Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: derek mckeon on March 27, 2006, 11:03:10 am
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how long does it take to get customers faith in wfp i now i am doing a great job because i always go back and look might get the od couple of spotts or runs but you would have to go round having a good look to see them just because they see them wet they panick some of my good priced work i water bottoms but blade them of i ask them tocome and watch me do them if they want when i blade them off and they come up gleaming it puts thair minds at rest you get the od one ask why cant you do the tops the same and i tell them i will never use a ladder again as long as i am alive to many good people been killed using stupid ladders just trying to make a living they should ban the stupid things long live wfp
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II think that I WAS THE 1ST ONE ON HERE TO MENTION BLADING OF BOTTOMS ON 1ST CLEANS 2ND CLEANS ONLY,NOW JUST BLADE 1 WIDTH OF SQEEZEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GROUND FLOOR WINDOW WHEN NEARLY DRY.
DOES A LOVELY JUBBLY JOB OH AND WHEN ITSS GOT ONE OF THOSE PLASTIC STRIPS
SEPERARATING THE WINDOW DO JUST ABOVE THAT ONE AT THE BOTTOM ONLY TAKES SECONDS ONE QUICK SWIPE ISS ALL YOU NEED.
GAZA
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Hi Derek , you obviously have not yet met SQUEAKY !
Can anybody else hear that can of worms opening ;D ;D
Im gonna be watching this post for sure ! Rich P @ F
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Hi Derek
you'll never stop customer from moaning wether it be wfp or trad the main thing with them is that they dont like the winows being left wet, because this is something theyve never been used to. Most people dont like change but everything has to evolve and technology moves on
Dont mention to them about spotting just tell them the windows take about 3 cleans before perfect this allows you to take all the old soap and crap out of the windows and frames, then they wont go looking for spots.
Explain to your customers that every window with wfp gets cleaned with pure clean water not dirty water out of a bucket this helps for me
regards
Brett
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Not very often do I get complains now,but quite often thought I would go to their work place and show them how to do theiir job
and remove the red light out of their wiindow :-X
just like the mrs"SORRY DARLING I KNEW I WAS BREATHING IN WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BREATHING OUT"
WHO WAS THE LAST COMPLAINT FROM YES MY MRS.
GAZA
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Hiya, am waiting for wfp to arrive today and i'm just wondering if i have done a silly thing by having my only advert stating "guaranteed smear free windows."
I realise it's going to be a long steep learning curve but is it unreasonable to expect to be able to get most windows (with good frames) smear free with wfp?
thanks
mark
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You said SMEAR not SPOT free , just rinse well and tell them only if they ask that is , that by the second visit they will be bang on .
Rich P @ F
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You said SMEAR not SPOT free , just rinse well and tell them only if they ask that is , that by the second visit they will be bang on .
Rich P @ F
Yes smear free.
I tell my customers i guarantee my work and to call if not satisfied, so i won't be pointing out any problems.
I'm trying to sell the positives 'cos most of my customers are older / retired types.
But the feedback i've had when explaining pure water will be smear free and ALL the windows can be reached, has been very positive. So far.
cheers
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WFP saves lives. Anyone who still uses ladders is surely gambling with their life.
"I've never fallen" ..... yes, but then "Concorde never crashed" ..... not till the first time
If you get a "moaning minny" just tell them how much mess there will be on their patio if you fall ;D
You might lose some money moving to WFP, but you might lose much more otherwise.
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I realise it's going to be a long steep learning curve but is it unreasonable to expect to be able to get most windows (with good frames) smear free with wfp?
thanks
mark
Mark,
It's easier than what you think. Just give everything a thorough scrub and rinse the first time round. Spend longer than you would have if you used ladders.
I did a well-priced first clean that hadn't been cleaned in over THREE YEARS. It's a three story refuge or a shelter for the homeless.
I washed every window, concentraing on the frames the first time round.
