Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Tosh on February 22, 2007, 05:03:00 pm
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Crickey, it looks like a police line-up! ;D
You can see them here and you may even recognise some of the names from this site!
http://www.apwc.info/html/committee.html
Anyway, good on you lads for sticking with it! I remember the days when everyone was crying out for a new association, and judging by the recent negative press the FWC have received; I hope the APWC does well.
I'm certainly going to join, but I'm going to chance my arm at winning the ONE YEARS FREE MEMBERSHIP first (I bet I don't, otherwise it'll look like a fix after writing this):
http://www.apwc.info/html/wintoday.html
That aside, I know some of the founding committee members have spent a lot of their own money in putting this together and will never ever re-coup their loss.
They've also put many thousands of hours of effort into getting this organisation up and running; they even sacked their biggest financial backer; Ionics; but I don't know all the ins-and-outs regarding this.
What I do know is that it's an organisation that's been created by committed window cleaners who want to promote a positive image of window cleaners as professionals; which can only be good for our bank balances.
These committee members are not self-serving individuals, they're quality guys and deserve a chance of our support.
Anyway, fellow forum members, take a look at their website and comment; positively/constructively I hope.
I'm sure they'd love to hear your views.
Tosh (whose got nothing what-so-ever to do with the organisation)
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looks pretty good if they have got rid of ionics i would probably trust them more as i feel ionics is more money orientated than service orientated but that is only my opinion .
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Theyve got it well and truley sorted if Andrew Mullen is onboard top bloke gave me some good advice in the past 8)
nice one
Brett
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The guys have done their homework.
All looks nice and proffessional and some good infomation.
Have a look at the apwc health and saftey document this could help somone out who needs to provide health and saftey document to win a contract.
Well done and all the best..
Rob.
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That's good to hear, I was a committee board member from the beginning and have seen many changes to get us up and running, it has been hard work and I think it can only be good news for us window cleaners that the FWC now have competition.
lot of their own money in putting this together
With time off for meetings (traveling, lost of earnings, fuel) and own money to set up, was over a thousand pounds, will I get this back! nope but glad I done my bit for the industry
For me personally has been hard work taking time out to drive up and down the country to meetings but glad APWC has now been set up, so now I feel I have given something back to our great industry, and two weeks ago I resigned for personal reasons.
And also glad you lot didn't see my ugly mug ;D
Andy
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Remember this competition is open to everyone.
You do not need to be a member to enter.
Dave
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Perhaps you can't speak officially poleman, but will they be pushing for registration( i mean with local authorities) like the scotish are?
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''will they be pushing for registration''
I do hope not!
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Good on you guys for putting in so much personal effort.
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Website not working properly yet......
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Would have thought they would have had a stall at the Cleaning Show, all those window cleaners you could have signed up.
All the best guys.
Doug
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That's good to here, I was a committee board member from the beginning and have seen many changes to get us up and running, it has been hard work and I think it can only be good news for us window cleaners that the FWC now have competition.
lot of their own money in putting this together
With time off for meetings (traveling, lost of earnings, fuel) and own money to set up, was over a thousand pounds, will I get this back! nope but glad I done my bit for the industry
For me personally has been hard work taking time out to drive up and down the country to meetings but glad APWC has now been set up, so now I feel I have given something back to our great industry, and two weeks ago I resigned for personal reasons.
And also glad you lot didn't see my ugly mug ;D
Andy
I don't need to. I saw you in person :) . I'm the guy who someone stopped and asked me to take a picture for them on the way into Windex. I guess I should have asked them if I could have taken one of you as well Andy :) .
Seriously though I would like to thank you and the others for getting this sorted out. I haven't decided what, if anything, I will be doing yet about membership of a Trade Association. However, it's nice to know that there is now a choice (assuming either of them will have me). If I do join one, it would more likely be the APWC. Maybe it's not a good reason but they are based quite near to where I live.
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Thanks for all the positive comments.
No it hasn't been easy, yes it has been expensive in terms of our own business's but you guys asked for an organisation run by window cleaners for window cleaners, so now you've got one please make use of it.
Oh and I'm the good looking one out of the crowd ;D
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Ive met Andy Cheney
Just be grateful there isnt a photo on there!!!!!!
Rob ;D
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website looking good. seems that a lot fo work has gone into setting this up, we have been crying out for this so lets all think seriously about joining up and make the changes this industry needs!
