Discussion Random Discussion

[sunny3193]

disruptive industries look good to consumers until no one is employed any more. Airbnb don’t have any realestate but have destroyed plenty of hotels that employed hundreds of people.

AirBNB is banned in Manhattan.
City ordinance effective late last year.

 

[sunny3193]

Purplebricks is growing because it provides full service but charges on a fee for time.

Traditional agents charge commission which has grown via stealth on the back of a property boom... All the while agents doing less work than 20 years ago.

Savings are made by not having traditional offices and overheads.

The technology gives sellers 100% teansperancy in the process.

Also have to understand that the internet has changed how people search for homes and at what time during the day.

Purplebricks has adapted accordingly.

Yes, I do work for them and it a brilliant concept.

Guessing you didn’t participate in the McGrath IPO then....

 

[VDS66]

Guessing you didn’t participate in the McGrath IPO then....

Nope. Unsustainable.

Purplebricks has gone to number 2 nationwide in the UK in just on 3 years.

As traditional office lose market share they will shut offices.

The running costs are too big. Every time I list a house, I take at least $15k income from my competitor's cash flow.

I believe the same will happen in rentals eventually.

It's going to happen through most industries eventually.

NAB in Docklands has less desks than employees, as more people will work from home.

A typical agency costs $4k per month just to provide a desk, phone and PC for a sales person.

My total business expenses are phone, car and internet. The technology handles all my back office tasks.

The future has arrived.

 

[sunny3193]

Nope. Unsustainable.

Purplebricks has gone to number 2 nationwide in the UK in just on 3 years.

As traditional office lose market share they will shut offices.

The running costs are too big. Every time I list a house, I take at least $15k income from my competitor's cash flow.

I believe the same will happen in rentals eventually.

It's going to happen through most industries eventually.

NAB in Docklands has less desks than employees, as more people will work from home.

A typical agency costs $4k per month just to provide a desk, phone and PC for a sales person.

My total business expenses are phone, car and internet. The technology handles all my back office tasks.

The future has arrived.

My best mate owns his agency and been running it for many years.
Absolutely pissed himself laughing when he saw the Taj Mahal that’s the McGrath office in Sandringham. All he could say was: Overheads, Overheads.
And he’s now at retirement: looking at a nice little payday for all those years. Think he might be picking the top of the market too, given what you’re saying.
Think of that: what sweet irony.

 

[VDS66]

My best mate owns his agency and been running it for many years.
Absolutely pissed himself laughing when he saw the Taj Mahal that’s the McGrath office in Sandringham. All he could say was: Overheads, Overheads.
And he’s now at retirement: looking at a nice little payday for all those years. Think he might be picking the top of the market too, given what you’re saying.
Think of that: what sweet irony.

Yeah it's definitely cooled. Is your mate local?

 

[gringo2011]

totally but it does come down to the service provided, some industries such as the taxi industry for years got away with terrible service as they were pretty much the only option especially here in Perth where i class us having the worst customer service in the taxi industry suddenly Uber comes along where the car turns up on time the driver has a nice comfortable car and you are not treated to a "longcut" just to boost up the fare and for the most part the drivers are happy and engaging, The Taxi industry has its self to blame you provide a worse service that costs more then you are obviously going to loose your customers..

for me the one that is a worry is the online travel booking sites.. my wife being a travel agent runs into this every day.. the worst part is the customers who will get an agent to find their flights just to go home and book them online sure the customer will save $5 on the flight but you are basically getting the agent to work for nothing... so the $5 you save makes a faceless corporation rich off the hard work that the agent does.. i think sometimes our chase for a good deal sometime clouds our veiw

Yeah, we pay fr uber to not pay tax and avoid the same licensing costs as the taxi industry. Head office in the US employs FA people because it's all on line and automated. The Taxi industry had a heap of people employed as well as the drivers including all the admin staff, accountants etc. Uber screws their own drivers and gives preferential treatment to drivers who will do the most shifts and hours and the driver uses their own car that depreciates quicker etc.

It sounds great but it has consequences. Sure it's shaken up the taxi industry but it will **** more than them. Same as AirBnB has meant thatinqner city rents in most big cities has become more expensive and harder to get for regular people as entrepreneurs chase dollars and put the local community at risk of becoming isolated.

 

[gringo2011]

Its not a lot different in some of the traditional markets. Its just that the net has a much larger scope.

Harvey Norman doesn't build refrigerators , they put them in places where people will find them.
Do 13cabs own taxi's? I think Taxi's have been owner operated for ages. I'm still not sure how they circumvented the "license" system.

Those companies are only big because they have a total global market.
Its cherry picked though.
Apple certainly design/manufacture/sell their products. They have almost full product integration.
Origin mine minerals/generate electricity/ retail electricity, i believe they are more competitive than those who just buy and retail virtual electricity.

Bitcoin = Bank? Its more like a gold bar under your mattress.

Bitcoin is just a pyramid scheme that will fall on it's arse so hard that the people in it's wake won't know what hit them.