Then I did it all again, concentrating on the glass the second time around. It probably would've been quicker to use ladders, (but the windows above the ground floor bays wouldn't have been done; too dodgy), but the windows and frames came up abolutely gleaming.
When it's next due, it'll be at least 50% quicker than using ladders.
Stick with it; don't worry; just take your time and don't rush the first couple of months round.
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I realise it's going to be a long steep learning curve but is it unreasonable to expect to be able to get most windows (with good frames) smear free with wfp?
thanks
mark
Mark,
It's easier than what you think. Just give everything a thorough scrub and rinse the first time round. Spend longer than you would have if you used ladders.
I did a well-priced first clean that hadn't been cleaned in over THREE YEARS. It's a three story refuge or a shelter for the homeless.
I washed every window, concentraing on the frames the first time round.
Then I did it all again, concentrating on the glass the second time around. It probably would've been quicker to use ladders, (but the windows above the ground floor bays wouldn't have been done; too dodgy), but the windows and frames came up abolutely gleaming.
When it's next due, it'll be at least 50% quicker than using ladders.
Stick with it; don't worry; just take your time and don't rush the first couple of months round.
Cheers Tosh, spend longer 1st time than with ladders. Will do that and see how they come up.
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Hi Derek , you obviously have not yet met SQUEAKY !
Can anybody else hear that can of worms opening ;D ;D
Im gonna be watching this post for sure ! Rich P @ F
;D You gotta laugh...
...they should ban the stupid things long live wfp
What a goon!
They'll be banning your big-water-waster soon...... ;D
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Hi Derek , you obviously have not yet met SQUEAKY !
Can anybody else hear that can of worms opening ;D ;D
Im gonna be watching this post for sure ! Rich P @ F
;D You gotta laugh...
You don't have to laugh!
...they should ban the stupid things long live wfp
What a goon!
They'll be banning your big-water-waster soon...... ;D
They may ban rubber.
They may ban baths. (Your even bigger water waster)
They may ban toilet flushes.
They may ban Petrol first!
There may be a general strike! nobody will want their windows cleaned then.
An asteroid might hit Wales
Bird flu might hit England
A terrorist may kidnap Squeaky's other half, and demand a ransom!
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A terrorist may kidnap Squeaky's other half, and demand a ransom!
I'd give them the money to keep her! ;D
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Q for SQUEAKY ......
What if they said the only way we will keep her is if you go WFP ? ;D ;D
Rich P @ F
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Q for SQUEAKY ......
What if they said the only way we will keep her is if you go WFP ? ;D ;D
Rich P @ F
Mmmm checkmate...methinks!!!!
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squeky my name is derek and im no goon you are the goon climing ladders risking your life you wont be able to call anyone a goon if you slip on some decking like i did i was ina bit of a mess i dont think your family would like it if someone had to tell them you had fell of a ladder save lives get a wfp
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.....you wont be able to call anyone a goon if you slip on some decking like i did i was in a bit of a mess.
Well if you put a ladder up on decking you're asking for trouble. ::)
save lives get a wfp
If I ever feel I'm in any danger (which I haven't for a long time, since I cut out the high or awkward stuff), then I'll start a different business.
I won't stoop to wfp, it's a inferior quality cop-out and it's a load of expensive bother.
I'm certainly not going to because some ladder-fearer tells me so.
I'm not going through all this again.....
If you want to see my justification, see some earlier threads. ;)
Rog.(yawn)
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you are the goon climing ladders risking your life you wont be able to call anyone a goon if you slip on some decking like i did i was ina bit of a mess
Derek,
Yes, I agree, climbing ladders is a risk to your life. But that doesn't automatically mean you're a 'goon' (which I guess is a euphamism for 'stupid').
Other factors are involved, such as having the financial ability to pay for a WFP system.
Why also should window cleaners be forced into a new system of work, if they don't want to and fully understand the risks they're undertaking?
We'll be banning the armed forces next.
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Ban the armed forces!
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Squeaky,
Are you in favour of wfp for high or awkward jobs?
It`a a genuine question and not an attempt to try to get you going.
