Block an international company

kenst

I want to use the collective genius on here to try and block a big company from the UK moving to Ireland. They have a very popular web site in the uk and have 7-8 substantial showrooms ranging from 40,000-5,000 sq ft. I am in the same business and have a busy website and one showroom thats only 1500sq ft. Since the sterling has taken a dive they have registered a .ie version of their website (so they show up on google Pages from Ireland searches) and are marketing to the Irish (take advantage of cheap sterling ect.) I have also seen other signs on their site and policies that they are thinking of opening up a showroom in Ireland. This could wipe me out, I cant compete with their buying power, established supply lines and centralised administration they can blow me out of the water...

I have a couple of things in mind, the best I have come up with so far actually fits with my business plan anyway. I will move to a 5,000sq ft showroom, rebrand and adopt their trading name, they havn't registered with the cro and aren't technically trading over here yet. This means if they wanted to move into Ireland they would either have to use a different name and also develop a new website or possibly buy me out...

The thing I would be worried about by doing this is that I could effectively be advertising for them by people seeing my showroom and searching the net for the name and finding them... Also anyone know how the registered the .ie without having a presence here, I thought the iedr need a cro rbn number before they will give you a .ie, I have searched the cro for any registrations by this company and cant find anything?

patftrears

kenst wrote: »

rebrand and adopt their trading name, they havn't registered with the cro and aren't technically trading over here yet. This means if they wanted to move into Ireland they would either have to use a different name and also develop a new website or possibly buy me out...

nothing to stop them using the same trading name

kenst wrote: »

The thing I would be worried about by doing this is that I could effectively be advertising for them by people seeing my showroom and searching the net for the name and finding them...

worse people will thing you are pulling a con job and trying to pass yourself off as the bigger uk company

kenst wrote: »

Also anyone know how the registered the .ie without having a presence here, I thought the iedr need a cro rbn number before they will give you a .ie, I have searched the cro for any registrations by this company and cant find anything?

do a whois search on the site and it will tell you what type of category the registered the site under

you are clearly scared of this company and not thinking clearly, you need to find a competitive advantage and focus on that rather than pointless underhand tactics.

it's a free market after all, survival of the fittest.

shoutman

patftrears wrote: »

you are clearly scared of this company and not thinking clearly, you need to find a competitive advantage and focus on that rather than pointless underhand tactics.

it's a free market after all, survival of the fittest.

This bit is spot on.
You operate in a free market, and I don't think anyone would advocate a protectionist policy against foreign competitors entering into the irish market. (It creates jobs after all), big up your irishness and have pride in your service. They might have better buying power, but you can market yourself as being the experts in the irish market. I'm not sure what you are selling but although buying power and cheaper prices then competitors is a big thing in any market, it is not the only thing.

patftrears

shoutman wrote: »

I'm not sure what you are selling but although buying power and cheaper prices then competitors is a big thing in any market, it is not the only thing.

I sell software.

The biggest trends in the market for the past few years is that the customer is becoming more empowered.

Years ago, when you were selling software the customer would have no information other than your brochure. Now they have access to the web, blog sites reviews etc.
So everything from milk in the supermarket to complex enterprise systems are becoming commoditized.
Now some of the customer know more about what they are buying than the sales guys and it no longer is a consultative sale, it's can you do this and how much.

Everything is starting to become more about the product ( customer ROI) and the price rather than flash sales guys.

Bandara

shoutman wrote: »

This bit is spot on.
You operate in a free market, and I don't think anyone would advocate a protectionist policy against foreign competitors entering into the irish market. (It creates jobs after all), big up your irishness and have pride in your service. They might have better buying power, but you can market yourself as being the experts in the irish market. I'm not sure what you are selling but although buying power and cheaper prices then competitors is a big thing in any market, it is not the only thing.

I don;t agree, I think its becoming the only thing. The older generation used go to the same car dealer every year to change the car, the same insurance company to do all the insurance, the same petrol station to get their fuel.

Todays buyer gets the cheapest prices on Carzone/buy n sell, trawles the net for cheap insurance or gets a broker to find it for them, gets their petrol at the cheapest place around.

Money and the cost of things is everything these days.

Customer service is becoming defunct as a buying consideration.

kenst

patftrears wrote: »

nothing to stop them using the same trading name


worse people will thing you are pulling a con job and trying to pass yourself off as the bigger uk company


do a whois search on the site and it will tell you what type of category the registered the site under

you are clearly scared of this company and not thinking clearly, you need to find a competitive advantage and focus on that rather than pointless underhand tactics.

it's a free market after all, survival of the fittest.

