[simon w]

Hi All.. .

I have just bought a 1000Lt 4 stage static system for my garage & a 650Lt transfer system for my Transit T300 van, this also includes two 100MTR hose reels with 50MTR of hose on each reel & 1x8FT pole, 1x18FT pole. this is a set up for a two man opperation.

The change over from traditional to WFP will take place in three weeks time.
my workload consists of approx 400 residential per month + substantial amount of commercial. I feel my commercial customers will be pleased with the new method, but i am a bit worried about the reaction i will get from reidential customers? they are used to us cleaning with traditional & always giving a high quality service. I'd hate to start losing customers due to change over.

Has anyone got any advice or knowledge to share on what reaction i can expect once we have gone over to WFP. any advice on this subject will be much appreciated.....

[Chris Cottrell]

keep them well informed, Dave's explanation letter is a good help, don't just do it cause many will not like change others wont even care how, but in my experience the ones that dont like it are always the ones you lease expect, And ill say again "keep them well informed" I've been at it since Oct/Nov 2005 and some still come out professing they know nothing of this even though they had a letter and extensive dialog usually when they see it left wet for the first time

Best of luck

Chris

[Paul Coleman]

Hi All.. .

I have just bought a 1000Lt 4 stage static system for my garage & a 650Lt transfer system for my Transit T300 van, this also includes two 100MTR hose reels with 50MTR of hose on each reel & 1x8FT pole, 1x18FT pole. this is a set up for a two man opperation.

The change over from traditional to WFP will take place in three weeks time.
my workload consists of approx 400 residential per month + substantial amount of commercial. I feel my commercial customers will be pleased with the new method, but i am a bit worried about the reaction i will get from reidential customers? they are used to us cleaning with traditional & always giving a high quality service. I'd hate to start losing customers due to change over.

Has anyone got any advice or knowledge to share on what reaction i can expect once we have gone over to WFP. any advice on this subject will be much appreciated.....

Print a flyer and let them know beforehand.
I've had a moaning rate of around 10% with a few cancellations and a few putting me on my last warning (ha ha ha - why do they think I'm self -employed).  The last warning people are dumped - but they don't know it yet.  Also, I will be passing on some of the customers whose properties have poor access, as I find that good access is more important with WFP.
I did make it clear that on some jobs it might take two or three cleans to get a quality job but this didn't stop the moaning after the first clean from some of them.

My suggestions are to print a flyer and let them know in advance.  Don't mention spots or runs - just say two or three cleans to get good quality on some types of windows.  Keep it brief - many of them don't seem to bother reading it anyway.  Highlight the Health and Safety regs from April 2005 to give them the message that it isn't your fault.  When they go on and on about all the other window cleaners who use ladders (and they must be right because there are more of them aren't there?), make sure they know that you are the one who keeps track of the regulations.
Under no circumstances get back on the ladders at the demand of a customer.  If you choose to do certain jobs by ladder, that is your choice.  A customer who you give into on this will almost certainly be a pain in the rear on other issues once they think they can manipulate you.
It's a near certainty that you will lose a few domestic customers but it can be minimised.  However, I have also gained work through WFP as I can now do certain windows that I couldn't do before.
It looks like my turnaround of customers will be around the 10% mark in the first few months of WFP - some of it my choice, some of it theirs.  This seems to be higher than most but I can live with it.  I could have reduced this if I had allowed some of them to force me back onto a ladder but I won't do this unless I want to.  After all, what would be the point of being self employed?  One of the best things about self employment is being relatively free in my work.

[simon w]

 Thanks Chris. I was hopeing that i would'nt have to give a written explanation to my residential customers as i did'nt want them to start making preperations to find a window-cleaner using traditional cleaning methods.

How many customer objections did you encounter when you changed over to WFP? & did you lose much work due to householders not taking to this new method of cleaning windows.

Thanks for your advice...

[Chris Cottrell]

To date I've only lost 2 and they both said i did a terrible job funnily enough that was before the windows were even dry i tried explaining again but they did want to hear it, and one said you did a real bad job on the front door (this house i was only doing 4 front windows any way and his wife said leave the door :)
i told husband i didn't do the door and he said "oh i don't know what shes on about just don't come back" so maybe not me eh BTW it was their 2nd wfp clean 1st time not a word said 

[Mr. S]

Just finished 1st cleans wfp recently.
Used explanation letter, worked a treat, obviously some people will want to ask more questions and even watch too!
Only had one customer not happy on first clean said a bit too much water, I explained as it was first clean there would be a bit more water, but subsequent cleanings will b less! She was more than happy for me to wfp tops and trad bottoms which i do anyway, (this customer i wfpd bottoms as i knew how fussy she is and thought i could earn extra doing bottoms wfp) as she didnt like the water on bottom windows. I found this strange as tops had water on too! Hmmm! weird! but each to their own! I wonder what she will think when her frames downstairs arent quite as sparkling as some of her neighbors!!!!!!

[poleman]

Be careful with the change over if you have been using washing up liq it all bubbles up on the window from the sills, you need a good rinse, what does help with the change over is use GG3 / 4 a month before hand.

Andy     

[mark dew]

Thanks Chris. I was hopeing that i would'nt have to give a written explanation to my residential customers as i did'nt want them to start making preperations to find a window-cleaner using traditional cleaning methods.

