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Happy?
« on: April 17, 2008, 07:14:11 pm »
How many of you can honestly say you are 100% happy with pure water? It drives me stupid not getting perfect results, spending around £10,000 inc van on a system that  gives less than perfect results. This invention is still not good enough in my opinion. It doesn't matter how long i scrub, how much i rinse, how clean my water is, I want perfection. No grubby corners, no runs of spots, no odd spots in the middle of nowhere just lovely clean glass that i cant pick fault with. >:(

DASERVICES

Re: Happy?
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2008, 07:16:54 pm »
The trick is only accept jobs that are wfp friendly, then you will be as happy as me ;D

Seriously though some windows will not take to wfp, these I no longer take on. I now build my round around wfp.

Re: Happy?
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2008, 07:28:03 pm »
I clean my own house the same as any customer, always can find something wrong with every window somewhere if i look hard enough. Grey windowsills especially at the ends - pure water and brushing doesn't touch them, missed corners where the brush won't get in and clean (bottom of the glass) odd spots here and there, usually the last ones to dry. Same with customers houses, get the sun glinting on them and hey ho the odd run shows up even after half a dozen cleans. Customers never complain (i would).
First cleans - what a long winded nightmare of a job. Anyone who does it in one pass must be leaving a god aweful mess behind.
Rant over, i'm going away for the week-end. ;D

Paul Coleman

Re: Happy?
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2008, 07:30:24 pm »
How many of you can honestly say you are 100% happy with pure water? It drives me stupid not getting perfect results, spending around £10,000 inc van on a system that  gives less than perfect results. This invention is still not good enough in my opinion. It doesn't matter how long i scrub, how much i rinse, how clean my water is, I want perfection. No grubby corners, no runs of spots, no odd spots in the middle of nowhere just lovely clean glass that i cant pick fault with. >:(

Maybe you should have spent 20 grand instead of 10 to get better results  ;D

Seriously though, although I'm reasonably happy with most of the work I do, there are a number of jobs that could be better.  I've tried all the recommended ways to change things.  I still feel that most jobs, most of the time, are as good a finish as trad but I wonder if that's good enough.  I take your point about spots sometimes appearing but my main concern is that fly poo (if that is what it is) doesn't seem to shift so well.  Not such a prob on ground floor as it's easier to see and a quick thumb nail solves it, but on an upper floor, it could just be stuck there, unseen from the ground.
I suppose that in the interests of safety, a customer must accept that there may be times when a job is not totally perfect.  In any case, if you view a trad cleaned window from inside you will sometimes see imperfections too.

Moderator David@stives

  • Posts: 8829
Re: Happy?
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2008, 07:39:00 pm »
I just shut my eyes and hope for the best

Mike 108

  • Posts: 650
Re: Happy?
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2008, 07:41:18 pm »
I'll bet if cleaners went back and checked EVERY house, 25% (or more) would show imperfections on one, or more windows (IF YOU LOOKED CLOSE ENOUGH).

Its just that only fussy customers look that close.

Plus, if its a 4 week clean, or longer, the windows were probably filthy beforehand and ANY 'adequate' clean will be such an improvement as to be acceptable.

Its the people who are at home all day - with nothing to do but look out of the windows that are most likely to complain.

Mike

simon knight

Re: Happy?
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2008, 07:42:55 pm »
Customers don't look for perfection...and they'd be stupid and unreasonable to expect it IMO.

Just a good job with no "glaringly obvious" rubbishy windows.

simon knight

Re: Happy?
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2008, 07:54:59 pm »
If they want perfection, you could offer it, but it cost a lot more!

Ewan  ;D

Mate, trust me, if I was paid £1000 I couldn't achieve "perfection"...in the literal sense of the word nobody could.

Fortunately I'm not too fussy...and happily neither (thank God) are my customers ;D

matt

Re: Happy?
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2008, 09:20:32 pm »
what a honest thread

ive been saying this for a while now

the normal response is to rinse more, use a better brush etc etc, these posts will im sure arrive soon

i will be honest, i get around every 6 weeks ( ish ) and they are dirty, thus anything will be a improvment  ;D ;D are they perfect, no, does the customer care that much, no, do they pay me, yes


Re: Happy?
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2008, 09:35:16 pm »
What wound me up today was a conservatory roof clean, gutters and soffits. The woman was worried about me splattering the windows she had just cleaned. No problem i said - i'll clean them again. The thing is her windows were absolutely perfect! I don't know what she used but they were outstanding. So....when the time came for me to clean the few spatters off could i get them right? No! I couldn't get them as good as they were before i arrived - quite embarassing really. It could have been the soap or whatever coming out of the rubbers but there i am with all the gizmos and i can't match her windows!

Re: Happy?
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2008, 09:36:58 pm »
What wound me up today was a conservatory roof clean, gutters and soffits. The woman was worried about me splattering the windows she had just cleaned. No problem i said - i'll clean them again. The thing is her windows were absolutely perfect! I don't know what she used but they were outstanding. So....when the time came for me to clean the few spatters off could i get them right? No! I couldn't get them as good as they were before i arrived - quite embarassing really. It could have been the soap or whatever coming out of the rubbers but there i am with all the gizmos and i can't match her windows!
if you had problems why did you not trad off the windows downstairs after?

jonah

Re: Happy?
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2008, 09:38:03 pm »
Could you offer her a job ?