 

[sunny3193]

Yeah it's definitely cooled. Is your mate local?

Inner city

 

[StCicatriz]

Yeah, we pay fr uber to not pay tax and avoid the same licensing costs as the taxi industry. Head office in the US employs FA people because it's all on line and automated. The Taxi industry had a heap of people employed as well as the drivers including all the admin staff, accountants etc. Uber screws their own drivers and gives preferential treatment to drivers who will do the most shifts and hours and the driver uses their own car that depreciates quicker etc.

It sounds great but it has consequences. Sure it's shaken up the taxi industry but it will **** more than them. Same as AirBnB has meant thatinqner city rents in most big cities has become more expensive and harder to get for regular people as entrepreneurs chase dollars and put the local community at risk of becoming isolated.

Only 4 percent of uber drivers stay after 12 months. That's a shocking statistic and tells you everything you need to know about how sustainable it is to work as an uber driver

Uber has a horrible culture of work place bullying/harassment. Racism etc.

They treat their employees like absolute shit. They lure their employees in on the brand of uber. Their employees take on all the risk. Then after 12 months of working out they make **** all and in some cases below the minimum wage, working massive hours. They give it up. But uber doesn't care because they always have a steady wave of potential workers who don't know the real story.

Say what you want about the taxi industry but atleast it was regulated and people could make a living out of it. Plus as you said all the support staff. Tax stayed in the country.

Uber is horrible. In fact I'd go as far to say it's current business model relies on modern slavery. Provide a chunky loan to their new employee, knowing they won't be able to repay it and then work them into the ground.

 

[VDS66]

Only 4 percent of uber drivers stay after 12 months. That's a shocking statistic and tells you everything you need to know about how sustainable it is to work as an uber driver

Uber has a horrible culture of work place bullying/harassment. Racism etc.

They treat their employees like absolute shit. They lure their employees in on the brand of uber. Their employees take on all the risk. Then after 12 months of working out they make **** all and in some cases below the minimum wage, working massive hours. They give it up. But uber doesn't care because they always have a steady wave of potential workers who don't know the real story.

Say what you want about the taxi industry but atleast it was regulated and people could make a living out of it. Plus as you said all the support staff. Tax stayed in the country.

Uber is horrible. In fact I'd go as far to say it's current business model relies on modern slavery. Provide a chunky loan to their new employee, knowing they won't be able to repay it and then work them into the ground.

Problem over here is the cost of the plates.

When I was a kid there were owner drivers who would then hand the car over for the night shift.

Then you had investors buying plates and sub contracting them out as an income stream.

I'd say there are hardly any owner drivers left because the ROI is really bad.

So now you have the cheapest possible drivers probably on 457s running around, who basically don't care about service.

The taxi industry is / was pretty much a monopoly until Uber came along.

 

[StCicatriz]

Problem over here is the cost of the plates.

When I was a kid there were owner drivers who would then hand the car over for the night shift.

Then you had investors buying plates and sub contracting them out as an income stream.

I'd say there are hardly any owner drivers left because the ROI is really bad.

So now you have the cheapest possible drivers probably on 457s running around, who basically don't care about service.

The taxi industry is / was pretty much a monopoly until Uber came along.

Agree entirely. Government regulated monopoly but it was atleast regulated and the money stayed here

Uber there's literally no positives unless you're the consumer or uber.

Pendulum swung too far back the other way

My prediction is another company will go past uber with driverless vehicles. Maybe a Google.

 

[Nutsngum]

My best mate is an insurance solicitor and deals often with taxi related claims. The industry is absolutely full of corruption and fraud and its disgraceful what the operators try and get away with.

 

[VDS66]

Agree entirely. Government regulated monopoly but it was atleast regulated and the money stayed here

Uber there's literally no positives unless you're the consumer or uber.

Pendulum swung too far back the other way

My prediction is another company will go past uber with driverless vehicles. Maybe a Google.

Not sure about driverless just yet... A bit like recycled sewerage water for drinking.

Not sure what the answer is but the taxi industry needs a serious shake up or it will die.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

My best mate owns his agency and been running it for many years.
Absolutely pissed himself laughing when he saw the Taj Mahal that’s the McGrath office in Sandringham. All he could say was: Overheads, Overheads.
And he’s now at retirement: looking at a nice little payday for all those years. Think he might be picking the top of the market too, given what you’re saying.
Think of that: what sweet irony.

Yeah it does not cost 4000 for desk with computer if you don't want it to.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Bitcoin is just a pyramid scheme that will fall on it's arse so hard that the people in it's wake won't know what hit them.

its like playing toss the bomb.
You buy bitcoin, sell it when it goes up, and hope you miss the explosion.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

In fairness, that argument cuts both ways...

Depends on who is setting the price.

When there's a $15k fee on the line, some agents will say whatever you want to hear to get the business.

That's old real estate school 101: do whatever it takes to get the business and then start "conditioning" the vendor asap.

Better still, get it to auction and you get paid quicker, and if the vendor will come down to earth quickly if it doesn't sell.

