Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: petemg on January 31, 2012, 12:12:29 am
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hi ya :) if WFP is that good , why are there so many used or second hand units on the market, nearly all the adds i have seen, are as new condition, and a whole list of problems or excuses for them not to have been used, if some one is upgrading there system so be it, but there has got to be some thing not right with so many outfitts for sale.........pete
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wfp doesnt work
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Its just like asking why nearly new ferraris come ontobthe market, it doesnt suit everyone and some people are happy to run up ladders...
I for one would never clean windows any other way...
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hi ya Smiley if WFP is that good , why are there so many used or second hand units on the market, nearly all the adds i have seen, are as new condition, and a whole list of problems or excuses for them not to have been used, if some one is upgrading there system so be it, but there has got to be some thing not right with so many outfitts for sale.........pete
Yeah, I've been using it 6 years... Its rubbish, doesn't work at all, complete waste of money!
Have you ever tried it? ::)
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hi ya :) i had a brodex demo on my own house, i felt like a bull with a lance ;D i was not inpressed, they tried to convince me over a 6mth period that there system was the way to go, but no way, 25% of my custermers came to me because they were not happy with WFP system..........pete
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hi ya Smiley i had a brodex demo on my own house, i felt like a bull with a lance Grin i was not inpressed, they tried to convince me over a 6mth period that there system was the way to go, but no way, 25% of my custermers came to me because they were not happy with WFP system..........pete
I think I might go back to trad now...
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hi ya :) i had a brodex demo on my own house, i felt like a bull with a lance ;D i was not inpressed, they tried to convince me over a 6mth period that there system was the way to go, but no way, 25% of my custermers came to me because they were not happy with WFP system..........pete
my guess is 25% of your customers came to you because the people trying to clean with wfp did not have a clue how to do it, they had no training, which in turn annoyed people and rightly so.
Trad cleaning still has it's place but no chance it is anywhere near as good as water fed pole, just the safety alone is reason enough to convert from ladders imo
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hi ya :) i had a brodex demo on my own house, i felt like a bull with a lance ;D i was not inpressed, they tried to convince me over a 6mth period that there system was the way to go, but no way, 25% of my custermers came to me because they were not happy with WFP system..........pete
A demo on your own house is hardly enough to convince you anyway, is it?
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hi ya :) it dont matter wether it was my house or some one elses a demo is a demo all day long, sorry its not for me........pete
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im very happy for ya
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pure water drys clear FACT therefore in therory it is perfect, however not all window cleaners are born equal, therefore the results will vary, just as in trad.
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I think the reason why there as so many for sale on ebay is due to good marketing by Brodex/Ionics/Freedom etc.
Lots of people who have been made redundant and have a pocket full of money looking for a job are sold the hype of earnings thousands by cleaning windows using wfp.
They buy into it, spend a big wad of their redundancy and then realise that 20 years sat on their arse in a office is not good preparation for the realities of window cleaning, grafting all day in all weathers! :o
So they jump ship and sell up their "nearly new" WFP window cleaning systems.
It's not that the systems don't work, it's the operator that doesn't work......in my opinion ;)
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I think the reason why there as so many for sale on ebay is due to good marketing by Brodex/Ionics/Freedom etc.
Lots of people who have been made redundant and have a pocket full of money looking for a job are sold the hype of earnings thousands by cleaning windows using wfp.
They buy into it, spend a big wad of their redundancy and then realise that 20 years sat on their arse in a office is not good preparation for the realities of window cleaning, grafting all day in all weathers! :o
So they jump ship and sell up their "nearly new" WFP window cleaning systems.
It's not that the systems don't work, it's the operator that doesn't work......in my opinion ;)
No you've lost me there Ian.
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I think the reason why there as so many for sale on ebay is due to good marketing by Brodex/Ionics/Freedom etc.
Lots of people who have been made redundant and have a pocket full of money looking for a job are sold the hype of earnings thousands by cleaning windows using wfp.
They buy into it, spend a big wad of their redundancy and then realise that 20 years sat on their arse in a office is not good preparation for the realities of window cleaning, grafting all day in all weathers! :o
So they jump ship and sell up their "nearly new" WFP window cleaning systems.
It's not that the systems don't work, it's the operator that doesn't work......in my opinion ;)
Ian is right, its all about the people. Can't hack it. They would last even less time on ladders. However, please carry on knocking WFP, the more people you can put off it the better. Too many converting round here, thats the last thing I want to see.
The more dippys on ladders the better for me, they can't to the one above the conservatory, they cant do the one above the garage, they don't do the frames, they don't do the front door.
I always have to laugh when I hear people on here saying they pick up loads of work from WFP window cleaners. Really? because my experience is you lose customers to WFP .
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People give up. It's not as easy as some would make out to build a sustainable round. If you give up a half built trad round you're not likely to flog your ladder and bucket on eBay. Can't compare the two.
