Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: windowwashers on September 09, 2007, 06:00:09 pm
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Hi all, I am in the middle of designing a site for customers in regards to water fed pole any input on what could go on this site would be greatly received.
If EU health and safety have anything to do with it any trad cleaner is snookered.
any views opinions and input would be Fantastic, even a story of the problems you have faced changing from trad to wfp. Every posting can help even if you do not think it could. Many thanks in advance ladies and gents(window cleaners :)
forgot to add, anything that is very useful and i use will have a link added on the site to the person/s that provides the infomation. ;)
Have also put a pole up for this topic, please vote on it.
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That's not something you can answer in a poll. ???
I've had all of those responses.
Some understand straight away, some don't want to know.
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That's not something you can answer in a poll. ???
I've had all of those responses.
Some understand straight away, some don't want to know.
that would be number 2 in the poll then squeaky.
come on guys if you look why not add to the pole ;) maybe even a reply
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That's not something you can answer in a poll. ???
I've had all of those responses.
Some understand straight away, some don't want to know.
that would be number 2 in the poll then squeaky.
come on guys if you look why not add to the pole ;) maybe even a reply
How can it be number 2 if they're not interested? ???
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Everybody will be different if you have a domestic customer base. Some people will have seen it and some people won't, some people will want it while others won't like it. Its all down to personal opinion but as far as I'm concerned most commercial contracts that I have been involved with expect it now!
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ive voted
to be fair a very high % of mine understood, even the older types who i knew would be a hard time, they understood that i couldnt clean them with the WaHD and the safety issues
now the few i have tried to clean up and down, they dont want to know the downstairs done
i will qoute 1 guy " i dont mind them down upstairs, as i understand the danger of ladders but to do them downstairs is just trying to earn as much as you can and thats greedy "
he is right aswell :P
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i will qoute 1 guy " i dont mind them down upstairs, as i understand the danger of ladders but to do them downstairs is just trying to earn as much as you can and thats greedy "
he is right aswell :P
I would of said to that:
"that the results are better so i will clean all your windows that way, then you will thank me when you realise this!"
:P ;D ;D
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Ian,
I know your a web designer and in Theory it sounds a very good idea, but this will only be of service to the minority of your customers and to those who really give a dam on how you clean there windows.
My advice that worked very well for me, with NO loss of customers, is to talk to each and every one of your customers, take the time out to explan the EU issues regading the use of ladders, and what you plan to use in the future, ie poles and explan about the pure water.
Do it months before you change over, dont just turn up on there doorstep and expect them to except your new method, or you will loose customers, also take this time to clean all the frames of your customers windows while your up your ladder.
When your ready for the change over, issue each and every customer with the explanation letter, it serves to back-up what you have already explaned.
Doing all the above is called customer relations and winning your customers trust, you as an x salesman should already know about winning there trust, once you win there trust, your foot is in the door.
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Ian,
I know your a web designer and in Theory it sounds a very good idea, but this will only be of service to the minority of your customers and to those who really give a dam on how you clean there windows.
My advice that worked very well for me, with NO loss of customers, is to talk to each and every one of your customers, take the time out to explan the EU issues regading the use of ladders, and what you plan to use in the future, ie poles and explan about the pure water.
Do it months before you change over, dont just turn up on there doorstep and expect them to except your new method, or you will loose customers, also take this time to clean all the frames of your customers windows while your up your ladder.
When your ready for the change over, issue each and every customer with the explanation letter, it serves to back-up what you have already explaned.
Doing all the above is called customer relations and winning your customers trust, you as an x salesman should already know about winning there trust, once you win there trust, your foot is in the door.
Hi Jeff, I think you have may have mistake what i mean, or i do not type to clearly for people to understand:
I have no problem talking to people at all I speak to my customers all the time about changes etc and winning them over seems to be a gift trust is earnt and most trust me have never given any reason not to as I straight talk with everyone so we all no where we stand they have come to know me over the years and except this and they also know i talk alot lol, this site is for information about water fed poles not just for my customers it i cant say the full reason for the site till I launch it.
I was looking for input for it and the giver of the information that I use will benifit.
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Ian,
I know your a web designer and in Theory it sounds a very good idea, but this will only be of service to the minority of your customers and to those who really give a dam on how you clean there windows.
This was the first point I put to you, a majority of your customers wont give a dam about going to a website to learn more about EU laws,laders or wfp, so long as you have explaned to them all the benefits, they wont go to a website. ;)
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Some of mine still don't know I use the wfp. I never told them and they seem happy.
Bob
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The vast majority of our customers were fine about it, especially when we told them the reasons behing our decision to use WFP.
In all honesty 9 out of 10 of them didn't even notice the change.