Re: Happy?
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2008, 09:39:48 pm »
Great. :(

Why didn't I read this two weeks ago.  Just done my first couple of days windows with WFP, and i'm absolutely paranoid that the job ive done hasn't been good enough.  Two windows leaked (or should i say that i noticed that two leaked). More i had to redo because they looked awful with runs and spots all over the place, and this is despite being thorough!

PVC windows do come up better, but that's not really any good to my loyal customers for whom I've done a good job for for ages, wood, metal or whatever framed windows!

So is there any truth in what i've been telling them that the first couple of cleans might not look as good as the ones after?  Or will they always look a bit second rate? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???

Re: Happy?
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2008, 09:43:27 pm »
They do get better, but for the outlay i want perfect results every time guaranteed and it can't be done. Be very wary of first cleans - you won't believe how bad they can be.

Peter Fogwill

  • Posts: 1415
Re: Happy?
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2008, 09:44:46 pm »
How many of you can honestly say you are 100% happy with pure water? It drives me stupid not getting perfect results, spending around £10,000 inc van on a system that  gives less than perfect results. This invention is still not good enough in my opinion. It doesn't matter how long i scrub, how much i rinse, how clean my water is, I want perfection. No grubby corners, no runs of spots, no odd spots in the middle of nowhere just lovely clean glass that i cant pick fault with. >:(

And when you were cleaning windows with a squeegee, and if you were perfectly honest, then you would admit that no window you walked away from was perfect either.  Yes it would be possible. but the time it would have taken would have put you out of business.

Peter Fogwill
www.window-tools.com

xxmattyxx

Re: Happy?
« Reply #15 on: April 17, 2008, 09:46:19 pm »
Be very wary of first cleans - you won't believe how bad they can be.

Same goes for trad though.

dan hughes

  • Posts: 397
Re: Happy?
« Reply #16 on: April 17, 2008, 09:47:54 pm »
I totally agree.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for WFP - there are a lot of benefits - But it IS NOT the "be all and end all" of window cleaning.

There are always windows which won't take to WFP
There is always going to be a need for trad cleaning IMO

Loads of houses - I am much faster + better results trad.

I LOVE cleaning windows trad + WFP as long as I'm working! BUT every time I go trad, I know the windows will be 100% perfect.
Everytime I'm WFP - I'm about 75% sure!

I'm glad I'm super skilled trad style - It's a talent I'm well proud of!

[GQC] Tim

  • Posts: 4536
Re: Happy?
« Reply #17 on: April 17, 2008, 09:49:48 pm »
How many of you can honestly say you are 100% happy with pure water? It drives me stupid not getting perfect results, spending around £10,000 inc van on a system that  gives less than perfect results. This invention is still not good enough in my opinion. It doesn't matter how long i scrub, how much i rinse, how clean my water is, I want perfection. No grubby corners, no runs of spots, no odd spots in the middle of nowhere just lovely clean glass that i cant pick fault with. >:(

And when you were cleaning windows with a squeegee, and if you were perfectly honest, then you would admit that no window you walked away from was perfect either.  Yes it would be possible. but the time it would have taken would have put you out of business.

Peter Fogwill
www.window-tools.com

Dunno about others but I can get windows absolutely perfect using traditional tools. I examine my own windows with a magnifying glass in the full sunlight every time I do them, I'm the fussiest person on the planet when it comes to my windows, but seriously not a smear or spot on them.

I give all of my customers the same level of quality, perhaps leaded or georgian, yes you can leave the odd smear, but squeegee? Perfect for me.

This thread isn't really what I need (although I knew this), hopefully switching over fully soon, it's taking it's time and toll on the wallet.

dan hughes

  • Posts: 397
Re: Happy?
« Reply #18 on: April 17, 2008, 09:50:31 pm »
I totally agree.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for WFP - there are a lot of benefits - But it IS NOT the "be all and end all" of window cleaning.

There are always windows which won't take to WFP
There is always going to be a need for trad cleaning IMO

Loads of houses - I am much faster + better results trad.

I LOVE cleaning windows trad + WFP as long as I'm working! BUT every time I go trad, I know the windows will be 100% perfect.
Everytime I'm WFP - I'm about 75% sure!

I'm glad I'm super skilled trad style - It's a talent I'm well proud of!

But I also love my pole !!!  most times - it rules, and i think - wow, super clean!

L.J.Thorpe

  • Posts: 2056
Re: Happy?
« Reply #19 on: April 17, 2008, 09:52:59 pm »
what a honest thread

ive been saying this for a while now

the normal response is to rinse more, use a better brush etc etc, these posts will im sure arrive soon

i will be honest, i get around every 6 weeks ( ish ) and they are dirty, thus anything will be a improvment  ;D ;D are they perfect, no, does the customer care that much, no, do they pay me, yes


nutshell ;D ;D
djw stop stressing
did you ever do trad
bad trad is a dogs brekfast,a pigs ear,bad trad is much worse imo
most custs just want dust and big lumps washed off
Be very wary of first cleans - you won't believe how bad they can be.

Same goes for trad though.
see ;D