Job Discussion Forums

[fallon77]

What's the dealio? EF Shenzhen is now ING English?

Check it out: http://www.ef-shenzhen.com/

Strange.

[englishgibson]

i'd call it more of taking/stealing the brand values of an established organization (EF) than "strange" ... this franchise has got more than 60 centers in china and a few of those have their own clones and such plans .... and we might not know how far such practices around those EF centers go or how much the EF franchisor/head office help those chinese business people ... since i've worked for them, i'd blame the tremendeous "flexibility" of the franchisors/head office

are you aware of the EF shenzhen's previous forums thread and the hard working management of the EF there participating on here?

peace to cloning of EF
and
cheers and beers to all hard working FTs in china that do not contribute to shameful plans of some chinese employers

[danielb]

Did you have a look at the Website EG? I'll go with strange as well. The web address says EF but the webpage says ING.

I would apply but I don't think I would stack up against their teachers.

http://www.ef-shenzhen.com/English/Teachers.htm

[englishgibson]

i've looked daniel

good luck with your applications to EF ING
and
cheers and beers the EF centers in china that are not really EF, but can give you a nice EF

[11:59]

Ah, come on, that website is obviously a spoof. Quite clearly, someone with a grudge against the firm who's looking for a laugh has hacked into their server and swapped the original files with his or her own spoof-site pages. It's also obvious that it's a hacker with a strong sense of humour and some knowledge of teaching in China. After all, some of those teachers' comments are nothing short of hilarious, and capture student Chinglishisms spot on. I mean, come on, surely no self-respecting teacher with a degree, a TEFL certificate and one year of classroom experience would ever permit comments like those to be credited to them! No, I don't buy it; it's clearly a spoof.

[tw]

The school has not changed its domain name that's all. My former employer in Qingdao did the same thing after they'd switched franchise from U-CANDU Toronto College Qingdao Campus to Beijing IELTS Qingdao Campus, Qingdao IELTS or something like that.

Hmmm...just checked the web site and it's now called Qingdao Sino-Canada Foreign Language School.

[danielb]

That's what I think as well tw. EG, you would have a better idea of where to look than me, are those four ING locations the same as the four Shenzhen EF locations?

[Shakhbut]

http://www.ef-shenzhen.com/English/Teachers.htm

I love it. These geeks are straight out of "Cuckoo's Nest".
Check out the English:
"Practice makes porfect. The more you Prachse, the more you improve."

I'm sold, sign me up.

[danielb]

I very love it!

[no_exit]

They've quite obviously split with EF. There isn't a single mention of the EF franchise on that entire page, Chinese or English, except on the domain name. If you look at the courses offered, they do not use the standard EF curriculum (I taught at an EF for about a year awhile back, so I'm familiar with what they teach), but have substituted different textbooks and course names -- "Backpack" and "New Interchange" are NOT EF texts. Trust me, no school would be paying franchise fees to be affiliated with EF (fees which are not at all cheap), and then simply choosing not to take advantage of the one thing a franchise brings with it -- a brand name and an established curriculum.

The domain name was probably registered by the Chinese school owners rather than by EF itself (EF China has it's own webpage, and any school specific webpage would be owned and maintained by the individual school). I actually think EG is pretty on the mark about this one -- sounds like a case of "enterprising" school owners deciding they could do without the hefty EF franchise fees, especially since the dirty work of establishing a reputation for the school amongst the parents was likely already done under the EF flag (who's going to fuss about a name change anyhow?). I've got some direct experience with Chinese EF owners who decided to go it on their own -- this is usually a completely underhanded operation, basically the equivalent of theft, but then, this is China, the land of piracy and name-brand knockoffs, so legitimate franchising is an awfully hard sell.

The teachers at "Ing" (what the hell kind of name is that anyhow?) do seem like total nutters. I love Judy: "We don't really teach anyone anything." That just about sums it up right there, doesn't it?

[danielb]

I agree no_exit in that it is a split from EF rather than a clone as I think EG was suggesting. Sorry if I misunderstood EG. Anyone remember this thread

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=43162&start=0

with the posts by checkmate? The phone number he provided for his office is the same as the ING contact number. [/url]

[no_exit]

[englishgibson]

right on, no exit, and yes daniel it's a split more than a clone issue

speaking of EF headquarters, in china there's an EF two-head office in shanghai...i'd call those two heads a chinese and a foreign one ...i am not sure which one is leading

so, daniel are you interested in a full time po there i'm sure they'll provide some kinda copy cat packages "made in china" ..although no ERICA (dream) insurance pack i suppose

peace to our forums on EF
and
cheers and beers to all EF and ef teachers around china

_____________________________________________________________
there are lost faces as well as slaps in faces in china

[tw]

No need to speculate, why not send a PM to checkmate. He should be able to tell us something.

[englishgibson]

i don't think anyone speculates here....checkmate, no checkmate whatever or whoever....EFs go their way and happily so...they save on royalties (10%)

now, if a franchisee in china has an EF center and wants yet another one (center), he/she asks for a "discount" with regards to the initial franchising fee...if he/she doesn't get it, the war begins

peace to EF
and
cheers and beers to all FTs still with them