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People give up. It's not as easy as some would make out to build a sustainable round. If you give up a half built trad round you're not likely to flog your ladder and bucket on eBay. Can't compare the two.
you selling your ladders now then matt ;D
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After reading this thread I'm going back to them. Check out eBay for another system. Looking forward to halving my income ;D
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pure water drys clear FACT therefore in therory it is perfect, however not all window cleaners are born equal, therefore the results will vary, just as in trad.
How true :)
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After reading this thread I'm going back to them. Check out eBay for another system. Looking forward to halving my income ;D
You were never happy with all that spare money anyway, why make more? advertise the system for free ;D
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After reading this thread I'm going back to them. Check out eBay for another system. Looking forward to halving my income ;D
You were never happy with all that spare money anyway, why make more? advertise the system for free ;D
make that 2 systems now on ebay :P
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After reading this thread I'm going back to them. Check out eBay for another system. Looking forward to halving my income ;D
You were never happy with all that spare money anyway, why make more? advertise the system for free ;D
make that 2 systems now on ebay :P
So very very true, money doesn't make you happy..... Good luck back on the ladders, if you ever need someone to foot them, give me a call and I'll do it for free ;D ;D ;D
(always said you couldn't make money at this game) >:( >:(....................... ;D
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i be on the phone in 5mins then helen.but come on you need to do some ladder work.
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i be on the phone in 5mins then helen.but come on you need to do some ladder work.
;D ;D ;D
Scared of heights and suffer from vertigo, go dizzy 2 foot off the ground, can get up ladders, but can't come down them, so wouldn't make any money at all, is that the idea? ;D ;D
Apparently when I foot ladders, I make them shake, so that must be brill for whoever is up them :)
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i be on the phone in 5mins then helen.but come on you need to do some ladder work.
;D ;D ;D
Scared of heights and suffer from vertigo, go dizzy 2 foot off the ground, can get up ladders, but can't come down them, so wouldn't make any money at all, is that the idea? ;D ;D
Apparently when I foot ladders, I make them shake, so that must be brill for whoever is up them :)
:-* :-* :-* :-*
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I have picked up loads of work off tradders in my area due to them not cleaning frames,cills, I have had a fair few only wanting a wfp cleaner :)
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also newbies buy the system and simply havent got the work to make it pay so sell up after a few months.
whether your trad or wfp, window cleaning in all weathers is hard work.some people cant handle hard work!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
pete i was once like you(trad 16 years)and couldnt really see the benefits of water fed pole.
nearly 2 years WFP now and its simply MILES BETTER IN EVERY WAY!!
more money earned
safer
ive picked up loads of work BECAUSE of WFP!!!
It takes a few months to get the hang of it properly though.
staying trad and climbing up to every upper window to clean it is madness in this day and age IMO.
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the only people who slate wfp are those who don't have it and those who cannot use it properly!! Used properly there is no comparison to trad, 100% better quality.
paul
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Surprisingly for me coming back into this industry in 2010 there has been a flood of "new" window cleaners using the waterfed pole technique of cleaning windows.
We approached many new companies when we started who had infact lost confidence in their window cleaners abilities who used the waterfed pole technique, although as it turned out they were using them incorrectly.
We encouraged customers to try us, and we proved to them that water fed poles are the only way to go, and so far they have all been delighted with the results we have provided them.
Being from a window cleaning background - I still insist that all my window cleaners can use traditional techniques like squeegeees and scrims etc
I have taken great notice and I realise that many "Window Cleaners" who use the waterfed pole are infact not window cleaners at all, they are people who think they have bought a magic wand! and think they will be able to clean windows correctly with it. Well sorry it really doesn't work like that. Window cleaning is not rocket science but it takes time to be come good at it.
We have just taken on an "experienced" window cleaner who has been cleaning windows with the waterfed pole system for his previous company for four years. When we showed him how to check the TDS of the outcoming water he thought we were having a laugh as he had NEVER checked water in four years and he took the van home and NEVER changed any filters during this time. He is a very hard worker, has a reasonably good technique, but it seems that his company did not understand the "technique" at all as who knows what TDS they were cleaning with?
For me, the waterfed pole is just another tool used for cleaning windows, but its a big help to the operator if he understands how to use it properly and be able to look at and clean glass properly.
All have a good day now :D
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i`ve been using wfp for 3 years now and have to say my round wouldn`t of grown the way it has if i stayed trad. i stilll do trad on bungalows and shop fronts and will always use this meathod to. after mastering the pole i dont get any negitive comments from customers and they even comment saying "i cant belive how it dries and its cristal clear. i had problems with it when i started wfp as i had a lot to learn but now i can tackle windows with confidence .
using ladders in this day and age is like watching a 14" black and white tv. we wouldn`t do it anymore. times have changed and for the better. Its still hard work with wfp and thats the reason systems are for sale. it takes a special kind of person to go out in all weathers constantly on the go and have the disapline to not stay at home cos you know their is no boss
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dito
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Nail on the head!!! ;D
Surprisingly for me coming back into this industry in 2010 there has been a flood of "new" window cleaners using the waterfed pole technique of cleaning windows.