Well for a start I would be there to stop them trading the same products under the same name as me, go out tomorrow and open your own supermarket called Tesco's and see what happens.

Also they aren't a well known name over here so not worried about people thinking I am trying to pass myself off as them and my logo ect would be obviously different, how many clubs around Dublin and London have the same names as famous clubs in New York and LA?

Not scared just trying to be clever and make any move over here a bit harder for them, I really don't think it is pointless trying to protect your business and throw a spanner in the works for the competition.

CapedCrusader

kenst wrote: »

... go out tomorrow and open your own supermarket called Tesco's and see what happens

There is a hell of a lot more to brand protection than registering a business name. Registration of a business name offers no protection at all... it is just an obligation if you are not a company and trade under a name other than your own personal name.

Tesco's spend on brand protection is probably comparable with your turnover. There are companies who specialise in it. If you trade under the name of this international company, if they have their branding sorted out, you could probably be done for "passing off" as them.

FusionNet

Hammertime just in responce to your post Im finding the opposite. The local face, the local support and the friendships formed is what is making my business stronger. I would be dearer than most but Im also probably the best at what I do locally and I guess my clients know this.

I find myself I go to the same station for my diesel every week, I go to the same restaurants because of the good staff, I use and insurance company not because they give me all the frills as the one in dublin but they have an office in my town and employ 8 people.

Because of rip off Ireland I think Irish people have forgotten some old values and its a shame.

Now on the OP question. I would agree with some of the people here, your tactics in my opinion are not focused. And if I were to be honest if I realised you did that I would avoid buying off you. If you are good at what you do stick to it. Find out your weak points, find out what your customers want and try to give it to them. Getting bigger is not always better.

a lot of small C-stores thought they'd go bust when dunnes and tesco opened big stores, but they didnt. They picked up their socks, improved quality and fought the good fight. I see a lot more C-stores now than there used to be years ago.

I wish you all the best but take a step back and re look at your situation. Sometimes as an owner of a business we can be emotionally too close to it to make the best decisions for it.

lemd

personally op, if i knew you were carrying on like that i would have nothing to do with your business. i would view you as untrustworthy and underhanded, how long before you try to pull a fast one on other, more local, competitors if things got tougher?

Like other posters have said, concentrate on the strengths that have served you well so far. I hope things work out for you.

Bandara

FusionNet wrote: »

Hammertime just in responce to your post Im finding the opposite. The local face, the local support and the friendships formed is what is making my business stronger. I would be dearer than most but Im also probably the best at what I do locally and I guess my clients know this.

I find myself I go to the same station for my diesel every week, I go to the same restaurants because of the good staff, I use and insurance company not because they give me all the frills as the one in dublin but they have an office in my town and employ 8 people.

Because of rip off Ireland I think Irish people have forgotten some old values and its a shame.

Hi Fusion

I dunno, maybe in the case of some business your right but most definitly in the case of Fuel and Restaurants (two businesses I'm directly involved in) its coming down to price for the majority.

We currently have an early bird Mon-Sun and a weekend lunch special. The quality of our product is such so so superior (in every way imaginable, professionalism and training of staff and management, quality of food, fit out etc etc) to our competitors but their billboard says €19.99 and our says €22.99, so they do 70 covers and we do 24 covers.

Its simply price driven.

kenst

Hammertime wrote: »

I don;t agree, I think its becoming the only thing. The older generation used go to the same car dealer every year to change the car, the same insurance company to do all the insurance, the same petrol station to get their fuel.

Todays buyer gets the cheapest prices on Carzone/buy n sell, trawles the net for cheap insurance or gets a broker to find it for them, gets their petrol at the cheapest place around.

Money and the cost of things is everything these days.

Customer service is becoming defunct as a buying consideration.

Yea people have no loyalty and shouldn't really be expected to have any, just look at the car market. How many people decided they would buy a car here for 5 or 10k extra because the poor Irish garage has to charge 6 and a half percent more vat and the garage bought the cars before sterling took a dive...

