[clearview cleaning]

I have been window cleaning for 14 years now using ladder and am now thinking about switching to pole. I have a large domestic round want to offer customers the same quality clean as some of them have been loyal to me since i first started. I am concerned that if i switch they may cancel, although i have asked some of them for feedback and they say it sounds good as they will have frames done at same time etc. Can anyone advise me of what system i may require and how they got on with the change?

Thanks chaps!

[NWH]

I felt the same as you,big round good prices loyal customers.You`ve just got to make the change and see how it goes,introduce it gradually to the ones you know who want it.It takes a good 6mths before your up to speed but when you are you won`t look back,in the end if they don`t want it you`ll end up dropping them or passing them on.If like you say you have a large round then it shouldn`t be a problem,if the odd one or two don`t like it it`s there loss but i must say i havn`t lost one,i must be a good salesman.

[clearview cleaning]

I felt the same as you,big round good prices loyal customers.You`ve just got to make the change and see how it goes,introduce it gradually to the ones you know who want it.It takes a good 6mths before your up to speed but when you are you won`t look back,in the end if they don`t want it you`ll end up dropping them or passing them on.If like you say you have a large round then it shouldn`t be a problem,if the odd one or two don`t like it it`s there loss but i must say i havn`t lost one,i must be a good salesman.

Cheers NWH, Yesterday i priced a job up for £12 the customer then told me she had cancelled their last chap who was using pole and charging £22, i still dont understand increases for pole but obviously must do as frames inc? Should i still offer ladder as well as pole then?

[cybersye]

Hi Clearview
You are in the right place for advice.
I'm sure there will be plenty of responces.
I went straight to setting up a van mount, having used wfp before working for someone else.
But I guess it all depends on your circumstances, if you only have a car and are unsure of making the switch then a backpack and cheap 18 ft pole would probably be the most economic way of giving it a try.
More importantly you would need to establish if you are in a hard or soft water area as to which kind of filtering system you should go for, a hard water area would need an ro system as well as dionising resin but is very cost effective in the long run.  The very basics as I've suggested should come in below the £500 mark, and it would'nt be money wasted as when your up to speed with it and convinced its for you its easily added to and upgraded. Any questions mate ask away!
Good luck
Simon

[cybersye]

I felt the same as you,big round good prices loyal customers.You`ve just got to make the change and see how it goes,introduce it gradually to the ones you know who want it.It takes a good 6mths before your up to speed but when you are you won`t look back,in the end if they don`t want it you`ll end up dropping them or passing them on.If like you say you have a large round then it shouldn`t be a problem,if the odd one or two don`t like it it`s there loss but i must say i havn`t lost one,i must be a good salesman.

Cheers NWH, Yesterday i priced a job up for £12 the customer then told me she had cancelled their last chap who was using pole and charging £22, i still dont understand increases for pole but obviously must do as frames inc? Should i still offer ladder as well as pole then?

there will always be some jobs that are easier or better done trad, hence I still carry ladders
though imo I would not offer the customer the choice, 9 out of 10 cats would say ladder just out of familiarity/ignorance.

[clearview cleaning]

Hi Clearview
You are in the right place for advice.
I'm sure there will be plenty of responces.
I went straight to setting up a van mount, having used wfp before working for someone else.
But I guess it all depends on your circumstances, if you only have a car and are unsure of making the switch then a backpack and cheap 18 ft pole would probably be the most economic way of giving it a try.
More importantly you would need to establish if you are in a hard or soft water area as to which kind of filtering system you should go for, a hard water area would need an ro system as well as dionising resin but is very cost effective in the long run.  The very basics as I've suggested should come in below the £500 mark, and it would'nt be money wasted as when your up to speed with it and convinced its for you its easily added to and upgraded. Any questions mate ask away!
Good luck
Simon

Hi Simon ta for that, i use astra van for work has a pipe carrier on too as i have some unger tele poles onboard dont know if i can use it but its on anyway, vans quite new and has been sign written so want to use it if i can.

[NWH]

I would advise you go for a vanmount if at all possible,with just a delivery system you`ll only need a pump,tank,resin cannister + poles,then make water at home.A tip for you,don`t go overboard on cleaning the frames for everyone they don`t get it for free now so why should they get it for free then.I do the frames completly on the top payers other than that it`s extra,practise on family freinds your own house ect untill your happy that you can do a good job with it,some window`s just don`t like the pole this just has to be excepted oxidized paint work is a nightmare and the results can be rubbish,then you can go down the road and do the same type of window`s with good maintained frames and the results are perfect.All houses are different and you`ll get to know the ones that will play up,you might want to go back to laddering them or you might want to pass them on.These days my ladders are getting used less and less by the week,there starting to go green LOL.

