Questions & Answers For www.Disclosure For The Public.com
Question 1 - www.We Care On A Mission.com, what exactly is this website promoting?
Answer 1 - For 25 years I’ve been promoting a marketing strategy that allows productivity, ingenuity and honesty to compete fairly against dishonest, complacent and incompetent contractors and salesmen in shop-at-home selling. And the mission is to see disclosure become first a local licensing requirement for residential contractors, and then nationwide, as an FTC rule.
Question 2 - Do you have some examples of what you mean by shop-at-home selling?
Answer 2 - Yes, that’s where the consumers need services such as landscaping, roofing, carpets, windows, and doors. They need an estimate and also advice and direction on making improvements to their homes. Unfortunately, consumers that are price conscious and are continually shopping for the most for the least are making decisions strictly on price and not on return on investment, meaning they don’t do their homework and they unfortunately support and give a check to a dishonest person and where the honest contractor who deserves the job goes out of business.
Question 3 - Are you blaming consumers for this problem?
Answer 3 - Of course not, it’s a combination of issues but I believe that the main culprit are the municipalities that license contractors and give consumers a false sense of security that the consumer feels that if the contractor has been licensed that he’s also qualified.
Question 4 - Does this mean more government involvement in the licensing and the regulation of contractors?
Answer 4 - No. I just wish our government will pass rules that require our licensing agencies to strictly regulate the licensing contractors through disclosure.
Question 5 - Are you looking for our licensing agencies to give some type of a test to a contractor to see if he qualifies before he’s licensed?
Answer 5 - Yes, but not in a form of hammering a nail or whether he has the right tools and equipment to proceed in the business. I see the test as nothing more than filling out a competency Questionnaire, having photo accountability and signing his name to it, and the municipality makes it mandatory that information be disclosed on the back of his estimate and contract for consumer evaluation.
Question 6 - And what would some of these Questions be?
Answer 6 - How long the contractor’s been in business, his insurance information, liability limits, his assets, whether he owns his own building, continuity of ownership, percentage of business that comes from recommendation and referrals vs advertising.
Question 7 - And what other stipulations are there , besides filling out this competency Questionnaire?
Answer 7 - If it’s a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation, would have to be backed up with photo accountability and signature on the part of both partners or 2 officers of the corporation. And this information be attested to with photograph and signature and be updated yearly.
Question 8 - Would it be the municipalities responsibility to verify this information?
Answer 8 - No, it would not. It would be the municipalities responsibility to make sure this information be disclosed on the back of the contract for consumer evaluation, and that it be updated periodically. It would be the municipalities responsibility to keep on file information that was disclosed by the contractor and to look for deception and dishonesty.
Question 9 - Mr. Weigold, who’s going to enforce the verification of the information? A contractor could lie.
Answer 9 - Yes, he could. If he wishes to he could make up anything he could, like say he is in business for any time he wants as long as he signs his name there. That’s his decision and his responsibility.
Question 10 - I thought the purpose of disclosure was to give consumers accurate, honest information about the contractor, so they could make a decision to purchase.
Answer 10 - That is correct. But enforcement need not be in our government’s hand. Our government has a poor track record of enforcement.
Question 11 - That means you are looking for marketplace enforcement.
Answer 11 - Yes, I am. For if a contractor would misrepresent or lie, he risks non-payment, if he ever ends up in the legal system and possibly incarceration for intentional fraud.
Question 12 - Do you have any examples of what would happen to a contractor if he would misrepresent or lie on the back of his contract, what would happen?
Answer 12 - I’ll give you one good example. If a contractor was promoting and marketing non-factual information on the back of his contract and one of his competitors should find out about it, he could simply call up 5 or 6 of his customers, have them make a purchase, and then refuse payment, and then that information that was falsely marketed would be the evidence for prosecution for fraud and most important the contractor would not get paid.
Question 13 - On your example Mr. Weigold you have 18 categories of disclosure. Are there any which are more important than the others?
Answer 13 - I feel the 3 main categories are continuity of ownership, having ever been licensed before, and the percentage of business that comes from recommendation and referral.