Also completely agree about customer service and flash sales guys, I am thinking about not doing a nice finish on the new showroom, having stuff on pallets, flat packed cardboard boxes sort of like a warehouse showroom. If I had the exact same prices but had a flashy designer showroom people automatically think they are paying top dollar. Before anyone says like Lidl/Aldi, funnily enough I don't think its a good idea with food, I prefer to shop for food in a very nice nearly clinical surrounding...

What do you think about the name thing Hammertime?

kenst

CapedCrusader wrote: »

There is a hell of a lot more to brand protection than registering a business name. Registration of a business name offers no protection at all... it is just an obligation if you are not a company and trade under a name other than your own personal name.

Tesco's spend on brand protection is probably comparable with your turnover. There are companies who specialise in it. If you trade under the name of this international company, if they have their branding sorted out, you could probably be done for "passing off" as them.

I know but it's often down to who traded where first, check out the story of a two man company taking on a 2 billion dollar company and winning, UGG boots were the product. American company can still hold the trakemarks in the US but not in Oz. Also this company is medium sized not massive, their turnover is around 20 million, mine is a tenth of that.

kenst

FusionNet wrote: »

Hammertime just in responce to your post Im finding the opposite. The local face, the local support and the friendships formed is what is making my business stronger. I would be dearer than most but Im also probably the best at what I do locally and I guess my clients know this.

You are not comparing like with like, you sell a service to businesses as much if not more than a product and I think your main product is aimed at Military, police, local authority, airports, big industry, oil rigs. I would guess their priority's are 80% service and 20% price. I sell a branded product to consumers, they will go where ever is cheapest. I actually caught some of my UK suppliers adjusting prices to me because I am used to and can work with paying x euros, so as the sterling takes a dive they up the sterling prices for export but hold the sterling prices to UK customers (UK made products). So my competition is advertising to irish customers using the .ie site to take advantage of the weak sterling and I am taking it up the a55 because they think we are a soft touch and are used to getting ripped off?

Look at some of the big UK retailers over here, they had duel prices on their labels at a rate of .66 (£12, e18), the rate changes so they change the exchange rate right? No they go around their shops and actually tear off or block out with permanent markers the sterling prices so the scam isn't apparent to the Irish public. I think it's a pity that yourself and lemd would avoid/have nothing to do with my business because I tried to make things a little harder for a big English company to go into direct competition against me...

FusionNet

Hi Kenst,

I do feel for you but I just think you may be making a rash decision is all. If this comin is as big as you say registering a name will not stop them. All I suggested was take a step back and make sure what you are doing is good for you..

I do sell product, and I am finding I'm being undercut an awful lot by shoddy IT engineers. the difference between them and me is I put my heart into it and do it right. I have some amazing customers, they never ever shop around, I could be the dearest in the country and they would still buy off me, but as you say thats for the service. I think around 50% of my business is product and 50% install/maintenance, so on a small scale I know how you feel. For example in my area Im expected to compete with companies like Calyx, Ireland number one ICT provider (or so they say!!) but I cant compete on all levels, but where I can I do my best to beat them.

Kenst you are not alone, just remember that. Id say there are a lot of guys here in the same boat as you.

And Hammertime, I guess I must be getting old Im very loyal!! I'll always pay for good service and will show my loyalty, but your right this Aldi mentality is going to ruin us, I hate it. And the reason I hate it most is all the sHt that they sell is chinese, (i mean the gadget section) like an Irish person needs a 500 euro boat while they go to the shop for spuds...!!

Rant over...

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

Would you consider going and talking to them?

For all you know they might be dead keen to have a partner who knows the Irish market. Maybe consider selling out to them and taking stock or a job in their larger organization. Sometimes when you know your in a loosing battle its better not to fight.

Lplated

If it were me, I would have started this thread by asking the 'collective genius' for ten ways to expand your own business.

I'm not sure if a defensive mentality ever works, but putting your self up against a much larger potential competitor is certainly going to put a strain on your own resources.

Today's consumers (of software and that type of stuff anyway, whatever about more 'traditional' products like fuel, food etc...) will shop around, most likely online first, and increasingly online only.

With respect, you have to change your own mindset. Build your business so that the UK company, or any company, thinks twice about taking you on.

Don't lower yourself or what you have achieved to date by relying on some poorly thought out knee-jerk protectionist nonsense. We live in a new world, with new business models, sense where things are going and then get there first.

niceirishfella

Lplated wrote: »

If it were me, I would have started this thread by asking the 'collective genius' for ten ways to expand your own business

+1

OP, its all about proactivity and positivity. It you are going to go down the negative route of trying to feck over the chances of this uk crowd entering your home marketplace, you'll be so busy doing that, that you have your eye off the ball and loose.

