Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: JSMC on August 22, 2008, 04:45:29 pm
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uyp where I live i work mainly in the town centre every day doing all the shops and meet load sof people who work in them
another today informed me that the WC round her way is getting cancelled by loads due to the mess left by WFP.every week i reckon i meet someone who has horror stories about it.
woman informed me that she has cancelled him and load smore about to do the same. people not happy wit it at all.
gonna be so har dfor me to use this becasue people are telling you before you start not to use it on their houses.
if you get good service you tell a few people normally but if ye get bad service ye tell everybody.
WFP is bad news round my way big time
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WFP`s are a very easy tool to get it wrong,most of the time it`s the actual person using it that is doing it wrong,because it is still a newish way of cleaning to alot of people there are not enough compared to trad to give it a fair chance to prove it to those that have a bad experience,the only thing you can do is prove it yourself to people by giving them a free demo ;)
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Better stick to your ladder if thats what you want.
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sticking to the ladder might be the only option around here
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sticking to the ladder might be the only option around here
Ye but that`s the easy way out, remember "he who dares wins" ;)
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Ive picked up custys who've binned their old WFP window cleaner because the standard of work was naff. Theyve never mentioned to me since I took over that the standard has been below what they want. Operator error, you get it whereever a person strives to make a living.
I took a look at a job that another WFP'er did this week (after he'd left ;) due to hearing horror stories about him) and yes the windows were crud, how the hell he manages to leave them so spotted is beyond me, makes me wonder about it all sometimes.
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well it would seems there are shed load of bad operators around here. When i start i am gonna use it on 1 or 2 windows to show them how it works.
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Do the whole house, be done, have confidence, why let cowboys screw you over?
Do you have NO confidence in yourself (cos you cant blame the tools!!)
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Do the whole house, be done, have confidence, why let cowboys screw you over?
Do you have NO confidence in yourself (cos you cant blame the tools!!)
Matt`s right,
"don`t blame the tools" ;)
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Operator error it`s as simple as that,like Matt said all trades have cowboys ours is no different.I think Alex said the other day some people are just not suited to using it and no matter how long they do it they just can`t get the hang of it,it`s not as easy as it looks or sounds and this thread proves it i have lost no customers due to WFP if i don`t do them anymore it was my choice.
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As Mr. Kong said, wfp is very easy to get wrong. To be honest I'm not supprised so many get it wrong as it seems to be sold/talked about etc as a magic solution to wealth!!
It takes time, practice, effort, etc & lots of it to perfect. You have to be armed with a proper knowlage of what is going on, only then will you be able to get the results. Then you begin to gain experience of where to use it & where not, as it's not suitable for all work. Another downside for a newbie is being sold crap equipment- heavy, bendy poles with poor brushes which are jetted wrongly, or, indeed him choosing the cheapest options.
It's very easy for the results not to be good on the first clean, or maybe first few cleans for a newbie. When the system is explained properly to a customer, most are willing to forgive this BUT in your case you maybe starting handicapped by another wfp'ers bad work/attitude maybe?
Wfp is a very good tool, not perfect by any means but IMO you are looking at, at least 12 months to be fully profficient in it's use! & even then you will still be learning. ;)
Tony
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As Mr. Kong said, wfp is very easy to get wrong. To be honest I'm not supprised so many get it wrong as it seems to be sold/talked about etc as a magic solution to wealth!!
It takes time, practice, effort, etc & lots of it to perfect. You have to be armed with a proper knowlage of what is going on, only then will you be able to get the results. Then you begin to gain experience of where to use it & where not, as it's not suitable for all work. Another downside for a newbie is being sold crap equipment- heavy, bendy poles with poor brushes which are jetted wrongly, or, indeed him choosing the cheapest options.
It's very easy for the results not to be good on the first clean, or maybe first few cleans for a newbie. When the system is explained properly to a customer, most are willing to forgive this BUT in your case you maybe starting handicapped by another wfp'ers bad work/attitude maybe?
