Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: jouk45 on June 16, 2009, 10:19:23 pm
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i met another w/c today, he was trad only, we had a good chat, and the subject of wfp came up, o no i have heard to many bad stories about it, it leaves white marks on the glass cleaning alu frames, ect he went on, he also mention his mate bought 2 reach and wash systems, they never got on with it, and are now sitting in the garage?? as we talk the real story comes out. they had not had any training, they knew nothing about 1st cleans?? anyway this is what was putting the chap of wfp, after explaining things to him in a bit more detail, he became interested, especialy when i told him, if it was not that good why have i been successful with it, i dont think this looks good for us for the future if this trend continues, i know some suppliers offer a days training when they buy a full system, but i thing a cheap wfp training video could be at least given with an order say over a hundred pound order. this would benefit all wfp suppliers and save all wfp cleaners getting a bad name,
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It'll need more than that.
Having seen the way some of the 'large' companies around here clean domestic windows I'm not surprised it can get a bad name.
Basics like dragging the brush across the brick work, not rinsing, missing frosted windows hardly helps.
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It'll need more than that.
Having seen the way some of the 'large' companies around here clean domestic windows I'm not surprised it can get a bad name.
Basics like dragging the brush across the brick work, not rinsing, missing frosted windows hardly helps.
I pick up quite a bit of work from another well established crowd round our way Neil.
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Training is a good idea, but it is not rocket science to use a wfp system. There will always be bad and good users as there are bad and good trad wc's. Again it is not wfp that has the bad name, just some users of it. It is down to the good operators to promote it. To be honest with this other chap, did he just give up on it after spending out on it? Did he believe it was a magic brush on a stick as some do? Would you have spent hard earnt money on something and then leave it sitting in a garage? I thnk not :)
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Matt Oakley....you have mail :)
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Ive had some customers recently that have said "if you use that pole thing im not interested" then i say to them let me do it and if your not satisfied ill do it for free! Like Jo says some people havent got a clue how to use it properly and think its a magic wand!
If youre really thorough on first cleans and explain to customers how it works and they might get the odd run from dirty frames then they are ok with it.
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yes definitly garaged, from what the chap was saying, they have a massive amount of work, and bought the systems so as to cut down in time, but in my opinion, they never bargained for first cleans, and sore muscles for a while, ;D and where falling behind, so reverted back to trad, as you said magic wand is probably what they thought it was,
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Matt Oakley....you have mail :)
Im wondering if Neil wears a dress now :D
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What I do during the hours of darkness is my business ;D
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What I do during the hours of darkness is my business ;D
Dont knock it until youve tried it boys!!!!! ;)
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Have you had the same experience as me Neil with that crowd you mentioned?
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Have you had the same experience as me Neil with that crowd you mentioned?
I've watched them.....bad
I've been approached by people hours after they've been there and seen results....bad
Other window cleaners have told me of having the same experiences of being approached by this lots customers.
Great vehicles, great set ups, great advertising......poor staff
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Have you had the same experience as me Neil with that crowd you mentioned?
I've watched them.....bad
I've been approached by people hours after they've been there and seen results....bad
Other window cleaners have told me of having the same experiences of being approached by this lots customers.
Great vehicles, great set ups, great advertising......poor staff
Thats about it.
I'll let you know about that pole job we spoke on the phone about yesterday.
Im going to have a lookie at it over the weekend. I'll confirm one way or the other Neil.
Matt
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your keeping us in the dark ;D tell us more lol
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Ive had some customers recently that have said "if you use that pole thing im not interested" then i say to them let me do it and if your not satisfied ill do it for free! Like Jo says some people havent got a clue how to use it properly and think its a magic wand!
If youre really thorough on first cleans and explain to customers how it works and they might get the odd run from dirty frames then they are ok with it.
I like it when they say that ^^
Because after a while you have all their neighbours and they cant get a window cleaner and keep seeing you come and go for months. Then decide to come back and ask you.. i love saying - i thought you didn;t want the pole system?? its great to watch them eat their words..
Ive picked up many new customers from trad cleaners that crossed over and have no idea how to use it.
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Let them continue doing a bad job then prove to the customer that its not the system but the person using it, I always ask the custys who have had a bad wfp cleaner "if you have a bad meal out does that mean youll never eat out again" I always tell them that if the 1st clean isnt up to standard they can cancel and the clean is free, all happy so far, I pick up work from trad cleaners who dont clean frames and sills and i pick up just as much work from bad pole guys, why would I want to train them when im getting work from it.
