[Moderator David@stives]

I have had a few complaints over the last few days and one of them led to a cancellation.
 
Most of the complaints were aimed at my staff, In one instance 3 houses all next to each other all complained, I checked the windows and they were dreadful all full of runs and spots, they also went on to say the windows have never been right in the last 6 months, I have even cleaned these myself on occassions.
 
I think the trouble is the glass itself ,it looks greasy as you wet it going into millions of minute spots even after going back to correct the windows they were still the same.
 
Also today one of my neighbors cancelled saying her windows had never been right, so i knocked the next door and said can i see there windows, she said the same and sure enough there were a few spots some near the top and loads on the bottom 3 inches of the window.
 
Mt tds is zero and i think my technique is good,I have also attended the BWCA wfp course, Is it the case that some windows will just not come clean with wfp or am i doing something wrong.
 
I have been doing a lot of downstairs windows today and i checked them and they were perfect, Also i asked most today and they all said the windows were fine.
 
I think i am getting to the stage where the customers are starting to complain whereas previously they did not like to say anything.
 
I dont know weather to sack the staff and just go it alone on the houses where i definately know that wfp works.
 
So far i have had 6 complaints and one cancel all in the last week, previously no one has said a word.

I know Squeeky is going to have a field day now, but never mind
 
Dave 

[pjulk]

I have a few houses that never come up well with WFP.
I ended going back to ladders for these.

Paul

[sham33]

Do you use a good flow rate? Also do the frames get a good clean on new cleans? I never get complaints though im sure i dont get every window perfect.

[jeff1]

Dave don't get disheartened you'll put me off changing over.

I would check the guy's other work, just to check its not him.

if thats ok then I would wait for some reply's, about the type of windows   it may be,like you said, it could be the windows them self's, aspecially if there all in the same area, and all fitted by the same builder.

[Trevor Knight]

David,

Don't lose faith, the system works and it will paid for itself 10 times over.

From what you have written I think your problem is more to do with your operatives than your set up.

I have guy's working for me and we have a golden rule. If a customer complains and the work is not up to scratch the guy's responsible call back after working hours and re-clean for free. If they have more than 1 reclean a week then they pay the cost of the clean out of their wages.

Some may say this is harsh but I have to say I get probably 2 recleans a month and mainly they are customers trying it on, in this case we don't reclean them.

Keep it going and dont lose faith, just tweak your operatives standards a bit more tightly and I reckon they will pay a bit more attention to the work required.

Best wishes,

Trev

[Alex Gardiner]

Hi David,

I know what it's like down 'ere in salty Cornwall.

Which brushes do you use and do you rinse on or off the glass?

Alex

[Andrew McCann]

Keep the faith Dave mate.

I,ve taken around 150 houses from an outfit using WFP on a large estate near me.

In almost every case the customers used to be very happy with the guy who did it. He then took on staff and obviously didnt control them tightly enough. I have seen the work they did.. it was awfull.

Been doing them around 6 months now and so far not 1 complaint.. in fact many saying they are glad to be having someone using WFP correctly again.

Andrew

[Moderator David@stives]

Alex

I use Ionics brushes .I rinse on and off the glass,I Only rinse on the glass if i know 100% it is a good wfp house, If i am in any doubt i lift.

The glass on a few of these is not the usual beading glass ,It looks like the water is well spread on the glass but in minute bubbles and looks greasy to look at when wet, that was the peoblem on 2 of them,  I know salt and sunlight dont help especially after the big winds this month.
These houses are on top of an hill facing straight out into hayle estuary so they are head on into the sea,  I have other houses in similar situations and thankfully they are sheeting glass.

I cleaned one window for 10 minutes today and it still dried spotty all over the window on the glass described above.

The trouble is now, is the guess work of knowing when to stop, I feel a bit sickened at the moment and i am dreading the phone ringing, Most of my customers are fantastic and i only hope they are not being polite and not complaining, like the ones up to now.

[Jeff Brimble]

If they are genuinely complaing offer to go back and do them again but some glass will always spot, they will usually accept another clean and accept the results. The majority will then forget all about it. Do not go back up the ladder. On the other forum in wfp A-Z there is a post called "Zap the spots" (last topic) which will help you realise you are not alone. Your going thro a process we all go thro, keep going 

[The Fox]

The trouble is you have a lot of customers which will increase the chance of complaints, and you know there will always be windows that WFP will not work on.

 By the sound of it you do not trust some of your staff to do a good job?

I have only a part-time round and all my houses are WFP friendly and the customers seem happy.

They will always be a need for both methods. You just have to build the round to suit the method that you use, or use both and use the best method for each house.  

.In my case If it can’t be cleaned with WFP then they will have to find a traditional window cleaner. ( there as only being a couple)

From what I have read on here WFP and salt do not like each other so that might be the problem?

[Andrew McCann]

Hmmm Just a suggestion here dave.

Sounds like these windows are coated in some way. Try dipping your brush in a solution of GG3 to scrub and then lift off to rinse. While scrubbing use a very low flow rate.  Probably down to the recent weather conditions as you say.