Positivity breeds Positivity. There is great advice on this thread. Change your mindset for you and your business's sake.
Here's what i would do -
Look at your costs - every single nut and bolt - if you are renting, rejig the rent with the landlord, rejig your insurance,everything, theres a thread here i started on suggested ways to save costs in a recession -check it out.
Look at your staff - retrain them if needs be, retrain yourself if needs be.
Prepare for the onslought. Seek professional help on your marketing and dedicate a budget to it.
In short, get READY!

I know a bloke who ran a business for one of the biggest and most well known enterpeneurs here in Ireland. But everyday he used to foolishly say to his staff in the morning "how can we fcuk over our competitor today"?
Such negativity lost him the abilty and vision to win in his business, they lost the battle, he left and the business is now a mess and stalled and dieing.

Its your move.

kenst

FusionNet wrote: »

Hi Kenst,

I do feel for you but I just think you may be making a rash decision is all. If this comin is as big as you say registering a name will not stop them. All I suggested was take a step back and make sure what you are doing is good for you..

I do sell product, and I am finding I'm being undercut an awful lot by shoddy IT engineers. the difference between them and me is I put my heart into it and do it right. I have some amazing customers, they never ever shop around, I could be the dearest in the country and they would still buy off me, but as you say thats for the service. I think around 50% of my business is product and 50% install/maintenance, so on a small scale I know how you feel. For example in my area Im expected to compete with companies like Calyx, Ireland number one ICT provider (or so they say!!) but I cant compete on all levels, but where I can I do my best to beat them.

Kenst you are not alone, just remember that. Id say there are a lot of guys here in the same boat as you.

And Hammertime, I guess I must be getting old Im very loyal!! I'll always pay for good service and will show my loyalty, but your right this Aldi mentality is going to ruin us, I hate it. And the reason I hate it most is all the sHt that they sell is chinese, (i mean the gadget section) like an Irish person needs a 500 euro boat while they go to the shop for spuds...!!

Rant over...

The thing is that this fits with my current plans anyway, I am going to move to a 5000sq ft showroom. It will also do me no harm to change name, I will need new signs and flyers with a new address. The funny thing is I was told about a customer who decided to avoid my business purely because I bought (at a recession price) a 4 year old supercar that originally cost over 250k! The problem is loyalty doesn't really exist when your business has 4-5 different non owner people working there and purchases are often a once off.

If I can preempt any move by them over here and throw a spanner in the works for them then why not? I just wanted to see if any outcomes I hadn't thought of might come up here...

lemon_sherbert

You'd want to be very careful about this, you could get in trouble for using the name, for 'passing off' as has been pointed out. If the company already advertises here, or has any business in Ireland, they are already trading under the name, even if they have not registered it. Nor do you want this large organisation competitively retaliating against you personally for using their name, pricing you out of the market etc.

Mr Clonfadda

I was looking for furniture recently and found local business where i got to deal with the owner and I won't be going elsewhere again.

I have gone to the same butcher for over 30 years and the only thing that will stop me is when he retires and shuts up shop.

I have built up some very loyal customers who even go to the trouble to alert me when a competitor is trying to undercut me

Hammertime. I would pay three euros more everytime for better food and service

BuffyBot

..plus any legal action etc that they do take is an unessecary drain on time and financial resources that you could be putting into your business. Why distract yourself?

partyguinness

I havent read the other posts but just because they havent yet registered you would be liable to a civil action being brought against you e.g.

Passing-off (which is a civil tort)
Possible violation of Trade Mark
Registering the same interent address wld also cause you problems as you are doing so maliciously..you wld lose and be kicked off.

Save your money and put it into something worthwhile...like giving the customers something they want. This is a challenge..how you meet it will tell a lot about you and your ability as a business person.

Bandara

Nigel Sage wrote: »

I was looking for furniture recently and found local business where i got to deal with the owner and I won't be going elsewhere again.

I have gone to the same butcher for over 30 years and the only thing that will stop me is when he retires and shuts up shop.

I have built up some very loyal customers who even go to the trouble to alert me when a competitor is trying to undercut me

Hammertime. I would pay three euros more everytime for better food and service

thats well and good Nigel, but my point is that your are very very much a dying breed.