Question 14 - For this concept to work, does the consumer have any responsibilities?
Answer 14 - Well, they have to decide whether or not to deal with a licensed contractor that discloses, or a handyman or jack leg, and if they are dealing with a licensed contractor, and that contractor has disclosure information on the back of their contract, they need to evaluate that information along with the price.
Question 15 - Why do you feel that disclosure will accomplish your mission of giving the companies that believe in productivity, ingenuity and honesty the advantage over the ones that are inefficient, complacent and dishonest?
Answer 15 - Because even consumers who are price conscious are more likely to write the checks to the companies who disclose the highest and most consistent percentage of repeat business and recommendations.
Question 16 - Do you feel this concept of disclosure will restrict trade and make it more difficult for the new man just coming into the business?
Answer 16 - No I do not. I think the new companies basically will have a lower operating cost and will have more emphasis on experience that they had before they decide to become a licensed contractor.
Question 17 - So you do believe there will be a market for unlicensed contractors?
Answer 17 - Absolutely. I think there are plenty of competent men who do work on the side such as firemen and policemen that have a following strictly through recommendations and referrals that don’t need to disclose. They basically want to stay small and just want to do business on the side, and if the point comes when they want to become licensed, they can use those references to succeed, even though newly disclosing.
Question 18 - If a company changes its name, isn’t disclosure going to be a disruptive, unfair burden to bear on the part of the contractor?
Answer 18 - No, for if a contractor changes its name for a positive reason, it doesn’t mean he can’t give additional information, and if a man fails, and wishes to try again, this is America, he can’t just run away from his past, and hide under a new identity.
Question 19 - Is it true you have a challenge on your website for any opposing point of view to this, that you believe there can be no opposing point of view for disclosure for the public?
Answer 19 - Yes, I believe there’s no opposing point of view unless you’re inefficient, complacent or dishonest, then I can understand your opposing disclosure.
Question 20 - How long have you been promoting disclosure yourself on the back of your contract with We Care?
Answer 20 - I started in 1983 and so far it’s been very effective and truly has kept me focused on the importance of customer service.
Question 21 - Isn’t it true that when disclosure becomes a licensing requirement you are going to create a whole new group of competitors that are going to take away business from you. Then everyone will be disclosing, you won’t be the only one. Isn’t that going to be a detriment to your own business?
Answer 21 - No, on the contrary, my competitors are the inefficient, complacent, dishonest people in this business, not other honest contractors.
Question 22 - So you feel eliminating the dishonest contractors and replacing them with honest contractors won’t take away from your market share?
Answer 22 - Absolutely not because the market will only expand. People are thirsty to improve their homes, and when people feel that they won’t be mistreated and will get a return on their investment they’ll spend more money and they’ll be a larger market.
Question 23 - Do you feel that municipalities and licensing agencies will welcome this and see this as a benefit?
Answer 23 - I absolutely do. I believe their job will be easier, they’ll have less problems with violations. It’s fraudulent, dishonest contractors that are causing the problems, not the honest ones, who will do the job the right way.
Question 24 - How else will this benefit the municipalities?
Answer 24 - I feel they’ll have less court cases, less lawsuits. I feel consumers will make the right decisions at the point of purchase by supporting a competent contractor, less consumer fraud.
Question 25 - So you believe that the DA and the Attorney General of individual states will support disclosure because it will help to reduce their work load.
Answer 25 - Well, it would not eliminate fraud with unlicensed contractors, but consumers would be truly more responsible for making that decision on giving their money to someone who is unlicensed and did not disclose, and those that did disclose, it would make the prosecuting in court easier.
Question 26 - So what do you believe disclosure brings to consumers in the marketplace?
Answer 26 - I believe that consumer confidence and the willingness to spend money and to motivate people to improve their homes and improve their neighborhoods will help in the development of neighborhoods that might not have been developed in the past.
Question 27 - So what you’re saying, is that if more people will spend money that neighborhoods and property values would go up. Is that true?