Wfp is a very good tool, not perfect by any means but IMO you are looking at, at least 12 months to be fully profficient in it's use! & even then you will still be learning. ;)
Tony
Tony has completley summed it all up,i would listen to that as a newbie because he`s right although i hate saying it.Top tip from me though is to get a bigger van lol. ;D ;D ;D
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As Mr. Kong said, wfp is very easy to get wrong. To be honest I'm not supprised so many get it wrong as it seems to be sold/talked about etc as a magic solution to wealth!!
It takes time, practice, effort, etc & lots of it to perfect. You have to be armed with a proper knowlage of what is going on, only then will you be able to get the results. Then you begin to gain experience of where to use it & where not, as it's not suitable for all work. Another downside for a newbie is being sold crap equipment- heavy, bendy poles with poor brushes which are jetted wrongly, or, indeed him choosing the cheapest options.
It's very easy for the results not to be good on the first clean, or maybe first few cleans for a newbie. When the system is explained properly to a customer, most are willing to forgive this BUT in your case you maybe starting handicapped by another wfp'ers bad work/attitude maybe?
Wfp is a very good tool, not perfect by any means but IMO you are looking at, at least 12 months to be fully profficient in it's use! & even then you will still be learning. ;)
Tony
Tony has completley summed it all up,i would listen to that as a newbie because he`s right although i hate saying it.Top tip from me though is to get a bigger van lol. ;D ;D ;D
:-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[
Stop it Nigel, you're making me blush :-[ :-* ;D
Tony
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I'm up your way tomorrow so will find out who is having problems, visiting a few as they have got problems with their systems. Hopefully can point them in the right direction if what you say is correct.
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:-* :-* :-* thank the lord it`s friday,no work till tuesday. :'( :'( :'( :'(
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uyp where I live i work mainly in the town centre every day doing all the shops and meet load sof people who work in them
another today informed me that the WC round her way is getting cancelled by loads due to the mess left by WFP.every week i reckon i meet someone who has horror stories about it.
woman informed me that she has cancelled him and load smore about to do the same. people not happy wit it at all.
gonna be so har dfor me to use this becasue people are telling you before you start not to use it on their houses.
if you get good service you tell a few people normally but if ye get bad service ye tell everybody.
WFP is bad news round my way big time
I had one ring up a couple of weeks ago proudly announcing that she had a big 7 bedroom house. She then asked me if I used a ladder or a pole and told me she got my number from Yellow Pages. My ad states clearly that I use a "pure water pole system" (I had to instruct YP NOT to call it Reach & Wash as they intended). She ordered me NOT to use a pole. I just politely suggested that she phone elsewhere.
Around my way there is one comnpany that I know of that uses WFP on low level shop fronts. IMO it's a bad idea because it soaks a main public thoroughfare. I watched him discretely once. He hooks up a hose to a tap at the rear of the shop somewhere and runs it through a small DI vessel.
I get little trouble these days re WFP - though I think I'm about to lose one over it (first one for ages).
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Shops are a waste of time WFP unless there high n huge,it`s quicker to blade them and traffic film plays havoc with WFP at the best of times.WFPoleing shops is just plain lazy,like i say less hassel with the good old blade.
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Shops are a waste of time WFP unless there high n huge,it`s quicker to blade them and traffic film plays havoc with WFP at the best of times.WFPoleing shops is just plain lazy,like i say less hassel with the good old blade.
Blimey, someone who agrees with me about that. :o
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Shops are a waste of time WFP unless there high n huge,it`s quicker to blade them and traffic film plays havoc with WFP at the best of times.WFPoleing shops is just plain lazy,like i say less hassel with the good old blade.
Blimey, someone who agrees with me about that. :o
Squeaky i`ve missed you,honest i have. :'( :'( :'(
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Shops are a waste of time WFP unless there high n huge,it`s quicker to blade them and traffic film plays havoc with WFP at the best of times.WFPoleing shops is just plain lazy,like i say less hassel with the good old blade.