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Joined last year, paid last year, as now there has been no benefits at all, you may as well subscribe to the pwc magazine. Well done to all involved but it's not for me.
Chris
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I will reply tomorrow but what benefits where you after, that you are not happy with?
If we aren't told then we can't take actions to correct.
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Joined last year, paid last year, as now there has been no benefits at all, you may as well subscribe to the pwc magazine. Well done to all involved but it's not for me.
Chris
What do you expect from an association? Cheap insurance? Try shopping around. Cheap equipment; ditto.
They can't 'magic' you more work!
I'd expect the following:
1. To represent our views when dealing with government (I know the APWC did this during the water-shortage 'crisis').
2. Honesty and transparancy (something which the FWC appears to be in short supply of).
3. To make their organisation known to the general public (probably the toughest bit); but give them time. (The FWC has been in exsistance since well before I was born, yet I know a window cleaner who hadn't heard of them. He'd only been a window cleaner for over 20 years.)
4. To be able to use their association's logo on all my stationery, so I can make my own business appear more professional (probably more than what it is). Hopefully any facilities manager will have heard of the APWC, and with that on my letterhead, knows I'm a honest, insured and a professional window cleaner; and give me an edge on other tenders.
Anything else it provides is a bonus, plus the cost is tax-deductable.
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Agree with Tosh on No.3 in getting public knowledge so they only request that association because of its good reputation of its members. If you get that they are onto a winner.
A bit like Scotland ( Tosh's favourite bit of the world ;D ) in getting the licence recognised this will be the strongest selling tool for all window cleaners up here.
Doug
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The Nat fed has been going some 50 years and more,and still people have never
know of this :-\ so a new one has more than a mountain to climb :-\
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Are you a member Tosh? I didn't expect work to magic it's self out of nowhere. Thats not why I joined.
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Chris you haven't said what you're not happy with yet
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Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the positive feedback.
As everyone has seen and can appreciate, a lot of work has gone into the APWC, but that is only the tip of the ice burg. I think one important thing people need to realise is, the more members the APWC gets, the more it can give back to them and the industry.
To Curios and Johnl – Registration/ licensing window cleaners. Everyone has different views on this subject and it will be a very good subject to debate and I could literally write pages and pages on pros and cons. However, to make it simple, an association has a responsibility to its members and if this was requested by the majority, then it would have to look into this.
However, the FWC touched on this subject a month or two ago, in order for them to proceed with anything, they will have to have the majority vote from their members. Like wise with the APWC. However, it would not stop at that! Because the industry now has two representatives, one could appeal against the other, if membership numbers where similar and or one sides votes outweighed the others. Politics, what a nightmare.
Hopefully launching on Friday (if they are completed in time) the APWC are launching online surveys on their website. Issues like this will be covered in the surveys and it is important that as many window cleaners as possible participate in these surveys. The window cleaning industry has very little facts to go on and by completing these surveys; window cleaners will enable the APWC to publish facts on the industry. As an association, we can achieve greater things with facts by our side.
The APWC have two fantastic deals on offer at the moment.
1) Join the free online database and be in with the chance of winning 12 months free membership. The APWC does not sell, rent or exchange your details with any third parties and by joining the database, you will not be flooded with emails from the APWC, the APWC has a separate joining form for people to receive email updates from the association. You have nothing to loose by joining this database and you could have the possibility of new work coming your way. Granted there are several window cleaning search databases out there. But as the APWC’s name starts to become public knowledge, more and more people will use the facilities provided by an association than that supplied by any other service.
2) Become a member of the APWC today (figure of speech) to enter our free prize draw! The winner will receive the latest 9metre (30’) dual hose, Tucker Pole, with detergent Dispenser and chemical doser - value £400.00 (the cut off point for applications and draw date are still to be arranged)
In addition to those special offers, Members will also receive an additional advertising page on the APWC website, which is linked into the APWC search engines. So for those members who do not currently have a website, they can still have an internet presence for their business. Currently the APWC is sitting at the top of several search engines if you search for APWC or Association of Professional Window Cleaners. With the launch of the new websites, we will double our presence and start to appear under other keywords.