How many customer objections did you encounter when you changed over to WFP? & did you lose much work due to householders not taking to this new method of cleaning windows.

Thanks for your advice...

I'm almost through my 1st month with wfp. I have lost 3. £18 total.
Most were curious
But 1 wanted me to do it trad again another who mentioned her sill wasn't clean with wfp.
I could have kept them on but the 1st had dormer windows set back on the roof.
The 2nd had an issue last month about the sill downstairs and the month before that about having new door with less glass and wondered if price (£3) was the same. So i didn't compromise and lost them.
As for preparing them for wfp, some customers were but for most i just turned up and did it. If they were about before i started i just told them i'm doing it a new way now and they seemed fine.
For any who seemd wary of the explanation or me leaving wet windows i just told them i will call back tomorrw after they've dried.
I emphasised that i can guarantee the windows will be smear free every time and I also told them if they come up less than perfect to call me and i will come back.
It will be interesting to see how i fare when i go round the 2nd time though.

As you gave a high quality service before i think you will have few problems.

good luck

[Tim Morton]

Hi there, I've been wfp-ing for 7weeks now, havent lost even one customer, in fact I've gained 2!!!
I made up my own leaflet based on the one in the docs section and put it through every house. Had just 3 complaints, my own fault really, didnt rinse well enough on the first clean on some, but they were happy enough to get their frames cleaned. ( I didnt clean frames before, but made it sound like a bonus in my leaflet that they would get their frames cleaned at no extra charge, ALL of my customers are really happy bout getting that for free!! )

I've found people to be very understanding when you explain it to them, most customers who i've cleaned for a long time are willing to be patient and put up with my mistakes for the 1st few cleans til the frames are perfectly clean and the windows come up perfect.

Also, when ones have complained i have done some extra for free and that tends to keep them happy.


Tim

[derek mckeon]

if you do bottoms traditional way use squeege with pure water and blade off this often stops them moaning if no one is in just use your pole then check your work when dry

[dai]

Tell your customers that you are fed up to the back teeth with all these new regulations they dream up in Brussels. Say that you felt you had no option other than go WFP if you wanted to continue in business. And going up ladders is no longer an option for you, as your insurance company have stopped covering window cleaners for personal accidents. Tell them you still have your third party liability cover.
Since last august I have lost seven customers and gained about thirty.
As long as  customers think that the change has been more or less forced upon you
the vast majority will remain loyal. Dai

[stuart webster]

Tell your customers that you are fed up to the back teeth with all these new regulations they dream up in Brussels. Say that you felt you had no option other than go WFP if you wanted to continue in business. And going up ladders is no longer an option for you, as your insurance company have stopped covering window cleaners for personal accidents. Tell them you still have your third party liability cover.
Since last august I have lost seven customers and gained about thirty.
As long as  customers think that the change has been more or less forced upon you
the vast majority will remain loyal. Dai

Spot on Dai

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

I,ve just changed over 3 weeks ago.
I did not tell them before just left a note with the bill.
No real problems, a couple have finnished, but to be honest I,m pleased to see the back of them!!
One did call me back and I gladly sorted the problems!!
Everyone else has been fine!

David Salkeld

[Steven Shoreditch]

Has anyone got any advice or knowledge to share on what reaction i can expect once we have gone over to WFP. any advice on this subject will be much appreciated.....

I think you'll find that generally people accept it, just watch out for some residual spotting, so rinse well.

Avoid working in the rain, if poss, and don't try to undercut anyone.

Good luck.

[bad trippy]

Hi All.. .

I have just bought a 1000Lt 4 stage static system for my garage & a 650Lt transfer system for my Transit T300 van, this also includes two 100MTR hose reels with 50MTR of hose on each reel & 1x8FT pole, 1x18FT pole. this is a set up for a two man opperation.

The change over from traditional to WFP will take place in three weeks time.
my workload consists of approx 400 residential per month + substantial amount of commercial. I feel my commercial customers will be pleased with the new method, but i am a bit worried about the reaction i will get from reidential customers? they are used to us cleaning with traditional & always giving a high quality service. I'd hate to start losing customers due to change over.

Has anyone got any advice or knowledge to share on what reaction i can expect once we have gone over to WFP. any advice on this subject will be much appreciated.....

Flipping eck Simon, i read this post thinking you have taken leave of your senses, i knew you were allready WFP as you sold me your old poles, then i noticed the date of this thread 

[Clive McDonald]

How interesting.

Simonw from 2006 is online now.

How'd it all go simon?

[Steven Shoreditch]

You spotted the irony?

 

LOL!

[CLEANCARE WC]

I WAS ABOUT TO SAY YOU WILL PROB NEED 2 18FT POLES IF YOUR RUNNING A 2 MAN SYSTEM THEN NOTICED THE DATE! LOL 

[Lee GLS]

I just did them, if they were in I knock tell them if they are out do them leave bill as usual, if you make a big deal out of it they will look for defects in your work. I didn't loose any custies

[deeege]

What's with all these 5 year old bumps?

I hate getting to the end of the thread and only then realising it's 5 years old. If your going to bump an old thread atleast bump a funny/interesting one?