So who sets the price?

If your house was worth $800k and you said to me you will only sell for $900k, I would walk away because I can spend my time with serious vendors and make more money. My margins are very thin.

To me, it says you are not serious.

Others will take it on hoping you will eventually meet the market.

In terms of value, the seller has to be realistic. The internet is the great leveller. If an agent says they can get you a price then they have to quantify it.

If you know your home is worth 800 but appoint an agent who promises 900 then serves you right for being greedy.

I wanted what i paid for it, and i got it.
Pity about the goddam stamp duty.... also wiped me out for any future first home buyers schemes.

 

[VDS66]

I wanted what i paid for it, and i got it.
Pity about the goddam stamp duty.... also wiped me out for any future first home buyers schemes.

So what are you complaining about?

 

[st_trav_ofWA]

Agree entirely. Government regulated monopoly but it was atleast regulated and the money stayed here

Uber there's literally no positives unless you're the consumer or uber.

Pendulum swung too far back the other way

My prediction is another company will go past uber with driverless vehicles. Maybe a Google.

and thats why they are successful ... the consumer is king make no bones about it if the service level of Uber drops then they lose their selling point.. people have long memories and to be perfectly honest the taxi industry especially in Perth shot themselves in the foot while they spent all that time and effort on the registration and regulation of the industry they forgot about the thing that actually brings money in the door the customer .. i remember just before Uber came to perth Swan taxis put forward this terrible idea of a premium service where basically if you paid $10 more you would guarentee the taxi turned up on time.. a $10 premium for a taxi to basically do what it is meant to do..
for someone like myself who was using taxis pretty much every week (i would never drive if i was entertaining customers unless it was a dry event) the service was sub par so it was an obvious move that once another option became available i would take up that option

 

[SaintsSeptember]

So what are you complaining about?

The fact that the guy that was meant to be selling it for me had been ringing me up trying to convince me to sell it cheaper, so he could get his commission a bit sooner.

 

[luca77]

Agree entirely. Government regulated monopoly but it was atleast regulated and the money stayed here

Uber there's literally no positives unless you're the consumer or uber.

Pendulum swung too far back the other way

My prediction is another company will go past uber with driverless vehicles. Maybe a Google.

When my computer starts consistently booting up and my smartphone stops crashing and the autocorrect on MS Word starts doing what I actually want it to do maybe I'll start believing that we're ready for driverless cars. Here in Japan there is testing for them happening all the time, I think a test driver was killed about a year ago. Hopefully no schoolkids get run over by the things. Not that people aren't capable of it too, but jeez. Imagine how a parent would feel knowing it was an experimental driverless car.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

When my computer starts consistently booting up and my smartphone stops crashing and the autocorrect on MS Word starts doing what I actually want it to do maybe I'll start believing that we're ready for driverless cars. Here in Japan there is testing for them happening all the time, I think a test driver was killed about a year ago. Hopefully no schoolkids get run over by the things. Not that people aren't capable of it too, but jeez. Imagine how a parent would feel knowing it was an experimental driverless car.

Don't fall for "smart" phones. Phones are not smart , phones are **** stupid. ( like the whales on Derek and Clive ).
The first driver less vehicles will be bloody expensive.
Expect to see driverless transport vehicles commonplace, then taxi's ( where there may be a payback on labour ) ten years before anyone apart from a few weirdo's are using private driver less vehicles.
( at least the driverless trucks can be programmed not to go under that bloody south Melbourne bridge, maybe they should make them use a gps interlock ).

 

[VDS66]

Problem with driverless cars is if they are on the same roads as human drivers.

Not sure how you can programme a car to be aware of stupidity...

 

[luca77]

Problem with driverless cars is if they are on the same roads as human drivers.

Not sure how you can programme a car to be aware of stupidity...

Probably applies to my autocorrect issues above to be honest

 

[st_trav_ofWA]

When my computer starts consistently booting up and my smartphone stops crashing and the autocorrect on MS Word starts doing what I actually want it to do maybe I'll start believing that we're ready for driverless cars. Here in Japan there is testing for them happening all the time, I think a test driver was killed about a year ago. Hopefully no schoolkids get run over by the things. Not that people aren't capable of it too, but jeez. Imagine how a parent would feel knowing it was an experimental driverless car.

we are currently doing this at work with mining equipment ... especially in underground aplications where safety is a huge issue the driverless or remote operated equipment is performing remarkably well even in the open pit we are having great results with driverless trucks working in tandem with convential operator driven trucks.. the proximity sensors on the trucks are basically ending collisions and with the engine sensors, brake monitoring and computer driven gear changes the mechanical life of the trucks is improving... honestly i dont see it being a bridge too far for the technology to be implemented into the car market

 

[st_trav_ofWA]

Problem with driverless cars is if they are on the same roads as human drivers.

Not sure how you can programme a car to be aware of stupidity...

in the mining side where the autonomus trucks working with operator driven the only collisions have beend by the drivers driving into the driverless not the other way around and generally it taking a fair level of stupidness to happen