Sorry, to drag you back in ;D.
Gerry.
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Squeaky,
Are you in favour of wfp for high or awkward jobs?
It`a a genuine question and not an attempt to try to get you going.
Sorry, to drag you back in ;D.
Gerry.
Oh of course Gerry.
Just that I don't have that sort of work.
If I had few £100 offices and the like, it would be useful for that no doubt. :)
They're not so fussy as domestic customers either!
A window cleaner I know who doesn't like, doesn't want and laughs every time he picks up wfp'ers work( bit like me!) said the other day it would be useful for office blocks....I couldn't argue with him. :( ;D
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You just weren't trying hard enough ;D
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I dont know how you pick up ex wfp customers, they must have been realy bad wfp ers.
I have only lost one of mine and that was before i put my brush on a stick on there windows.
It is realy puzzling where all these bad wfp ers are >
Ah got it ,they are all in Chepstow
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I dont know how you pick up ex wfp customers, they must have been realy bad wfp ers.
I have only lost one of mine and that was before i put my brush on a stick on there windows.
It is realy puzzling where all these bad wfp ers are >
Ah got it ,they are all in Chepstow
Maybe I'm one of them David. I did have some teething troubles in spite of going on the BWCA course and doing things the way they showed me. Trouble is, in spite of me informing customers of what is going on, a lot of them expect perfection on the first clean. Although I have achieved some excellent results on a lot of first cleans, sometimes it just doesn't happen that way. Take a couple of houses I cleaned today. They were a bit grotty in places after the first clean apparently. Today I went back for the second clean and they ended up just fine. What I think happened (on the first clean) was that all the muck from the top frame ran down. Although I did do a second circuit of glass only, maybe I should have left a longer time gap to allow all the top frame muck and water to fully come down onto the glass. Perhaps I should even have done a third circuit of rinse glass only with brush off the glass. It probably didn't help that the weather was colder then and the water would have taken longer to dry off.
I would guess that around 10% of the customers have either moaned or passed some negative comment (or even cancelled in several cases).
One of them even moaned before I got the hosereel out so I'm not going to count that one :)
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well thats one of you lol
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well thats one of you lol
I'm sure it'll come good David.
It's just taken me a while to adapt. Being a bit more positive, I could say that around 90% of my customers have either been OK with it or couldn't be bothered to complain :) . One guy even reckoned it was better than squeegeeing (I don't suppose that makes me a lousy squeegeeier does it? - LOL )
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heard about the irish mafia they kidnapped squeeky with a demand if you dont pay the ransom demand they would send him back 8)
gaza
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I dont think its a case of WFP being pants , or the operator for that matter , i have not had a problem since the switch over , about a year .
I really do believe that it boils down to how thorough you were when you were on ladders , i used to pride myself so much on how good i was , i did the frames , even the top edges every time without fail , it stems from my old man ,
"IF A JOBS WORTH DOING , ITS WORTH DOING WELL " type !
And im glad he instilled it into me , ok my earnings were pretty dire off ladders but it has made me think about it in the long run , since day one i have lost no more than 5 customers through bad workmanship , and then i dont think all of them were justified , can of worms time , maybe the people who have probs with the switch were lets just say , a little too quick at the job !
NO OFFENCE MEANT , SO DONT EVEN GET ON THOSE HIGH HORSES ;D
Rich P @ F
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II think that I WAS THE 1ST ONE ON HERE TO MENTION BLADING OF BOTTOMS ON 1ST CLEANS 2ND CLEANS ONLY,NOW JUST BLADE 1 WIDTH OF SQEEZEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GROUND FLOOR WINDOW WHEN NEARLY DRY.
DOES A LOVELY JUBBLY JOB OH AND WHEN ITSS GOT ONE OF THOSE PLASTIC STRIPS
SEPERARATING THE WINDOW DO JUST ABOVE THAT ONE AT THE BOTTOM ONLY TAKES SECONDS ONE QUICK SWIPE ISS ALL YOU NEED.
