I don't see a problem here. We get these WFP V Trad threads about once a month.
I'm trad, so according to some on here, I must be thick. I work about 12 to 14 days a month, about 4 hours a day on about 300 or so domestic custies. I have a few commercial jobs too, but nothing to change the world. I work mostly MOD soldiers houses in Germany and have complete muppets as competiton, so no comparison with you guys in UK. However, I can say, hand on heart, if I worked on the type of windows that you guys have in UK, I'd be WFP. To get to some of the windows above porches and sloped roof buildings, it makes sense. But the biggest thing is safety.
Over here, nearly all windows are UPVC and one piece, so dead easy to clean trad. Many have vents, so a problem for WFP because or runs etc. Both methods have advantages, but I prefer trad for speed. I've been going for over 23 years by the way, and have slipped off my ladders once and am careful.
The trad guys out there in UK will always have a certain advantage over the WFP for now, as a lot of custies don't trust WFP if they don't know it. Also, any prat can go around waving a pole about and causing all sorts of bad press for the other WFPers.
This makes some WFP guys feel insecure and who can blame them. The amount of new vans around is down to the fact that working at height and a certain amount of skill are no longer needed in the game.
As long as trad guys are about, WFP guys have an uphill struggle to get and keep custies who still have a choice of method. If any person thinks trad guys use trad methods because they're thick, needs to take a good look at the trad guys who post on here. They tend to be older than 30, have had at least a fair amount of a good education and can type in English and not "bingo" or "Nokia" text.
They don't seem to post too often about kit problems, losing custies, or vehicle off the road, cant work problems. They very rarely ask for advice, as they've kept their business simple and contant. If that comes across as being thick to some of the more superior window cleaners on here, then that's the way they see it.
How some brag and bluster about earnings on here and how great they are is a real source of entertainment to some of us. The next post these people make is "How do I get commercial" or " How do I get more people to pay on time" etc etc. Then of course, in winter, after earning millions all year, they're broke because they can't work (yawn).
Newsflash guys. We are the bottom of the food chain in the service industry. We perform a service that isn't exactly life or death. If we don't clean the windows, nobody dies. So try get used to the fact that we aren't in a trade that's studied or learned, we just clean bloody windows. Some do it well with poles, some with a mop and squeegy. It's dead easy to earn good money for most of us. Those that have a problem with what method others use are just insecure and can't even clean a window without a van full of water, a 100 yard long hose, and a pole with a bloody brush on the end.
The funny part is when these "advanced window cleaners" come onto here asking how to clean the insides!!!!
I love this forum