For an association that has only been launched 5 months, I believe we are doing very well and our name is already starting to be mentioned within the industry. Over the next several months, the APWC will move forward even more as more and more commercial premises are made aware of the association and what our members can offer them. We have articles appearing in two industry magazines this month, which again will promote the APWC not just to potential members, but also to facilities managers who are looking for professional window cleaners (articles will be available on the website later this week)
Yes it is early days for the APWC, but as membership increases, we can move forward and work even harder for our members and the industry.
The APWC will not be having a stand at the cleaning show this year, but members of the committee will be going and will be more than happy to talk to anyone about the APWC. You know what we look like, so just stop us. I will personally be there on the 13th, so if anyone else is going on that day and wants to have a chat, drop me an email.
Again, thank you all for your comments and if you feel strongly about the industry and want your views taken into account, you know what to do.
Many Thanks
Andrew
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Here's some negative feedback. Andrew or Neil, Why the need for special offers(do I get a refund)?? I joined the apwc and expected the odd letter now and then. It wasn't till I posted on here that I got my accident insurance certificate. I've been window cleaning less than 2 years and was looking for what you promised when you banked my cheque well before the association officially started in September last year and now 6 months later the website is still not up and running. Like I said It's not for me
Chris
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It wasn't till I posted on here that I got my accident insurance certificate
YES and at the time of you asking it was being finalized, and I asked APWC head office, to send out first class to your house when sorted and they did
Andy
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Andrew
First off give everyone who wants it associate status, and give it free on sign up. This will give you a massive and overwhelming voice in the industry.
Second approach all things in a business like manner. Registration is a prerequesite of a regulated and proffesional industry. Surveys and opinions are fine, but forget the democarcy route, all you are going to get is arguments.
Thirdly make full membership of your org have clear benefits.
If you are the leader then act like one, don't ask what people want, deliver what they have been demanding for the last five years. I was secretary of a large similar org (diff industry) and had no end of fun. Start punching above your weight, give the other people hell.If you are our voice then let's start hearing it.
Be very gratefull that I am not in charge because I would leverage your position.
Ps. I was impressed that you have delayed things to make sure details are genuine
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Chris, I've done some research on this and the question every member has to ask themselves is am I using all the benefits available?
Out of the current membership only 40% have taken benefits for the free domain names and email addresses.
Only 10% have filled in the agreement to publish their details to appear on a search database and or to be refered to potential customers.
Although the previous website and currently the new one do not have the online search database, potential customers do contact the APWC for window cleaners. In or around 120 requests have been received in the last six months, of which only a percentage where passed on to members due to location and the agreement to pass on details. So those who haven't used the benefits are losing out.
Currently the members are of the website is still underconstruction, which should be ready by next week. New benefits have been arranged which include corporate identitys (logo designs, letterheads, business cards) which is specific for members.
With reference to the accident insurance, this starts from the date of membership, so if it was needed, it is there to use. Any delay in the information sheets going out to members would have been down to the brokers who were drawing up the material.
As for the freebies so to say, the free membership draw is for all people in the database, this includes members, if a current member wins it, they will not have to pay for the rewal of their membership next year.
The draw for the tucker pole is for members only, that includes all members of the association excluding committee members past and present.
As for the other comment the APWC needs to be run as a democrey to ensure fairness in decisions, yes this could lead to arguments, but if one person was to make the rules and run the show, then there is no guarentee the APWC would be steered in the right direction.
Free membership for all? If that was the case, how would the APWC be able to function with no income and or provide the benefits for all its members? Some realism has to come into this. As much as it would increase membership 10 fold overnight the reality here is that won't work.
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balanced sensible comments, but I did say associate not full membership
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Andrew - good reply - but
I know around 6 WCers in my area which is rural and only one of them is an internet user. If you take the number of wcers over the whole country how many of them do you consider would be internet users let alone users who are into reading such sites as these and how many of them are members of any WC organisation ?
My point is any registration discussion would only be relevant to the people who are members of organisations, all others would be being represented by proxy without having the knowledge that someone is '' representing '' them and for whatever reason the idea of registration may put them out of business.
I am all for recognising WC people but who ever is going to vet their authenticity.
I was a member of a highly reputable trade organisation who only allowed reputable tradesmen but over the years realised the system was unworkable because verification was proving impossible to monitor and real rogues were working inside the system.
Sorry, but the only way I would support any type of registration system is if the individual was able to demonstrate that he was a practicing WCer with with an established customer list and would be given automatic membership.
Those are my first thoughts on this difficult subject.