We did have a new customer come out last week and tell me how pleasently surprised she was at how well it cleaned her windows. Apparently she'd heard all sorts of horror stories from her daughter as to how water leaks in through closed windows and how it leaves smears everywhere.
Suffice to say we now do her neighbour's windows, and she's booked us to clean her gutters and fascias next month, a WFP convert I'd say.
I bet we could convert her daughter if she let us try!! ;)
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i will qoute 1 guy " i dont mind them down upstairs, as i understand the danger of ladders but to do them downstairs is just trying to earn as much as you can and thats greedy "
he is right aswell :P That's the sort of thing I've heard.
It's also what I'd say if I was the customer!
I would of said to that:
"that the results are better so i will clean all your windows that way, then you will thank me when you realise this!"
It's only a better clean if you're crap at doing it by hand.
It does a good job most of the time, and sometimes as good as trad, but better?
Never in a million years.
A lot of customers will be nice and supportive, and say "yes it's great", but if you really grilled them they'd admit they preferred it the old way.
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i will qoute 1 guy " i dont mind them down upstairs, as i understand the danger of ladders but to do them downstairs is just trying to earn as much as you can and thats greedy "
he is right aswell :P That's the sort of thing I've heard.
It's also what I'd say if I was the customer!
I would of said to that:
"that the results are better so i will clean all your windows that way, then you will thank me when you realise this!"
It's only a better clean if you're crap at doing it by hand.
It does a good job most of the time, and sometimes as good as trad, but better?
Never in a million years.
A lot of customers will be nice and supportive, and say "yes it's great", but if you really grilled them they'd admit they preferred it the old way.
I thought you may pipe up squeeky!
trust me son, they don't all like it the old way, give it time and you will see ::) ;)
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Give it time?
It's been nearly 6 months. ;D
I think they've had to time to form opinions by now. ::)
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they probably formed them before you started WFP ;D
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Ian,
I know your a web designer and in Theory it sounds a very good idea, but this will only be of service to the minority of your customers and to those who really give a dam on how you clean there windows.
This was the first point I put to you, a majority of your customers wont give a dam about going to a website to learn more about EU laws,laders or wfp, so long as you have explaned to them all the benefits, they wont go to a website. ;)
Jeff this is not for my customers, I am quite good at explaining things to people face to face.
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Ian,
I know your a web designer and in Theory it sounds a very good idea, but this will only be of service to the minority of your customers and to those who really give a dam on how you clean there windows.
This was the first point I put to you, a majority of your customers wont give a dam about going to a website to learn more about EU laws,laders or wfp, so long as you have explaned to them all the benefits, they wont go to a website. ;)
Jeff this is not for my customers, I am quite good at explaining things to people face to face.
Then I don't understand???? Why do you have a poll????
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Ian,
I know your a web designer and in Theory it sounds a very good idea, but this will only be of service to the minority of your customers and to those who really give a dam on how you clean there windows.
This was the first point I put to you, a majority of your customers wont give a dam about going to a website to learn more about EU laws,laders or wfp, so long as you have explaned to them all the benefits, they wont go to a website. ;)
Jeff this is not for my customers, I am quite good at explaining things to people face to face.
Then I don't understand???? Whyy do you have a poll????
Because I want to do some research it does say this does'nt it ::) and I also want input that I can put on the site so far not had any aprt from just wont work etc (happens all the time but I get past that, as everything has the possibility to work if you want it bad enough and put in time and effort ;)
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Hi all, I am in the middle of designing a site for customers in regards to water fed pole any input on what could go on this site would be greatly received.
Then in reply to your post NO you don't explain things properly, I give up ::)
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Because I want to do some research it does say this does'nt it ::) and I also want input that I can put on the site so far not had any just wont work etc (happens all the time but I get past that, as everything has the possibility to work if you want it bad enough and put in time and effort ;)
Ian, you have answered all your questions in the poll you put up. You have had input but it doesn't seem to be the input you want to hear. You must realise that the vast majority of domestic customers don't care in the slightest about how things work. And the very few that do would rather ask you face to face than go online to check it out.
Is this post about educating customers on how wfp works or is it yet another sales pitch aimed at people on here who don't have a website?
No offence intended, but it does seem to be another plug that you can design us all websites and that we should have them.
You can lead a horse to water and all that.
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Because I want to do some research it does say this does'nt it ::) and I also want input that I can put on the site so far not had any just wont work etc (happens all the time but I get past that, as everything has the possibility to work if you want it bad enough and put in time and effort ;)
Ian, you have answered all your questions in the poll you put up. You have had input but it doesn't seem to be the input you want to hear. You must realise that the vast majority of domestic customers don't care in the slightest about how things work. And the very few that do would rather ask you face to face than go online to check it out.
