in my ad, yeah, she copied that too!!!

[Blackcat31]

Blackcat,

I did finally tell her over the phone that I have noticed that 'some' providers (meaning her ) were copying every new idea that I came up with. She just got defensive and yelled at me asking why I think others want to copy me. I said, "I don't know" and we haven't spoken to each other since.

Now that we aren't talking over the phone for her to get ideas from me verbally, she's just copying what I advertise. I have thought about calling her since I saw her last ad, but I'm sure it will just start an argument. So I don't plan to call her.

I fully understand that it's not like a have sole rights to my ideas, and yes, I have asked other providers for ideas and have incorporated some of the ideas they gave me. But this person is literally duplicating every new thing I do.

I just removed all the details about my curriculum, activities, etc. on my website and will not provide details on my upcoming ads. That way she won't know what I offer - of course, neither will the parents.

I'm sorry that she was so rude. Some people show their guilt by becoming defensive.

I also DO think you have sole rights to your ideas and words.

Maybe at the bottom of all your advertisements you can put something in reference to that.

What she is doing is considered plagiarism...

"According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions"

http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/what-is-plagiarism

[permanentvacation]

MarinaVenessa,

"XX years experience working with children of which XX of those years I have been licensed. Mentor of several other daycare providers in my immediate area to help them set up their child care program. Can be imitated but not duplicated"


I Like that!! All morning, I have been trying to think of how to word it in my ad something to let people know that I am the one with the original ideas. But couldn't come up with how to word it. I was planning to call my sister later and ask her to help me word it.

So, since we are on the topic of copying... can I use your lines in my ad?

[permanentvacation]

Ah, yes, plagiarism. Hmm. Maybe this is something along those lines. You are right. MarinaVenessa suggested that I keep a record of my ads and hers to prove she is copying me. I might just do that.

[Unregistered]

Blackcat,

I did finally tell her over the phone that I have noticed that 'some' providers (meaning her ) were copying every new idea that I came up with. She just got defensive and yelled at me asking why I think others want to copy me. I said, "I don't know" and we haven't spoken to each other since.

Now that we aren't talking over the phone for her to get ideas from me verbally, she's just copying what I advertise. I have thought about calling her since I saw her last ad, but I'm sure it will just start an argument. So I don't plan to call her.

I fully understand that it's not like a have sole rights to my ideas, and yes, I have asked other providers for ideas and have incorporated some of the ideas they gave me. But this person is literally duplicating every new thing I do.

I just removed all the details about my curriculum, activities, etc. on my website and will not provide details on my upcoming ads. That way she won't know what I offer - of course, neither will the parents.

I would call her up and give her a different curriculum name, different lunch schedule, basically the opposite of what you do. I had a copycat a long time ago, EXCEPT she copied all but the rates. She'd DELIBERATELY go $10 lower a week and was, in effect, stealing business. Because people here are all about price, they'd call her first no matter what. I had no chance unless I also lowered. But the ONE time I did that, she dropped $10 more. So it was just silly to play that game with her.

eventually, her unreliable nature came out (she'd call off, etc) and it bit her in the butt.

[MotherNature]

She copied your photos? That,I believe, is definitely a cease & desist thing, especially if there's kids in the pics. You may have legal authority to disseminate the pictures, but she didn't have Timmy & Natasha's parents sign forms for her to post their pics...She could be in trouble for that. Or, do yu mean she copied the staging & style of your pics?

[MarinaVanessa]

MarinaVenessa,

"XX years experience working with children of which XX of those years I have been licensed. Mentor of several other daycare providers in my immediate area to help them set up their child care program. Can be imitated but not duplicated"


I Like that!! All morning, I have been trying to think of how to word it in my ad something to let people know that I am the one with the original ideas. But couldn't come up with how to word it. I was planning to call my sister later and ask her to help me word it.

So, since we are on the topic of copying... can I use your lines in my ad?

Of course. Steal away!!

[Laurel]

Ah, yes, plagiarism. Hmm. Maybe this is something along those lines. You are right. MarinaVenessa suggested that I keep a record of my ads and hers to prove she is copying me. I might just do that.

I think keeping a record of them is a great idea that MarinaVanessa had. I'm not so sure about the line about being a mentor and you can be copied but not imitated though. At first I thought it was a great idea and then I got to thinking about it. Couldn't she just copy that? No one knows who had the ideas first.

Maybe you could put something at the end of your ad like "Ask us about our special offer!" Then you could make up an offer. Maybe something like the last week of care is free if you've been with us a year or maybe one free parent's night out every 6 months or a free t-shirt with your childcare's name on it (double bonus with that one). I bet if you made up a logo for the shirt or your sign that may be able to be a copyrighted thing. Business names are copyrighted also as I looked that up once. I looked it up as my daughter and I were considering starting a side business.

When I was a child we had a neighbor that copied everything from my dad and the mom copied things my mom did. My dad was very handy and creative and finished our unfinished basement with built in seats/storage, etc. He also helped this guy and he did his basement the same. My dad didn't get upset though but, then again, it wasn't business related. My dad kind of thought of it as a challenge. He just enjoyed making things for the house and yard. So one day he was in our basement making bricks. Yes, his own bricks that were white. Then he imbedded some little tiles in them. His little wall thingy went around the bushes. I remember him saying "Now, let's see Len copy this!" Well Len never did. ::

Laurel

P.S. Oh and if you do a special offer of some sort I wouldn't tell anyone on the phone. Make it contingent with signing up. Once you have their deposit/paperwork or however you do it then tell them. It will probably drive your neighbor crazy!!!

[MarinaVanessa]

Couldn't she just copy that? No one knows who had the ideas first.

The wonderful thing about CL is that when you go into an add you see "posted on [date]" in teeny tiny letters in the upper right hand. Hit print and VOILÀ. You now have proof that you posted yours before she did happyface

[melilley]

Because you are awesome! I'm sure it will reflect that you are original and sincere when you interview-she may be copying what you offer but it will be harder to show those things when it comes down to it! :hug: Sorry you have that happening, but just try to take it as a compliment that you are worthy of someone trying to imitate you

I was going to say something similar to this!..

[Laurel]

The wonderful thing about CL is that when you go into an add you see "posted on [date]" in teeny tiny letters in the upper right hand. Hit print and VOILÀ. You now have proof that you posted yours before she did happyface

Oh okay. I did a Craigslist once a long time ago but am not that familiar with the ins and outs of it.

Laurel