Chris
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Let them continue doing a bad job then prove to the customer that its not the system but the person using it, I always ask the custys who have had a bad wfp cleaner "if you have a bad meal out does that mean youll never eat out again" I always tell them that if the 1st clean isnt up to standard they can cancel and the clean is free, all happy so far, I pick up work from trad cleaners who dont clean frames and sills and i pick up just as much work from bad pole guys, why would I want to train them when im getting work from it.
Chris
spot on Chris
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I've picked up plenty of jobs (trad) from dissatisfied WFP custie's, from what I can make out, it's a mixture of genuine bad workmanship on one hand, and the rest seem to just have a plain dislike of seeing water still on their windows, confusing it with dirtiness...
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Let them continue doing a bad job then prove to the customer that its not the system but the person using it, I always ask the custys who have had a bad wfp cleaner "if you have a bad meal out does that mean youll never eat out again" I always tell them that if the 1st clean isnt up to standard they can cancel and the clean is free, all happy so far, I pick up work from trad cleaners who dont clean frames and sills and i pick up just as much work from bad pole guys, why would I want to train them when im getting work from it.
Chris
if you have a bad meal out does that mean youll never eat out again
thats a good one chris, i will remember to use that ;D
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what i say to potential customers who say they have heard bad things about wfp is, if you had a painter/decorator that splashed paint everywhere, who would you blame the painter or the paint brush, its not the tool its the person behind it,
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Yeahhhhhh!!!
Its not how big it is its what you do with it.....thats what I say ;)
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I think it would be a good idea for companies who supply WFP systems to give some sort of training.
It will pay in the long run.
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I think it would be a good idea for companies who supply WFP systems to give some sort of training.
It will pay in the long run.
Purefreedom do this free, I think Ionics also do it but charge for the course (unsure on that)
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I think it's less to do with WFP or trad, but more to do with the individual's work ethic.
One guy will give of his best to ensure he's doing a good job, and another guy will think "oh they will do"
One guy may think that he wants to give good value for his price, and another will think "what do they want for £3.50".
It may take a shoddy worker 3 times longer to build his round, but eventually he ends up with a round full of non complaining customers. I have first hand experience of just such a guy, and I don't think he ever bought a scrim.
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I picked a customer up this week and she said can you come and sort my windows out i had some idiot clean them with his pole thing and he really messed them up.
You do our neighbours house and some over the road and our neighbour said when we moved in get you to do them but we could never catch you.
And yes i used WFP and i done this property yesterday and they were awfull spot and runs all over the place and some nice streaks from the airvents.
I don't know who this other window cleaner is but have been told he does it out of his car so must have a trolley or backpack but its obvious this chap has not got a clue and i dare say i will pick up more of his work if he continues this way
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I picked a customer up this week and she said can you come and sort my windows out i had some idiot clean them with his pole thing and he really messed them up.
You do our neighbours house and some over the road and our neighbour said when we moved in get you to do them but we could never catch you.
And yes i used WFP and i done this property yesterday and they were awfull spot and runs all over the place and some nice streaks from the airvents.
I don't know who this other window cleaner is but have been told he does it out of his car so must have a trolley or backpack but its obvious this chap has not got a clue and i dare say i will pick up more of his work if he continues this way
This is my point, why would we want to train these ideots because if we do then we wont oick up there work. Let them carry on, why would I want to teach someone who cant be bothered to do there homework when I have, for me to then go this is how you do it mate.
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Agreed i would not train them especially if they worked in the same area as me.
Its easily enough to find out how to use a WFP via the internet and some people thinks its a magic wand and they will rake the money in straight away with it, How wrong they are.
Let them get on with it and let us pros pick up there work they mess up
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company called( city clean) do my sons school, what a crap job they make of it and miss lots of windows, carnt get a look in as the council contracted them ,probably as they,re cheap!
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I got hold of a very large job at the back end of last year due to the company not giving there staff correct training.
I have recently seen the same company van at a job with two blokes cleaning a large office block with WFP, and you would not beleive me but one of the chaps was cleaning from floor upwards !
I have cleaned windows WFP for 4 years now and seen some things, but to clean a building upwards cracked me up.....I only wish I had a video that day as it would of made it to utube ! ;D ;D ;D