Is this post about educating customers on how wfp works or is it yet another sales pitch aimed at people on here who don't have a website?
No offence intended, but it does seem to be another plug that you can design us all websites and that we should have them.
You can lead a horse to water and all that.
Hi Mark, No it is not a plug, if you cant see you need a website in the year 2007 that is your choice, I am not here to change your mind nor anyone else for that matter, the amount of window cleaners on this forum is maybe 2% of the total window cleaners in the UK (think about it) more and more people will hear about water fed pole window cleaning and yes people do use the Internet for research and to find out info (your on here are you not?) I am not aiming this new site at your customers or my own nor jeff's etc, input I mean is what people are asking about water fedpole window cleaning etc.
Now how that makes out I am trying to plug website design I do not know, I have got work from this site, and please trust me when I say this I come here for fun and banter if I pick up a little design work as well thats all good if I really wanted to plug my other business I would not be doing it full time on here there are many many easier ways of getting work Without getting the silly comments that some like to write (that is not aimed at you by the way). I love to see people reactions just like yours :)
I will carry on with what I am doing regardless of negative feedback, i will lean from the negatives given if they have any weight.
p.s so I am guessing you still dont want a website then :P
Oh one more thing I have not answered all the questions in the pole, that would be a little pointless on me putting the pole up in the first place.
Smile and be happy ::)
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I think ww must be a great bloke, but he doesn't think very clearly.
After knocking squeaky several times in the past I think he may be right, sort of.
As I am weak on the operations side I woulld like to know what detailing you can do so that you can walk away with confidence.
Can you blade some of the excess off the windows (will any line left show up)?
Can you wipe the top of the frame dry with a sponge or a newspaper or will this still spot?
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ive voted
to be fair a very high % of mine understood, even the older types who i knew would be a hard time, they understood that i couldnt clean them with the WaHD and the safety issues
now the few i have tried to clean up and down, they dont want to know the downstairs done
i will qoute 1 guy " i dont mind them down upstairs, as i understand the danger of ladders but to do them downstairs is just trying to earn as much as you can and thats greedy "
he is right aswell :P
I was queried on doing downstairs at some properties too Matt. I just told them thatit's usually quicker for me and that as I had invested money in my business, I needed a return on it. I suppose it might be more awkward saying that if you've gone down the DIY route but you've still invested even if the amount has been smaller.
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i will qoute 1 guy " i dont mind them down upstairs, as i understand the danger of ladders but to do them downstairs is just trying to earn as much as you can and thats greedy "
he is right aswell :P
I was queried on doing downstairs at some properties too Matt. I just told them thatit's usually quicker for me and that as I had invested money in my business, I needed a return on it. I suppose it might be more awkward saying that if you've gone down the DIY route but you've still invested even if the amount has been smaller.
So does this mean that wfp is not better than trad cleaning? I have heard so much said that wfp is better I am now well and truly lost, does this mean mean that wfp is just to make us more money with no benifit for the customer?
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wfp since starting
320 customers ---no problem
7 customers didnt like it.
Not bad after 2 years of wfp.
I wouldnt explain, its been around long enough now.
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i will qoute 1 guy " i dont mind them down upstairs, as i understand the danger of ladders but to do them downstairs is just trying to earn as much as you can and thats greedy "
he is right aswell :P
I was queried on doing downstairs at some properties too Matt. I just told them thatit's usually quicker for me and that as I had invested money in my business, I needed a return on it. I suppose it might be more awkward saying that if you've gone down the DIY route but you've still invested even if the amount has been smaller.
So does this mean that wfp is not better than trad cleaning? I have heard so much said that wfp is better I am now well and truly lost, does this mean mean that wfp is just to make us more money with no benifit for the customer?
I find that WFP is just as good on the jobs I've checked from inside - except one. Even on that one job, I reckon the standard was acceptable. The trouble is that the customer doesn't always realise that because WFP appears messy and slapdash if you don't understand what is happening. Some of them can focus on water running down the walls, the fact that the glass takes a while to dry, and the wet floor instead of looking at the glass and frames.
I do have a few jobs where I trad the ground floor (or part of it). This is not to do with cleaning quality though. Sometimes it's to do with leaky frames. On some bungalows I trad clean as well because some of the old ladies struggle to remember who I am each time so I'm certainly not going to try explaining WFP to them.
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still no email from you windowwasher ??? ;)
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still no email from you windowwasher ??? ;)
:o email me design@windowwashers.co.uk with what you want to know and I will email back for you, was it about a photo? if so need them in .gif .jpg etc
I will either reply by 6pm or at 10pm when i get back from college starting third year of plumbing course things i do to add a service :D