The VAST majority are the total opposite to you.

kenst

Nigel Sage wrote: »

I was looking for furniture recently and found local business where i got to deal with the owner and I won't be going elsewhere again.

I have gone to the same butcher for over 30 years and the only thing that will stop me is when he retires and shuts up shop.

I have built up some very loyal customers who even go to the trouble to alert me when a competitor is trying to undercut me

Hammertime. I would pay three euros more everytime for better food and service

I could have a very very nice lifestyle business where I am in my showroom everyday myself and I can give great personal service to a smaller amount of customers and make a very nice living doing it, probably like the owner of the furniture shop you visited. I actually came to that bridge about a year ago where I had to make a hard decision on what to do, stay as a small company and make a very nice easy wage or expand and build a big company. I chose the latter and will do it well and on a large scale. I can be quite cut throat but I think in business it's sometimes necessary. I am also now working on an exclusivity deal for the ROI with a supplier they also use, so it puts an extra barrier in their way...

Also the name isn't as straight forward as might seem. For example if I was in the UK and were to call myself Des Kelly Carpets I would be screwed, but if I opened as The Carpet Showrooms I don't think the Carpet Showrooms here could do much could they?

Mickk

kenst wrote: »

I could have a very very nice lifestyle business where I am in my showroom everyday myself and I can give great personal service to a smaller amount of customers and make a very nice living doing it, probably like the owner of the furniture shop you visited. I actually came to that bridge about a year ago where I had to make a hard decision on what to do, stay as a small company and make a very nice easy wage or expand and build a big company. I chose the latter and will do it well and on a large scale. I can be quite cut throat but I think in business it's sometimes necessary. I am also now working on an exclusivity deal for the ROI with a supplier they also use, so it puts an extra barrier in their way...

Also the name isn't as straight forward as might seem. For example if I was in the UK and were to call myself Des Kelly Carpets I would be screwed, but if I opened as The Carpet Showrooms I don't think the Carpet Showrooms here could do much could they?

I used to own a shop called The Supplement Store and then a website was launched in the UK with the same name. I did wonder what would happen if they launched in Ireland aswell. I didn't have it trademarked, I wasn't even a company just a sole trader.

patftrears

kenst wrote: »

I could have a very very nice lifestyle business where I am in my showroom everyday myself and I can give great personal service to a smaller amount of customers and make a very nice living doing it, probably like the owner of the furniture shop you visited. I actually came to that bridge about a year ago where I had to make a hard decision on what to do, stay as a small company and make a very nice easy wage or expand and build a big company. I chose the latter and will do it well and on a large scale. I can be quite cut throat but I think in business it's sometimes necessary. I am also now working on an exclusivity deal for the ROI with a supplier they also use, so it puts an extra barrier in their way...

Also the name isn't as straight forward as might seem. For example if I was in the UK and were to call myself Des Kelly Carpets I would be screwed, but if I opened as The Carpet Showrooms I don't think the Carpet Showrooms here could do much could they?

Question
Why are you afraid of this company ?

1: They have much bigger purchasing power than you and can sell to consumer at a cheaper price.
If that's the case messing around with silly tactics to do with names etc. will be no defense against then, no matter what name they use, the price of their product will beat you.

2: They have a strong recognised brand that customers will be aware of and visit.
If that's the case they will defend the brand name and break you in the courts.

Try thinking smarter.
Ask your next few customer why they buy from you ?
If it's just the price is the best, then your in trouble because they will leave you for a cheaper supplier.
So you will have match the cheaper supplier and cut margins to survive.

Here's a way to compete with the cheaper bigger companies,
offer a personalised service.
We GUARANTEE to deliver your furniture on an exact date and time that suits you. No you'll have it in 6-8 weeks, no taking a day off work waiting for the furniture to arrive.

IKEA is here in the summer so furniture market is in for a huge shake up.

The competitor has not even confirmed if they will be entering the Irish market and they already have you panicking.
The only way to beat competitors is to be the best for your chosen market, unless you have something to make you different to the rest, you will always be at the mercy of the bigger players.
Even the dopes in government know that and are trying to push the smarter economy.

kenst

patftrears wrote: »

Question
Why are you afraid of this company ?

1: They have much bigger purchasing power than you and can sell to consumer at a cheaper price.
If that's the case messing around with silly tactics to do with names etc. will be no defense against then, no matter what name they use, the price of their product will beat you.

