What a kerfuffle: Simon Whale unveils details about his next venture

| Rosalind Renshaw

Some 1,400 offices covering some 150 companies have already quietly signed up to a new agents’ buying collective called Kerfuffle.

Kerfuffle, launched by Simon Whale, will use its buying power to leverage deals that normally only the corporates would be able to negotiate.

It is being formally launched this week, but details about Whale’s new venture have been released exclusively to EYE.

As well as a buying collective sourcing and offering best deals, it will feature a Which? style guide to products and services based on feedback from agents.

Whale, whose departure from software firm Reapit last year came as a surprise to many, has until now said nothing about his next step in the industry.

He told EYE: “I have spent time looking at some of the issues in this sector, and was struck by how many agents described their relationship with suppliers as a wild west.

“They did not know what they should be paying, but felt that their competitor in the same high street might be getting a better deal – and there’s a real hatred of that lack of transparency.

“In the consumer world, charges do differ, but not to anywhere near the same extent as in our industry.

“There has also been an explosion of proptech, some good and some bad, with a lot of funding, meaning that some have stayed in business longer than they should.

“Kerfuffle won’t be doing a hatchet job on any, but will be constructively critical where it needs to be. We will also be looking at all suppliers to the industry, including the traditional ones and the likes of Rightmove.”

Whale said that one problem is that agents are getting inundated with approaches from proptech suppliers: “The result is that they have gatekeepers to try and impose some kind of order, but the danger is that agents could be overlooking some very good products.”

Whale will be sourcing suppliers, and asking agents to trial them and give feedback. Group buying power will be used to secure the most favourable deals, in a ‘price match promise’ from Kerfuffle suppliers.

Suppliers will not have to release rate cards, but agents will be encouraged to share what they are paying – and what they are getting. Whale says: “It may not just be about money but about tangible and intangible benefits.”

Whale says he will also be releasing a quarterly A to Z ‘black book’ of contacts, available to everyone in the industry, but with more information supplied to Kerfuffle members.

Members will not have to pay anything for Kerfuffle. Whale said: “I researched what agents regard as their best price – and it’s free. I’d be foolish to ignore such feedback.”

Kerfuffle will also not be limiting member agents per postcode, with Whale saying that this goes against his natural instinct to be as popular as possible with everyone.

Kerfuffle’s launch comes as another buying club, Graham Lock’s Federation of Independent Agents, also gears up for launch. There are differences between the two.

The FIA is recruiting one agent per postcode and won’t be free, with Lock planning to charge a likely £250 to £300 per month.

Whale said he does not see the FIA as a competitor: “In fact, we will be working collaboratively where possible in approaching certain suppliers for the best deals.”

Kerfuffle is launching at nightclub Tiger Tiger in central London this coming Thursday evening, with a mixture of suppliers and agents. So far a number of invitees may be a bit baffled as to who is behind Kerfuffle as the invitations give no clues – merely stating ‘unknown organiser’.

Formal launch is the following day at the ESTAS.

A ‘golden ticket’ competition is launching and EYE readers can enter, with the first ten to register also getting invitations to this Thursday night’s party.

http://www.kerfuffle.it/

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30 Comments

  1. Simon Bradbury
    May 7, 2019 at 06:54

    What a well thought out and interesting idea – just what the industry needs.

    Well done Simon Whale. Can’t wait to find out more!

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:31

      You know me, I like to keep it Simple Simon

      Report
    2. christinaestateagent68
      May 7, 2019 at 16:59

      such a great idea! Can’t wait to find out more – Good luck and thank you!!!!!!!

      Report
  2. iainwhite87
    May 7, 2019 at 07:25

    Good luck Simon , great to see agents being helped in this way . See you Thursday

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:33

      Cheers Iain I’ve told the Ooompa Loompas to give you the VIP treatment 

      Report
  3. Kevin Ellis
    May 7, 2019 at 07:37

    Good luck Whaley, looking forward to the Kerfuffle launch on Thursday evening.

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:36

      Cheers Kev likewise 

      Report
  4. smile please
    May 7, 2019 at 07:40

    Best of luck, interesting to see how it pans out.

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:38

      Spectacular success or incredible failure, place your bets! 

      Report
      1. smile please
        May 7, 2019 at 09:42

        Honestly do not know!