[cybersye]

I've a fiesta courier van with a 250 ltr tank in it, also a pipe carrier on the roof, I have a 39 ft fibreglass pole for the high stuff ( and very aching arms !) but use a 3 section telepople from cleantech that I've made into a wfp very cheap n easy to do, and still use it for the majority of my work. I'd still say a backpack would be a good place to start as it would always be useful for fiddly jobs and access issues, infact I'll be getting one when I've some spare money.

[Paul Coleman]

I felt the same as you,big round good prices loyal customers.You`ve just got to make the change and see how it goes,introduce it gradually to the ones you know who want it.It takes a good 6mths before your up to speed but when you are you won`t look back,in the end if they don`t want it you`ll end up dropping them or passing them on.If like you say you have a large round then it shouldn`t be a problem,if the odd one or two don`t like it it`s there loss but i must say i havn`t lost one,i must be a good salesman.

Cheers NWH, Yesterday i priced a job up for £12 the customer then told me she had cancelled their last chap who was using pole and charging £22, i still dont understand increases for pole but obviously must do as frames inc? Should i still offer ladder as well as pole then?

Weren't you kicking yourself that you didn't quote higher?

[Paul Coleman]

I have been window cleaning for 14 years now using ladder and am now thinking about switching to pole. I have a large domestic round want to offer customers the same quality clean as some of them have been loyal to me since i first started. I am concerned that if i switch they may cancel, although i have asked some of them for feedback and they say it sounds good as they will have frames done at same time etc. Can anyone advise me of what system i may require and how they got on with the change?

Thanks chaps!

I had a 5% turnaround in my customer base as a direct result of switching to WFP - some of it was my choice.  Perhaps I should have marketed it better.  I think I may even have lost one recently (after 21 months) as I know that they switched to a guy who uses ladders.

[clearview cleaning]

I felt the same as you,big round good prices loyal customers.You`ve just got to make the change and see how it goes,introduce it gradually to the ones you know who want it.It takes a good 6mths before your up to speed but when you are you won`t look back,in the end if they don`t want it you`ll end up dropping them or passing them on.If like you say you have a large round then it shouldn`t be a problem,if the odd one or two don`t like it it`s there loss but i must say i havn`t lost one,i must be a good salesman.

Sorry i didnt explain that very well, currently i only use ladder so priced the job accordingly and its a good price for about 20mins. the chap who charged her £22 was on pole.



Cheers NWH, Yesterday i priced a job up for £12 the customer then told me she had cancelled their last chap who was using pole and charging £22, i still dont understand increases for pole but obviously must do as frames inc? Should i still offer ladder as well as pole then?

Weren't you kicking yourself that you didn't quote higher?

[Paul Coleman]

I have been window cleaning for 14 years now using ladder and am now thinking about switching to pole. I have a large domestic round want to offer customers the same quality clean as some of them have been loyal to me since i first started. I am concerned that if i switch they may cancel, although i have asked some of them for feedback and they say it sounds good as they will have frames done at same time etc. Can anyone advise me of what system i may require and how they got on with the change?

Thanks chaps!

It's hard to say what system to go for.  I would definitely say a van mount.  Perhaps a backpack too for hard to reach places.  Use 100m of smaller bore hose as it's much easier to work with (this may mean you needing a higher PSI pump of 100+ psi though some say 60 is fine).
Who to buy from is anybody's guess really.  They all make pure water and pump it up to a brush head.  If you are adept at DIY then maybe save a load of money and make your own.  If not then one of the suppliers will fit one for you.  If you are within reasonable driving distance of South London, my personal bet would be for Omnipole.  Their systems do what everyone else's does BUT their aftersales is great.  I pitched up there first thing Monday morning in need of assistance.  Only a minor problem (the garage that serviced my van had broken something).  They fixed it on the spot and it took 10 minutes.  I needed some bits anyway so got them while I was there.

[clearview cleaning]

Cheers shiner, i was thinking of droping off a letter with next clean to inform them of the change and basically put it down to insurance for ladder work and safety and the benefits for them by privacy and frames being done etc.

Im having a chat to omnipole today to talk systems...thats gonna be fun!

[groundhog]

That's going to be expensive!!!! omnipole are not cheap!! take my advice and do it yourself, its easy and only a fraction of the price!
I can't understand why people do not clean frames? I clean frames if I use wfp or trad, its quick and easy, it keeps the customer happy and allows you to charge a higher price!!

[ned]

Good systems well happy with sales and after sales,  good luck