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tam

  • Posts: 58
The Truth
« on: July 15, 2004, 03:03:02 am »
The W/fed pole seems to be taking over this forum, W/cleaning issues?   W/fed pole issues more likely.  
As I have said before in previous posts i am not against W/fed poles but,   myself and a lot of other W/cleaners have got our work down to a fine art without the W/fed pole.  
In the begining, a lot of years ago, when I first started cleaning windows, I used to do a contract for the local council. I had to carry a ladder up 2 flights of stairs to clean the inside of the top windows. I thought to myself, there must be an easier way to do this. My grandad had a couple of bamboo poles in his greenhouse and what i did was tie them togetherand probally made the first pole. We were using, at that time spoungees(spelling) for putting the water on the windows. I then stuck my squeeggee on the end of the bamboo stick and poled the window which was about 14 feet from the ground. I just used this pole for this job and never thought any more about it. Looking back, considering this was about 25 years ago, if I had any savy, I could have made a fortune if I thought of making poles, not of bamboo, but some other material.
But that is by the by. Not long after  me and my brother were cleaning a garage, and I was using a wooden broom handle to put the water on and take it off.
He said to me "your to slow with that thing" I said to him, I bet you a £5 that I can clean a window quicker than you, he said, your on.    
Bearing in mind that the window was 12 foot high and 8 foot wide, he had to use a ladder to get to the top and squeeggee half way down then come off the ladder and do the rest. I used the broom stick to put the water on and take it off to half way down then do the rest. I won the £5 hands down.    
When you talk about what is faster , better or what. In my opinion, and what I have gathered over the years in W/cleaning, people just want their windows cleaned, and if they want their frames cleaned, ledges wiped it is all extras or included in the price of the job. Not a problem if you are a Traditional/W/cleaner, we can give the customers a choice. W/fed pole men have no choice nor do the customer, £15 for cleaning your windows and frames ledges etc, no, just clean my windows, I cannot do that, it is all inclusive, they have no choice, either everything or nothing.  
I aggree that W/fed poles are useful for hard to reach or get to windows, we just dont do them and the customer understands that.
Along came t-bars, visa versas and the "ultimate" the "B/flip" the best invetion for T/wW/cleaners, your windows that were hard to reach, now you can get them .
Ther is a lot to say about W/fed poles but there is a lot more to say about T/W/cleaners. Hope you enjoyed my little ditty. Tam.      

   
Tam Moffat NFMWC&GC Ex. Council Member.

WavieDavie

  • Posts: 951
Re: The Truth New
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2004, 03:42:53 am »
The W/fed pole seems to be taking over this forum, W/cleaning issues?   W/fed pole issues more likely.
As there isn't a separate WFP board here, it's hard to see where else WFP issues would be posted.

Reply 1

Tam,

Just accept that there is more than one way of skinning a cat, and it's each to his own.

I use a variety of methods to clean windows, they're all just strings to the bow. Some folk use mainly WFP, but they've got to use the "traditional" way for interiors. But what's "traditional"? Chamois? Paper and Vinegar?
Were you viewed as a heretic when you started using that bamboo pole? What would you have said to the old shammy-shakers who wondered what you were doing and said "That'll never catch on!"?

It's a big world out there Tam - just accept that we all don't view that world the same way and we adapt it to our personal circumstances.

Reply 2

You're not just back from the pub and wanting to blast off again, are you? It would probably be easier on the rest of us if you just bought a cat and kicked it every so often (no offence to animal lovers everywhere) instead of ranting in here.

Reply 3

Do you really want replies?



I suppose it's a waste of time me asking about the Health and Safety Awareness courses again? I think the first time was January, I emailed you, phoned you and PM'd from the boards -  nothing except promises, so I finally gave up!

In my postings here I represent my company and have that in my signature, do you really represent the Nat Fed in all your postings?

All the best Tam



I'm probably abusing Moderator privileges, but have locked this topic to save more folk ranting at you. Let me know if you want the thread deleted, as it doesn't really bring anything fresh to the board, and I'll be happy to oblige.
You're a Scottish window-cleaner? Licensed or not, get yourself along to www.slwcn.org right now !

Davie Park
Dalzell Window Cleaning Service - Edinburgh www.windowscleaner.co.uk