[ftp]

um.... why do guild members have last year on their wallpaper badge and not 2009?

[Nathanael Jones]

um.... why do guild members have last year on their wallpaper badge and not 2009?

LOL,.. too lazy to update our avatars!!

[Jason Atwell]

here you go

[Jason Atwell]

rutilus fenestra eternus

Red Windows Forever?


Sorry, my latin is not very good..


But what the....? 

It says 'dont drive a red caddy'

lol

[Nathanael Jones]

PMSL!!!

"Shiny Windows Forever"!!

[martindrz400]

i paid the money and all i got was a sticker no cert !

[Moderator David@stives]

Thomas

Its how you use it, did you do a press release did you tell your clients.

I get comments all the time, it just goes to show your clients you are doing your best to better yourself, and what to look for in other window cleaners should they even consider getting other quotes.

Show them you are a professional and wear your "meaningful Badge" with pride

Guild and saC   v safecontractor,  no contest, try getting chas with your guild or SAC badge,

Dave
 

[vision tech]

ftp,
mine is up to date.

[Nathanael Jones]

i paid the money and all i got was a sticker no cert !

You should have received it via e-mail? If it's not in your junk mail folder, send Pete a quick msg (wce@mgwc.org) and he'll send a duplicate out asap!

[ftp]

I've been following a post on another site about the guild and have to say whilst i think Nat's intentions are sound, at the end of the day there is nothing stopping you from going to Vistaprint and inventing your own van magnet like " safe cleaner" or "master craftsman of gutter sucking" - it's meaningless for the customer - it proves nothing. You haven't had to train, study or sit an exam - no legal requirement. Why not just put "fully insured" on your van or stationary? I would have thought that was far more appropriate?
Nothing wrong with the guild if that's what you want to join, but no benefits either from what i can see. Just my opinion - shoot me down and prove me wrong.

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

there are always ways of doing it yourself, ie you could just go to vistaprint and get a magnetic sign with your choice of words like "safe cleaner" or "water fed pole cleaner" etc, it will cost you i reckon in the region of 10 quid including postage for you to do that if you also want some biz cards, flyers etc....the certs you can do yourself on your pc......but thats all you have at the end of it, no website where custies can verify you are a member of it, or to verify you are in fact insured, you can of course make your own site up too, but when the custie logs on to see then it will look a bit silly with just one name on it,......for 2 quid extra you can join the guild get all the benefits of having your name associated with other window cleaners around the globe, a professionally made decal/certificate/website with your contact details and of course advertising rights of the guild logo/website to use on your stationary.....all that for 12 quid a year ....me finks we need to look at the pricing structure

ok i have looked at it, we will keep it at 12 quid for now, hurry lads or it just may go up before you get a chance to join.

[WCE]

I am not saying i dont like the guild, I just wouldnt present the cert to a potential client.

A few points.

Safecontractor,

It is up to you to tell the client about it, most people i hhave told about it have heard of it, it is govt recognised in the fact if you apply for Chas it will pre qualify you.

The FED

Overpriced, not a chance for £100 or so it is tremendous value, far cheaper than any other trade.

Nat

Very professional answer i am impressed, if you carry on in that manner i believe you will take the Guild forward.

One thing i would say for £12 you will struggle, some day someone is going to want some money for running things and £12 wont go very far at all, its ok now with a few members, how you going to cope with 500 members at £12 a head, it will cost more than that just in administration alone, no one is going to do it for free forever.

Not going to get into an argument about what you think of the guild Dave but I felt I must say that you are wrong about the admin and the costs. Also I think you are wrong regarding the fact that no one will do it for free. For a start I will be around for a few years yet offering my services for free. Why? because I believe in the Guild and I see it's potential, not to make someone money but what it could do for the window cleaning industry, people such as myself do it for the love of it. I know what I am talking about, take a look at something else I am heavily involved in: www.svr.co.uk
Now the SVR started with nothing but the will of a few people who gave their time freely. Over the last 44 years they have grown into one of the biggest steam railways in the uk. They have a turnover of £4 million and are supported by over 16000 members a large percentage of which are also unpaid volunteers who give their time freely to the running of the railway.  They do it for the benefit of others and thats how I view the guild, run by other window cleaners for window cleaners not to make us a quick buck!

i paid the money and all i got was a sticker no cert !

I will look into that although I did have a few that seemed to end up going into peoples junk/spam folders. I will resend it later, if you haven't received it by this time tomorrow I email me (pthornhill@mgwc.org - Not the address that Nat put as he has mixed it up with my other email address!  wce@sky.com)  email me via ether address and I will find a solution to why you are not receiving it. Hope that helps!
Pete 

[Nathanael Jones]

Ooops,.. I should know your e-mail addy by now!! (Insert blush smiley here!)

[WCE]

Ooops,.. I should know your e-mail addy by now!! (Insert blush smiley here!)

Yes especially because it was YOU who set it up LOL! Stop quoting airports and concentrate

[geefree]

Joined a couple of weeks ago... only got a sticker for van....

will i recieve any info? i thought i would.

Gary.

[Nathanael Jones]

Joined a couple of weeks ago... only got a sticker for van....

will i recieve any info? i thought i would.

Gary.

Did you get the member cert via e-mail?

All info is in the hidden "Guild members only" section on another forum (Its bad form to post a link, but I sent it on the original mail a couple of weeks back). Let me know your username there and I'll upgrade your privileges so you can access the board!

[Chameleon]

... do you think a guild cert will impress.

It is a bit like rolling up your sleeve and showing off your tattoo, only for them to say

 "Thats not a tatoo it is one of them you lick and rub on with the paper still showing"

I had to laugh at this, such a sense of humour!
(Oh and yes I love the Guild!)

[WCE]

Joined a couple of weeks ago... only got a sticker for van....

will i recieve any info? i thought i would.

Gary.

Martindrz400 Can you email me your details please I need your real name and company name to check against the details I have.
Gazza I will resend your certificate later on - must get back to work, if you haven't received it by this time tomorrow please email me.
Thanks
Pete 

[DASERVICES]

Dave,

From your experience with the AWPC what do you class in your words:-"Unless it was govt recognised i wouldnt show"

What links have any current organisation with government, do they have regular meetings etc...

As you know the SLWCN has now strong links with Government Organisations and I would be concerned if I was a body in England the relevant information coming out from meetings etc.. It is not effecting you guys in England yet but I would keep an eye on it.

"Ladders" are a key word and with the shake up in systems I can see the HSE here in Scotland clamping down, also "cold calling" to name a few items.

Surely a govt recognised body would be keeping an eye that could effect the trade, who is doing that!!!

DWP are another name starting to be linked and the last time they worked with Councils over £1m of benefit fraud was found.

This is not a go at any up and coming organistaion but big changes are happening here with consultation with the SLWCN and I would strongly advise any organisation in England keep an eye out. We have successfully reversed a few changes and I'm sure there is more to follow.

[Moderator David@stives]

Doug

I would consider the SLWCN to be far more advanced than the guild, you have actually lobbied government and forced them into action, so you are to be commended on that.

The APWC and the Fed were both government recognised as they were both registered as bona-fide trade associations.

That is the key they both went down the route of relevent criteria to be registered as a government approved trade association.

Safe contractor is recognised by government in the fact that if you are registered with Safecontractor it pre- approves you for www.chas.gov.uk, so no more forms to fill in, also it is backed by qualified H&S professionals.

The BWCA is recognised to an extent because it is also an NVQ centre and runs Iosh courses.

I must point out the fed also run an Iosh course, in fact they were instrumental in its content.

Until the Guild fulfill one or more of the above points then it is just a club.

Dave