Answer 27 - Absolutely. And then when one homeowner spends, another person spends, it’s like a snowball, it grows in a positive way. So housing and neighborhoods become more valuable.
Question 28 - Who do you believe is the most important group needed to support disclosure?
Answer 28 - That’s simple. It’s the consumer. If the consumer decides to write checks out to companies who disclose, and not write checks to those who do not, that will send a message that every businessman will truly understand. One of the most powerful things we have is the way we spend our money.
Question 29 - So Mr. Weigold, what you’re saying is that the municipalities will benefit as far as their licensing agencies with reduced problems with L & I. They would have less legal problems, I mean less court cases. They would have a broader tax base because neighborhoods will improve. It sounds to me like this will be a real good thing for any municipality to get behind.
Answer 29 - That’s exactly what I’m saying. And that’s why I say www.Americans Who Care.com is going to push for this, and make it happen in the upcoming election.
Question 30 - Do you think this is more of a Democratic or Republican issue?
Answer 30 - No I believe this is a pocketbook issue, this is a green issue, this is a money issue. Yes, I hope there will be more than one candidate recognizes that this issue can benefit him politically and get him elected, and he can start saying “I’m for disclosure for the public.”
Question 31 - Do you believe people will vote across political lines for this issue?
Answer 31 - I believe people will vote for this quality of life issue that will benefit them in their pocketbook, and yes I believe they will cross political lines.
Question 32 - So that means you don’t really care whether a Democrat promotes this or a Republican promotes this.
Answer 32 - I don’t care if an independent promotes this, a Democrat, or a Republican, it don’t matter as long as they support disclosure for the public.
Question 33 - Well Mr. Weigold what are the www.mandate websites? What the purpose of those websites?
Answer 33 - The purpose of those websites are to collect stories that every average person has on dealing with dishonest, incompetent contractors to substantiate the necessity for disclosure.
Question 34 - Once the consumer sends in their story to the www.mandate websites and are able to vent, and put that on the web so other people can read their stories, what’s the next step, what should consumers do to make this happen, what can they do to help?
Answer 34 - Well, they will automatically be registered to www.Americans Who Care.com. It’s a network of homeowners, manufacturers, politicians, organizations, contractors that support disclosure as a licensing requirement for residential contractors and when they log on to www.Americans Who Care.com, they will find a detailed list of 6 steps to be proactive and join the revolution for disclosure.
Question 35 - So Mr. Weigold, you see this as a grassroots movement?
Answer 35 - Absolutely. I see this as a movement from the average homeowner, the average person that would like to spend their money and get a return on their investment when they improve their property.
Question 36 - I have a Question about www.Americans Who Care.com. You mentioned that manufacturers would benefit from this. Why?
Answer 36 - Well, not all manufacturers. Only the manufacturers of quality products will benefit.
Question 37 - So do you believe that quality manufacturers would support financially and start putting pressure on legislators to have this become a local rule?
Answer 37 - Absolutely, the inefficient, complacent, dishonest contractors don’t buy their product. And it’s in their best interest to promote the long term quality conscious builders and contractors in the business.
Question 38 - What else could manufacturers do to promote disclosure?
Answer 38 - They could promote a mandatory FTC or Federal Trade Commission labeling rule that all manufacturers disclose the ingredients of their products in the form of disclosure labeling.
Question 39 - Do you have any examples of that?
Answer 39 - Yes, like the law labels of mattresses and pillows. The FTC passed that labeling law and these items cannot be delivered to the home without a label, and only the consumer has the right to remove that label.
Question 40 - Do you have any examples of how shop-at-home products can be labeled and how that will benefit the consumer?
Answer 40 - For example, kitchen cabinets would have a label, that when the consumer opened the door, would say walnut, pine, or oak. Or a steel door, would be identified with an ingredient label that says whether it’s 12 gauge or 16 gauge steel, and whether the hardware is solid brass or brass plated, and only the consumer would have the right to remove that label. And that means when a contractor would write a contract and deliver a product it would have a disclosure label. Again that would benefit the consumer, and again benefit the industry.
Question 41 - Are you looking for help from outside sources to promote this concept?