We approached many new companies when we started who had infact lost confidence in their window cleaners abilities who used the waterfed pole technique, although as it turned out they were using them incorrectly.
We encouraged customers to try us, and we proved to them that water fed poles are the only way to go, and so far they have all been delighted with the results we have provided them.
Being from a window cleaning background - I still insist that all my window cleaners can use traditional techniques like squeegeees and scrims etc
I have taken great notice and I realise that many "Window Cleaners" who use the waterfed pole are infact not window cleaners at all, they are people who think they have bought a magic wand! and think they will be able to clean windows correctly with it. Well sorry it really doesn't work like that. Window cleaning is not rocket science but it takes time to be come good at it.
We have just taken on an "experienced" window cleaner who has been cleaning windows with the waterfed pole system for his previous company for four years. When we showed him how to check the TDS of the outcoming water he thought we were having a laugh as he had NEVER checked water in four years and he took the van home and NEVER changed any filters during this time. He is a very hard worker, has a reasonably good technique, but it seems that his company did not understand the "technique" at all as who knows what TDS they were cleaning with?
For me, the waterfed pole is just another tool used for cleaning windows, but its a big help to the operator if he understands how to use it properly and be able to look at and clean glass properly.
All have a good day now :D
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when we started, I looked at all options for the business and by c****t the set up costs were huge for wfp, but i took a calculated risk that this was the way forward for our customers.So far so good,and we have trained our staff to change filters,take tds readings and have pride in their work because its just a superior product to trad but its also down to some good old fashioned hard work getting your round built up and customers converted but once you overcome that hurdle with some customer lessons on what to expect-they just love it!!
Roy
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It's too bloody good, the glass stay's clean for ever. I like a bit of muck to make me look good, hardly ever any there though. That is after six week's mostly.
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Thats what I find Ronnie, Im now telling new customers its a 6-8 week frequency, and with that of course the rate is higher ;D
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Thats what I find Ronnie, Im now telling new customers its a 6-8 week frequency, and with that of course the rate is higher ;D
Well said Matt-they know it makes sense!! ;D
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It's too bloody good, the glass stay's clean for ever. I like a bit of muck to make me look good, hardly ever any there though. That is after six week's mostly.
SHHHHhhhhh :-X Don't tell everyone, I will never be able to buy cheap new stuff if that catches on. ::)
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Nail on the head!!! ;D
Surprisingly for me coming back into this industry in 2010 there has been a flood of "new" window cleaners using the waterfed pole technique of cleaning windows.
We approached many new companies when we started who had infact lost confidence in their window cleaners abilities who used the waterfed pole technique, although as it turned out they were using them incorrectly.
We encouraged customers to try us, and we proved to them that water fed poles are the only way to go, and so far they have all been delighted with the results we have provided them.
Being from a window cleaning background - I still insist that all my window cleaners can use traditional techniques like squeegeees and scrims etc
I have taken great notice and I realise that many "Window Cleaners" who use the waterfed pole are infact not window cleaners at all, they are people who think they have bought a magic wand! and think they will be able to clean windows correctly with it. Well sorry it really doesn't work like that. Window cleaning is not rocket science but it takes time to be come good at it.
We have just taken on an "experienced" window cleaner who has been cleaning windows with the waterfed pole system for his previous company for four years. When we showed him how to check the TDS of the outcoming water he thought we were having a laugh as he had NEVER checked water in four years and he took the van home and NEVER changed any filters during this time. He is a very hard worker, has a reasonably good technique, but it seems that his company did not understand the "technique" at all as who knows what TDS they were cleaning with?
For me, the waterfed pole is just another tool used for cleaning windows, but its a big help to the operator if he understands how to use it properly and be able to look at and clean glass properly.
All have a good day now :D
You sure? Never Checked TDS? Come on Darren you sure your not exaggerating? I find that very hard to believe.
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its true though, i have the odd hse that if nobody in i do kitchen and lounge window trad so they get filthy after couple of weeks otherwise i know they will be telling me not to bother as they are still clean. you know the sort i mean, we all have them
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hi ya :) i had a brodex demo on my own house, i felt like a bull with a lance ;D i was not inpressed, they tried to convince me over a 6mth period that there system was the way to go, but no way, 25% of my custermers came to me because they were not happy with WFP system..........pete
Thats your problem right there,.. you need to get a demo from a company that makes decent gear and knows how to use it - then you'll be convinced! ;D ;D
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hi ya :) here we go, whats the best WFP system, is there one ;D........pete
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i think this answer is the cause of all the w f p verses trad threads
yeah nathanael but what if ladder users dont give a toss about all that and just keep going. would you care?
It does bother me to be honest because:
1. I've told my customers why I don't use ladders, and whenever they see the local guys who are aware of the law but still use ladders working away it could cause my customers to doubt my word or lessen the importance of the safety message behind it.
2. Because every member of the public who is aware of the law but still see's window cleaners using ladders regularly is going to have a lower opinion of the industry.
3. Its plain stupid to risk your life on ladders every day when the alternative is so good!
;)