Before We Buy Any Stairlift was established, customers looking to sell and have their stairlifts removed were at the mercy of the installers who fitted their stairlift. Unfortunately, in many cases the installers would say that they do not purchase stairlifts back and the customer would be lucky if even free removal was offered in good will.
We found this policy very strange and unfair. Many of the installers offered reconditioned/second hand stairlifts as a product, so we could not understand why they would not purchase it back (especially if the stairlift is nearly new and barely used).
We Buy Any Stairlift was established as the first stairlift removal company in the UK, dedicated to providing stairlift removal services, and purchasing/recycling stairlifts. Our services have been very well received by customers, which is obvious by our many 5-star reviews on Trustpilot and Google.
However, in recent years we have noticed a lot of copycat companies, trying to impersonate We Buy Any Stairlift, offering a lower quality service. In this article we will discuss how you can recognise these companies, and why choosing the wrong company may cost you. We understand the promise of a potentially higher offer for your stairlift may be attractive, but things may not be as they seem.
Company name
It may seem obvious, but a reputable company will have their unique company name. A copycat company usually tries to copy the name of their competitor either exactly, or closely to cause confusion and mislead customers that may be looking for the original company. This is a free way for them to gain business without establishing a good reputation, or investing time and effort into growing their business the proper way.
For example, a customer may have received a genuine quote from We Buy Any Stairlift which has been verified based on information from the customer or photographs which has been carefully considered and based on the resale value of the parts and inclusive of removal.
The customer may have intended to call us back but called ‘We Can Buy Any Stairlift’ instead, a copycat company with a similar name. They may honour what they have been quoted elsewhere or even offer higher, but they likely will not check all the details of the stairlift beforehand. They may also neglect to confirm if stairlift removal service is included and deduct that from your sale price.
The usual result is that the copycat company arrives, checks the stairlift and finds many reasons to reduce their original offer such as wear and tear, model, or features they had assumed it had but did not confirm in advance. They may deduct for removing the stairlift, or for their travel leaving the final price achieve disappointing. The customer may feel under pressure, especially if they are vulnerable, and end up accepting less for their stairlift than they wanted.
If you come across any company with a close company name which is a variation of ‘We Buy Any Stairlift’ it is likely that they are trying to deceive customers and provide a dishonest service.
Website
If you find an alternative stairlift removal service to us, it is worth reading their website thoroughly. Many of our copycat competitors will copy and paste our website information onto their own. This is an attempt to not only directly copy what we do, but also to provide the illusion that they have a good knowledge of stairlifts and removal when they are amateurs with very little understanding of the industry. Make sure you read the information thoroughly and make sure it isn’t a direct copy.
Another trick that many try to use now is to have AI (artificial intelligence) write content for their website. This is as easy as finding an AI writing website, typing in the topic of conversation and the machine will do the work for them. Again, it provides the illusion they have an abundance of knowledge when really, they may have little to no knowledge about stairlift, but out to make a quick buck. AI written content is easily recognised as it will often have a disjointed flow and may not make complete sense. It tends to go off on a tangent about something not closely related, or sometimes confuse facts and provide wrong information. If it does not read naturally, it is likely AI generated content.
Contact Information
An easy way to identify an untrustworthy company is to check the contact details on their website or advertisement. If the company only lists a mobile number, it is likely just a lone cowboy, rather than an established genuine company. In the UK, a well-established business will likely provide an 0800 number, which is free for any customer to contact. The number should introduce the company when you call and be answered in a courteous and polite manner.
Another point of contact to examine is the email address. An established business should own their own domain, which is the part following the @ symbol. For example, our email address is [email protected]
Companies who provide a standard email address such as Gmail, Hotmail, Btinternet, etc are likely not genuine if they are providing a personal address to contact them.
Unprofessional service
Something that we care very much about as a company, is that we work very hard on providing an excellent service to our customers. That service begins at the first point of contact and is followed through right until the stairlift is removed and collected and payment is made. We always follow a professional and friendly conduct, provide honest and clear information, and try to accommodate our customers wishes wherever possible.
We have worked very hard to establish a good reputation by providing great customer service, so it is extremely upsetting when people have dealt with poor customer service from our copycat ‘competitors’ and think they are us.
These low-grade companies often speak bluntly and rudely to customers on the phone, provide little to no explanation for their quotations or why they won’t take your stairlift. They may be unreliable when it comes to booking an appointment, possibly not showing up to an appointment arranged in advance and letting you down when you need them.
If you are speaking with a company who do not seem genuine or professional, the chances are you are speaking with an untrustworthy ‘copycat’ company.
Uninsured Engineers
No matter how well trained and qualified our Engineers are, we always ensure our company and employees are fully insured. We all know accidents can happen, and although it is very unlikely, we want to ensure our customers have peace of mind should there be any accidental damage to the property. For example, if the engineer accidentally caught the door with the rail when taking the stairlift out and damaged it, or accidentally dropped a heavy tool on your flooring.
No business, no matter how experienced, can guarantee there will not be an accident when working in your property so if you are speaking with a company who tries to reassure you this is the case, do not believe them. This is often an excuse to avoid having to pay for insurance that they should have.
We have the utmost confidence in all our Stairlift Engineers; however, we would never take the risk of being uninsured and put our customers at risk. Always ensure the company you choose is fully insured and even request proof for your own peace of mind.
Offer slashing
From research conducted we have found that our copycat competitors sometimes offer a slightly better price than We Buy Any Stairlift to entice the customer. This is often less than £100 more, but we understand that every penny counts, and many customers choose the highest offer. However, don’t be fooled, this is often a sales technique.
Often the engineer will arrive to remove the stairlift but will look for any reason at all to slash the offer. This may be signs of heavy use, dirt or staining, scratches on the rail, examining the labels to confirm the age, even examining the inner parts that you are unable to see and confirm the condition of beforehand. Many people accept the lower offer just out of convenience and the need to have the stairlift removed as soon as possible, however you may have gotten a higher offer elsewhere.
When We Buy Any Stairlift makes an offer, we take many details in advance such as the make, model, age, condition, and location. We also ensure we check if any parts are missing such as remote controls. We ensure we get photographs if there are any doubts in advance of making an offer.
Our offers for stairlifts are based on intensive market research and based on the value of the parts that we can sell to the second-hand market and inclusive of a professional removal service and our travel to send an engineer to you. We offer the best price possible considering all this.
The only occasion we would need to reduce our original offer is if we have been given incorrect information when the quote has been provided or have intentionally been misled about the condition such as damage that has been hidden in photographs or not disclosed. If this is the case, we would advise our amended offer but we apply no pressure and will always walk away no questions asked.
Companies House
If you are still unsure about a company’s credentials, ensure you check Companies House. Any genuine stairlift removal company should be a fully registered business. If you are unable to find the companies details, ask the company what name they are registered under and check them out before you proceed.
Some companies have different divisions, for example We Buy Any Stairlift falls under the registered name Skylink Lifts Ltd. A website name may not necessarily be a company’s registered name.
We hope you will use our suggestions to thoroughly check any stairlift removal company before you choose to use their services. We want to ensure all customers are treated fairly and provided with a professional and safe service to remove their stairlift.
To enquire with us please call 0800 177 7266 or contact us at [email protected]. Alternatively, fill in our contact form with as many details as possible and we will get back to you with the best price achievable for your stairlift.