Answer 41 - Yes, anybody who is sincere, anyone who is interested in promoting this concept of disclosure I’m willing to sit and talk to.
Question 42 - What else can consumers do to have disclosure become a political issue?
Answer 42 - They can contact their local talk radio stations, let them know they like this topic to be discussed, and I’ll welcome any opportunity to either talk on the phone or discuss this in person with any local or national talk radio host, I feel the new media is a key to grassroots information. They can also e-mail all who should support disclosure for the public. And when the mainstream media does catch on, they can have some pretty tough Questions for the upcoming elected officials, finding out who does not support disclosure for the public.
Question 43 - Can you list who should support disclosure for the public?
Answer 43 - Absolutely. I think the first place they should go would be to the National Remodeler’s Association. They should go directly to them and ask them what is their position on disclosure for the public. They should be in favor of this, there are some states trying to pass rules to regulate contractor fraud, and they should be in support of this concept, and if they’re not, we should ask them why. How about the Better Business Bureau? The oldest independent consumer organization, or the AARP? They are there to protect senior citizens. More senior citizens are prone to deception more than any other group of people. The AARP should definitely be for disclosure. No comment can be the wrong Answer by the AARP or the BBB. The mainstream media can ask any public official who is running to be elected who is in a position to protect consumers. They have a lot of tough Questions to ask about disclosure for the public.
Question 44 - How else do you plan to promote your mission of disclosure?
Answer 44 - I’ll have to spend some money with conventional advertising. I intend to do talks at any neighborhood association, any civic or community association who will let me speak. So again they can put pressure on their local ward leaders and elected officials to promote this concept that L & I would accept as a licensing requirement.
Question 45 - What is the open disclosure organization?
Answer 45 - It’s a group of like-minded business people that are focused on promoting the concept that consumers are entitled to honest information. The Open Disclosure Organization www.Openmarketing.us Email info@Openmarketing.us
Question 46 - Do you intend to charge a fee for this service, and how much, and what will you provide for this service?
Answer 46 - The membership fee will be $75 the 1st year, and will provide a stat for information to be disclosed on the back of the contract as a marketing strategy, will allow these members to link into our website to become part of our mission, and have this spread across the country to other local municipalities.
Question 47 - How do you intend to promote the open disclosure organization?
Answer 47 - We’ll promote it through the new media, www.blogtalkradio.com, the Internet, individual DVD production, taking this information directly to the consumer, and most important, offering full disclosure so when the local municipality does decide to adopt disclosure as a licensing requirement, they don’t water it down, and not offer full disclosure.
Question 48 - Do you see this spreading to other municipalities in other states?
Answer 48 - Yes I believe it will spread to other municipalities. I believe there is so much consumer disdain and distrust for salespeople and contractors that it will be political suicide for any elected official to say that he opposes disclosure for the public.
Question 49 - Are you going to be requesting help from municipalities in the finalizing of your disclosure statement?
Answer 49 - Absolutely. I will be looking for help from anyone who wishes to offer productive criticism, especially from the licensing agencies.
Question 50 - Which area do you believe you need the most help in from the municipalities?
Answer 50 - Substantiation of assets. For with marketplace enforcement dishonest contractors can be more easily put out of business if they misrepresent on the back of their contract and inadvertently causing other customers to lose their deposits.
Question 51 - Are you saying that contractors that are licensed need to have attachable assets?
Answer 51 - I believe in Buyer’s Deposit Insurance. See terms and conditions under www.Openmarketing.us The Open Disclosure Organization.
In closing, the information revolution is here. The advertising and marketing for shop-at-home companies will be based on honesty with disclosure.
Misleading and dishonest advertising should be dramatically reduced with disclosure. I say again, there is no legitimate opposing point of view to disclosure, unless you’re an inefficient, complacent, dishonest person. So take a stand, it is said if you don’t vote, don’t complain.
Cast your vote, and support any candidate that supports disclosure for the public. Spend your money in support of companies that do disclose to you their history and operating procedure. The most powerful thing in our country is the way we vote, and the way we spend our money