Blimey, someone who agrees with me about that. :o
i agree with both of you ;D i went back to trad on a couple of car dealers showrooms
it only takes a few minutes longer and saves enough water for a couple of 3 bed houses
back on topic ;D
jsmc you seem to have talked yourself out of wfp before you even start
quit yo jibber jabber fool ;D
get some nuts ;)
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so far so good, I have been out of window cleaning for sometime got back into it this year always used to trad methods before. but I thought I'd give wfp a go only a simple set up two di filters as water here is only 75tds, but I find its great but only for the right job I use it on difficult access for ladders but the results have been superb one customer asked me what chemicals i use in the water very surprised when i said its pure water.
So far no spotting or water marks always give a good rinse....
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done properly wfp is AT LEAST as good as trad for customer
much better for window cleaner ;D
faster
safer
some exceptions but for most run of the mill modern housing (built within last 30 yrs) with upvc windows
you cannot beat it :)
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quit yo jibber jabber fool ;D
;D
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Shops are a waste of time WFP unless there high n huge,it`s quicker to blade them and traffic film plays havoc with WFP at the best of times.WFPoleing shops is just plain lazy,like i say less hassel with the good old blade.
Blimey, someone who agrees with me about that. :o
I agree with you Roger. (Unless the windows are high and huge)
I don't do shops - but I have one commercial customer in Avonmouth whose windows are old critall metal framed, painted windows. They are all ground floor and I can just reach the tops from the ground but use a cut down 6ft ladder and do them trad.
If I did shops I would also worry about mess/slipping/ice after I had gone and for this reason i usually blade custies front doors in winter.
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If I did shops I would also worry about mess/slipping/ice after I had gone and for this reason i usually blade custies front doors in winter.
I always squeegee doors, unless they're not in.
It's just polite.
I had someone (quite fairly) complain about stepping out into a puddle, and I've never done it since.
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i have been wfp for about 4 months now, i have well over 1000 custys and i havnt lost one, some of my jobs are amazing and some leave spotted runs...it is hard to get the knack but you have too have confidence in it... i think it can take a lot of cleans to get every job on every house good (despite people saying one good clean and its all good) but this is where customer relations comes in to play, be nice tell them things will improve if you leave messes, and sell the product... that is what i have done and not yet lost a single customer touch wood... also the amount of trad window cleaners in my area that have been sacked and i have got there work (not since i have ben wfp) because there crap... what im saying is there is good and bad WC in both methods..
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Shops are a waste of time WFP unless there high n huge,it`s quicker to blade them and traffic film plays havoc with WFP at the best of times.WFPoleing shops is just plain lazy,like i say less hassel with the good old blade.
Blimey, someone who agrees with me about that. :o
I agree too, especially double handed squeegeeing will be very fast. Maybe if you had a 20' brush with 4 jets in it......lol
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well hopefully in next few weeks i'll be set up and use it on my own house and friends etc to ge tthe knack of it. It just seems i am going to be running into trouble befor ei even start due to other Wc's
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jsmc
stop going on about "horror stories"
do a good job, be friendly with your customers, take your time and do it properly, ive picked up loads of work where theyve said "your not going to use that are you" and i say yes and theyre like "cause it rubbish" and i say look ill do your house and if your not happy call me, never hear anything, theres doing it properly and theres splishing and splashing
now shut up and stop being a girl and get on with it
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A very very small minority of customers will not take to wfp come what may, but most will go on the results.
The problem with converting to wfp is that most wfp retailers will tell you that you can go up to twice as fast as trad, maybe possible if you've only been cleaning windows for a year trad but if your a long standing trad cleaner then to go twice as fast is gonna be real hard. To make it worse converting windows to wfp would normally take up to twice as long as trad, but now the new inexperienced wfper is going to try to do the job in about a 1/4 of the time he should as he thinks he should be finishing by lunch time. The results are normally a horror story.
If your that worried stay on a ladder, however if you make the change, do every window twice (frames and glass and then just glass). Maybe convert the ups to wfp first and leave the downs trad for a while until the custys get used to it. Tell every customer to call you asap if the windows come up bad and that you will redo them. Before long all your custys will be amazed at how good this new invention is.
As regards shops and wfp. I personally wouldn't but I once worked with a guy in Grantham who does most of the shops in the town wfp, even double handed wouldn't beat the speed he went and he did a good job. He had static hose reels though which makes a big difference. He did loose one job from wfp though.
Hope it goes well. Simon.