2: They have a strong recognised brand that customers will be aware of and visit.
If that's the case they will defend the brand name and break you in the courts.

Try thinking smarter.
Ask your next few customer why they buy from you ?
If it's just the price is the best, then your in trouble because they will leave you for a cheaper supplier.
So you will have match the cheaper supplier and cut margins to survive.

Here's a way to compete with the cheaper bigger companies,
offer a personalised service.
We GUARANTEE to deliver your furniture on an exact date and time that suits you. No you'll have it in 6-8 weeks, no taking a day off work waiting for the furniture to arrive.

IKEA is here in the summer so furniture market is in for a huge shake up.

The competitor has not even confirmed if they will be entering the Irish market and they already have you panicking.
The only way to beat competitors is to be the best for your chosen market, unless you have something to make you different to the rest, you will always be at the mercy of the bigger players.
Even the dopes in government know that and are trying to push the smarter economy.

Not afraid, just simple economies of scale and specialisation that already exist in their business. There is no point kidding yourself or listening to friends and family (or boards.ie) saying "people will go to you because they know you are an Irish business", that is just rubbish.

If Mom and Pops TV shop in your local village had a 20" Sony tv for 800 and Harvey Normans down the road had the exact same tv for 600 where are you going to buy? As I have said I sell branded products not service's and it is usually a once off buy, there is no scope for my staff to build relationships with long term customers.

The funny thing is that in five or ten years I will be as big as them and be as efficient but the fact is that at the moment I just cant compete, I just don't have the volume or infrastructure in place. I really enjoy business, if I just wanted a nice life I could have stopped ages ago. It is purely a game for me and I love playing, making a strategic move and seeing it work is euphoric. Work smarter not harder was a mistake (driven by lack of cash flow or greed, I am still not sure) I made for years and now I have a much better view of my business by taking a step back.

JDLK

Alls fair in love and war

This might not be a good example but I seem to remember Peter Stringfellow giving an interview where he was explaining that an America "gentlemans club" franchise was sizing up the British market- Stringfellow registered their trade name for himself in the UK and they eventually decided it wouldnt be worth it- so he succesfully kept them out.

**EDIT: The story was told by PS himself so maybe a pinch of salt- I cant find a link for it

mojorisin

I hope the bigger UK company swallows you whole, you should'nt be worried about anything if your price was right!

Lower your prices or we buy foreign, stop ripping us off.

FusionNet

Mojo,

I dont think thats a constructive post nor the feeling of the vast majority here.. Buying foreign is not what Ireland needs right now.. Yes people have ripped us off but you have no grounds to think Kenst has..

I think if you have nothing constructvive to say then keep it to yourself. If you were in business you may understand what this chap is going through...

Bandara

FusionNet wrote: »

Mojo,

I dont think thats a constructive post nor the feeling of the vast majority here.. Buying foreign is not what Ireland needs right now.. Yes people have ripped us off but you have no grounds to think Kenst has..

I think if you have nothing constructvive to say then keep it to yourself. If you were in business you may understand what this chap is going through...

Just ignore him, he's just some child who still gets pocket money from mammy and thinks its clever to sign up on a website and post 'controversial' stuff to get the attention he craves. Sad really.

RUDOLF289

kenst wrote: »

I am also now working on an exclusivity deal for the ROI with a supplier they also use, so it puts an extra barrier in their way...

Hi Kenst,

That makes perfect sense and I think that is a legitimate way of protecting your interest / business.

I am not very well up on competition law, but I would suggest, once you have the exclusivity deal in place with your supplier to have it reviewed and maybe registered with the Competition Authority. I believe "exclusivity deals" have to be structured in such away that they conform to (EU)Competition legislation.

Keep thinking about how you can secure and strengthen your position rather than focus on the negative.

Borzoi

kenst wrote: »

This could wipe me out, I cant compete with their buying power, established supply lines and centralised administration they can blow me out of the water...

So what are your strengths? You haven't listed any unique selling points? You obviously can't compete on price - so identify what you can do. Because I would tend to agree with mojorisin, resellers have to add to the value chain to make it worthwhile for the customer to buy from them, otherwise it's off to the net for the cheapest price

Otherwise can you source your product elsewhere? The sterling situation is nothing new, it happened many years ago too, and people shifted suppliers from Sterling to the Euro area (pre Euro, but fixed excange rates)