I am sure you would have heard from your customers before now if there were any real persistant problems with your work mate.

Andrew

[gsw]

how old is your brush? i was starting to get problems with my ionics brush (bought in october) just switched and to one of gaz's brushes (salmon brush i think) the difference is noticeable back to rinsing on the glass and much faster...... gaza's brushes start at £11.00 might be worth a try, i'm ordering two more next week!
hope this helps, greg

[abacus]

 Hi I cleaned some windows in the middle of Brighton today commercial ali at that above ncp and small amount of spotting  but after regular cleanig I would check that you guy is using a good method and a good time next check your brushes I have had a brush contaminated from a house earlier in the day that caused a lot of problems if all thyis fails clean the windows with traffic film remover or flash with with your detergent scrub with soft white scourer and brush off withthe pole and then rinse well    works for me  give it go best of luck

regards grant

[windows_chepstow]

I dont know weather to sack the staff and just go it alone

 Dave 

On the basis of six complaints, three of them co-located (probably gossiping types), and one cancellation; I can't believe this idea entered into your mind; your poor staff!

Do you think they may be 'cutting corners'?  Are you checking their work, or are you just relying on your customer's feed-back and hoping for the best?

Dave, with an increased turnover, you should have an increased level of problems.  And if you're not checking up on your staff; just leaving them to their own devices; then I reckon they'll be doing what comes natrually to them; they'll take the 'easy route', as I would if I worked for you. 

You've got to ensure that 'management checks' are built into the daily routine of your staff.  If you don't; you're to blame for 'spotty windows'.  Would it be too difficult to drive around once or twice per day and check their work?  Even if it meant getting a set of ladders off to do it?

This is probably my 'army head' suggesting this; but it must make a difference and impress upon your staff the importance of getting a job done correctly; the first time.

And as for your co-located group of moaners, who said their windows hadn't been right in six months, even though you'd cleaned them yourself; is there a possibility they could be exagerating?  I think this is probably the case.  They don't want to sound like 'whingers', just poor hard done-by souls; getting ripped off each month.  Drop 'em.

Regards,

Tosh

[Sir Squeaky]

Right, now don't all skip this post because it's from me....
Don't worry Dave, I'm not going to say "told you so"

I think a lot of the public are going to check their windows a lot more, having heard complaints from others.

As more and more people get wfp, there will be more bad operatives, and then everyone will have to get it perfect, as the customers will have been warned or put off by others.

Those customers who complained to you will now tell their friends, and so on.....
I think that's where it's headed anyway, it's not your fault, it's the fault of the cowboys.

Not a criticism, just an observation....
Now that didn't hurt did it?

Rog.

[craig jwc]

Dave,

Have you asked any of these customers if they have put anything on their windows.

Only suggesting as i had a complaint from a customer and after a long discussion with them found out that they had sprayed their windows with something that was suppose to make their windows self cleaning.
I told them if they wanted me to carry on then they would have to put up with the poor results until it all came off.

I also told them i had to replace the brush head as it was causing me problems on other houses.

I had another one a couple of months ago who had used some sort of oven cleaner on their downstairs windows

If you are thinking it is your staff would it cost too much to put them on a wfp course?

Craig

[Moderator David@stives]

I am re doing an house tommorrow so will go through my usuall routine and see if there is still a problem the last complaint today was cleaned by my staff. I will also clean the inside upstairs windows so i can have a proper look.

The 3 i re-cleaned the other day were still a bit spotty, one of them has booked the insides for next time so this will give me the opportunity to really examine the windows.

I will give the GG3 a go .

Jeff i have read the A-Z loads of times i have even been on the wfp course, I think i remember a post where you wrote about a 3rd type of glass, This could be the problem.

Tosh

You are right about the staff i think i will spend a couple of hours tommorrow re training, Even though yesterday i drummed into them to make sure the top bar was cleaned on all windows then to go back around an do the windows, on 2 of the jobs the top bar was a bit dirty and myself would of made sure this was spotless everytime.

I noticed a couple of weeks ago when i went to do a gutter job that the tops of the windows were dirty from where the staff had cleaned them and put this down to avoiding the vents, so i will have to check iif they are paying enough attention to the top bars.

Craig

I dont think it is down to anything put on the windows the 3 together face a rail station and look out on to the sea so i think the combined salt ,wind and railway does not help the cause.
Course i will put them on an intense course tommorrow if it carries on it will be a signing on course

Dave

Dave

[P @ F]

SACK EM ALL DAVE !
Thing is as you said , you have gone back to do them yourself and they still have not come up right , i had one set of windows which would never come out right , not sure what to suggest except the old faithful
RINSE , RINSE , RINSE !

 rICH   p @ f

[Moderator David@stives]

Rich

The trouble with sacking them is that they are £25+ hour jobs and i hate to lose money, I would rather find a solution, I have agreed with the customers that i will clean the windows myself personally for the next few cleans and if i cant get them right i will have to give them up.

I Think i may drop a note to all my customers asking for feedback, so at least  they will tell me if there any problems

Dave

[jinky230]

david what method do your operators use
backpacks trolley truckmount

jinky