         

        If it is truly working for the agents and you can generate a true saving not the standard 5 or 10% off what they advertise then i think you could have a winner on your hands. If it is a standard 10% off then can’t really see the point as most of us negotiate that in the first place.

         

        Whichever it is, at least you are not charging the £250 pm the FIA are try to get away with, which in my opinion is hilarious.

         

        I wish you all the best and i hope its a huge success for all involved.

        Report
  5. Robert May
    May 7, 2019 at 07:43

    Good luck Simon and everyone who joins what will undoubtedly be  a fun and unique solution to  one of the challenges the industry faces; controlling costs.

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:41

      That’s it in a nutshell Robert. This isn’t about forcing suppliers to cut margins beyond the ability to make a profit. Quite the contrary I want this to be a win win for both the suppliers and agents and pretty sure I know how to make that work. It’s mainly to get rid of the worst price gouging. 

      Report
  6. Mal
    May 7, 2019 at 07:50

    Congrats Whaley – just wouldn’t be the same round here without you 🙂

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:43

      Gaucho’s did say they’d missed me. I believe they’ve had a tricky time this last year without their ‘Norm’ 

      Report
  7. Ric
    May 7, 2019 at 08:04

    Will the booklet have a coupon for a Rightmove Discount?

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:48

      One of my targets Ric is the minute I can get a group discount for Right Move I’ll know Kerfuffle will have achieved its goals. 
      Currently the bookmakers have the likelihood of this down as the day Satan skates to work.
      But as Lord Percy says in Blackadder after creating purest Green ‘I like a challenge’. 

      Report
  8. AgentV
    May 7, 2019 at 08:14

    Good luck Simon…let’s hope it’s a double whammy week for you with the conclusion of the premiership!

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:51

      If we do that I’m promptly putting the launch on hiatus for a month. 

      Report
  9. mbevan
    May 7, 2019 at 08:15

    Good luck Simon, Look forward to the launch on Thursday

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:52

      Bring your dancing shoes compadres 

      Report
  10. ARC
    May 7, 2019 at 08:30

    I’m just glad it wasn’t an announcement that he taking his comedy show on the road!

     

    Good luck with it Mr Whale.

    Report
    1. Whaley
      May 7, 2019 at 08:54

      Technically that’s what this is repackaged into a business but after my A/B testing mainly of the red and white at Agents Giving I learnt it is in fact possible to have too much of a good thing.
       
      and cheers !

      Report
  11. Ed Mead
    May 7, 2019 at 09:00

    Great idea Simon – getting agents to do anything together has always been difficult, especially for independents. Perhaps a step on the way to giving independents a voice, first step into politics perhaps – actually maybe not!! Sorry I can’t make Thursday but it would seem unnecessary to say have fun.

    Report
  12. natural_selection
    May 7, 2019 at 09:01

    You can only pick two: Good – Cheap – Fast
     
    Good service cheap – won’t be fast.
     
    Good service fast – won’t be cheap.
     
    Fast service cheap – won’t be good.

    Report
  13. MrsF
    May 7, 2019 at 09:10

    Well this will be interested to see. As Simon said, we all know charges vary in the consumer world from one to another.

    So for example, will this be someone who uses a software platform stating they pay X, and another person they pay Y for the same software?

    As someone who is a supplier rather than an agent, I shall be watching closely with interest.

    Report
  14. Breckland Agent
    May 7, 2019 at 09:21

    Best of luck with this venture Whaley, you deserve it!

    Report
  15. fluter
    May 7, 2019 at 09:43

    Is this going to “disrupt the market”? If not i’m not interested! Seriously, sounds like a great idea and I wish you all success as the little guys like us have been shafted by too many and for too long.

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  16. Whatyoutalkingboutwillis50
    May 7, 2019 at 10:15

    Great idea Whaley – important that agents are encouraged to work with the best in class suppliers that are going to help drive their business forward and in turn enhance the customer journey / experience! Looking forward to working with you again

    Report
  17. Whaley
    May 7, 2019 at 11:26

    Love that Purple Bricks have played a blinder trying to slipslide their story behind the black hole news story of the launch today. 
    As we know there’s nothing denser than me…..

    Report
  18. Joshua Rayner
    May 7, 2019 at 21:09

    Huge Congratulations Whaley!!

    Report
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