GAZA
sorry but i cant follow what you mean gaza
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:)been wfp now 1 year lost 1 customer did not like windows left wet and thats on own with 350 customers ;D
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BILLOZ: WHEN YOUVE DONE DOWN STAIRS BLADE THEM 1ST AND SECOND CLEAN YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY SPOTS OR RUNS ONLY TAKES A SECOND AS YOUR WALKING BACK NO NEED TO WIPE DOWN EASIER WAY TO EXPLAIN
GAZA
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Derek,
Yes, I agree, climbing ladders is a risk to your life. But that doesn't automatically mean you're a 'goon' (which I guess is a euphamism for 'stupid').
To be a goon you had to be Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe or Peter Sellars - and wasn't Michael Bentine? Mind you I think I'm a euphemism for a goon sometimes! ;D
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you are the goon climing ladders risking your life you wont be able to call anyone a goon if you slip on some decking like i did i was ina bit of a mess
sorry mate but i think thats a bit strong, squeaky may be anti WFP but if you could strap him to a pole with BRETTS FLASK & lift him up he would be well away & you wouldnt run out of water. ;D
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Well i know theres always one. but i didnt expect to find you this soon. I am now using WFP after a fall. Luckilly i can still walk enabling me to still work. I have lost no custom at all, and the feedback from my customers is excellent. They are all very happy with the results and comment on their windows staying cleaner for longer. Calm down else the high bloodpressure may hit you when your up that ladder. I'm just thankfull my customers dont feel the way you do.
Marcus
.....you wont be able to call anyone a goon if you slip on some decking like i did i was in a bit of a mess.
Well if you put a ladder up on decking you're asking for trouble. ::)
save lives get a wfp
If I ever feel I'm in any danger (which I haven't for a long time, since I cut out the high or awkward stuff), then I'll start a different business.
I won't stoop to wfp, it's a inferior quality cop-out and it's a load of expensive bother.
I'm certainly not going to because some ladder-fearer tells me so.
I'm not going through all this again.....
If you want to see my justification, see some earlier threads. ;)
Rog.(yawn)
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Well i know theres always one. but i didnt expect to find you this soon. I am now using WFP after a fall. Luckilly i can still walk enabling me to still work. I have lost no custom at all, and the feedback from my customers is excellent. They are all very happy with the results and comment on their windows staying cleaner for longer. Calm down else the high bloodpressure may hit you when your up that ladder. I'm just thankfull my customers dont feel the way you do.
Marcus
.....you wont be able to call anyone a goon if you slip on some decking like i did i was in a bit of a mess.
Well if you put a ladder up on decking you're asking for trouble. ::)
save lives get a wfp
If I ever feel I'm in any danger (which I haven't for a long time, since I cut out the high or awkward stuff), then I'll start a different business.
I won't stoop to wfp, it's a inferior quality cop-out and it's a load of expensive bother.
I'm certainly not going to because some ladder-fearer tells me so.
I'm not going through all this again.....
If you want to see my justification, see some earlier threads. ;)
Rog.(yawn)
The thread was 11 months old before you added to it Marcus :) . WFP has become obsolete since this thread started and window cleaners now use jet propelled rocket boots :)
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;D
Bump or what!
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ye but if you use a rocket the customers will complain that you are burning the grass with the jet engine, so its no better than holes in the lawn, ::)
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;D
Bump or what!
The funny thing was that I was reading this thread thinking "Oh no. Here we go again !!" before I realised about the posting dates :)
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The funny thing was that I was reading this thread thinking "Oh no. Here we go again !!" before I realised about the posting dates
I was thinking the same.
I think there needs to be a truce between wfp and trad otherwise it will be 'here we go again'.
Hi Dave (St Seagull)
Although it was posted ages ago:
I dont know how you pick up ex wfp customers, they must have been realy bad wfp ers.
My experience around Brighton is that most wfp'ers do a bad job. They seem to come and then go. The good ones have plenty of work.......