[windowwashers]

to start with change your liquid over to squeegy off or gg3/4 then start wiping all your frames with a damp microfibre cloth while you are still trad before changing over to wfp this will make life easier

you could always tell your customers you are doing a special offer you will clean all their frames for £5 only for a limited time this way you will get a bit of something for cleaning them because some customers dont like paying but if they think they are getting a bargin they'll bite your hand off   because youve got to clean them anyway

Brett.

Thank you Brett that is a top idea one I did not think about  : anyone reading this post changing over, that is 100% the best idea i have heard of, and I have heard of many.

Ian

[brett walker]

to start with change your liquid over to squeegy off or gg3/4 then start wiping all your frames with a damp microfibre cloth while you are still trad before changing over to wfp this will make life easier

you could always tell your customers you are doing a special offer you will clean all their frames for £5 only for a limited time this way you will get a bit of something for cleaning them because some customers dont like paying but if they think they are getting a bargin they'll bite your hand off   because youve got to clean them anyway

Brett.

Thank you Brett that is a top idea one I did not think about  : anyone reading this post changing over, that is 100% the best idea i have heard of, and I have heard of many.

Ian

cheers Ian

im not just a pretty face

or if your not bothered about earning a few xtra quid you could tell the customer that you will be cleaning their frames free of charge because you are preparing to change over to wfp because when the change over takes place the frames will get cleaned automatically with the windows, i think the customer will also really appreciate this then they will think they are getting something for free

Brett

[jonah]

to start with change your liquid over to squeegy off or gg3/4 then start wiping all your frames with a damp microfibre cloth while you are still trad before changing over to wfp this will make life easier

you could always tell your customers you are doing a special offer you will clean all their frames for £5 only for a limited time this way you will get a bit of something for cleaning them because some customers dont like paying but if they think they are getting a bargin they'll bite your hand off   because youve got to clean them anyway

Brett.

Thank you Brett that is a top idea one I did not think about  : anyone reading this post changing over, that is 100% the best idea i have heard of, and I have heard of many.

Ian

cheers Ian

im not just a pretty face

or if your not bothered about earning a few xtra quid you could tell the customer that you will be cleaning their frames free of charge because you are preparing to change over to wfp because when the change over takes place the frames will get cleaned automatically with the windows, i think the customer will also really appreciate this then they will think they are getting something for free

Brett

People love a bargain !    When I go to quote a job  ( trad )  I always get flumoxed when they ask if the price includes the frames lol .  But now I have a cunning plan . . . . . if it was any more cunning it would have a brush on it     

[Moderator David@stives]

I feel sorry for you really, changing over to wfp was the worst time of my life.

I got really depressed going to work, also was embarrassed, dont ask me why but i did.
I used to cringe everytime I pulled the hose up the customers path, In the end i just couldnt face going to work.

It took 18 months until i was over it, now I dont give 2 hoots I just get on with it and have never looked back since.

I must also say In the 3 years or so since i went wfp, I have trebled my turnover, dont know how much of that is down to wfp or my business accumin ?

The answer to your question,  I would say there isnt too much you can do really pre wfp, as everything needs a clean or 2 before they come perfect anyway.

Practice on your house windows and get a full understaning of what is actually happenning with the dirt on the windows, maybe go on a wfp course, and go out for a couple of days with an experienced wfp guy.

Dave

[Moderator David@stives]

Brett

Pure class !!

Excellent

Dave

[d s windowcleaning]

I pity you really, changing over to wfp was the worst time of my life.

I got really depressed going to work, also was embarrassed, dont ask me why but i did.
I used to cringe everytime I pulled the hose up the customers path, In the end i just couldnt face going to work.

It took 18 months until i was over it, now I dont give 2 hoots I just get on with it and have never looked back since.

I must also say In the 3 years or so since i went wfp, I have trebled my turnover, dont know how much of that is down to wfp or my business accumin ?

The answer to your question,  I would say there isnt too much you can do really pre wfp, as everything needs a clean or 2 before they come perfect anyway.

Practice on your house windows and get a full understaning of what is actually happenning with the dirt on the windows, maybe go on a wfp course, and go out for a couple of days with an experienced wfp guy.

Dave

thats got to be the best described way that ive ever heard jonah i will take you out if you want

[jonah]

Thanks for the really good replies lads , I am not going to appologise to any of my customers for making my life safer and easier !  I just want to make sure their windows are clean after i have left !   

[brett walker]

Brett

Pure class !!

Excellent

Dave

cheers dave


brett

[Paul Coleman]

I feel sorry for you really, changing over to wfp was the worst time of my life.

I got really depressed going to work, also was embarrassed, dont ask me why but i did.
I used to cringe everytime I pulled the hose up the customers path, In the end i just couldnt face going to work.

It took 18 months until i was over it, now I dont give 2 hoots I just get on with it and have never looked back since.

I must also say In the 3 years or so since i went wfp, I have trebled my turnover, dont know how much of that is down to wfp or my business accumin ?

The answer to your question,  I would say there isnt too much you can do really pre wfp, as everything needs a clean or 2 before they come perfect anyway.

Practice on your house windows and get a full understaning of what is actually happenning with the dirt on the windows, maybe go on a wfp course, and go out for a couple of days with an experienced wfp guy.

Dave

Your experience is similar to mind Dave.  I was very self concious about WFP for a while - feeling almost apologetic about it.  It didn't take me 18 months to get over it but it did take a while.  As for the turnover, that was marginally down in the first year of WFP but I needed a lot of time off for personal reasons.  The second year was about a 30% increase in turnover.  This year looks like being almost double though I won't know for sure until the end of September 30th when my year ends.  I know that I've already exceeded my turnover for the last year of trad/first year of WFP (which were almost the same) and I still have five full months to go.

[AuRavelling79]

Sorry many of you disagree about writing an explanation letter. If it's well done and articulate it will work.

When I changed there was a propensity of advice on here to actually use a quality explanation letter, I used one and I lost not one out of over 200 custy's.

In fact the only two I ever lost were the last two I didn't explain it to. (Complacent see!)

I heard of folk here losing dozens when they changed because they didn't prepare the changeover well.

[Nathanael Jones]

I'm in 2 minds about the letter myself. I used a letter, but only bothered to give it to the custies who were home. The only fuss and bother I had was from those who got the letter,.... the rest of the custies didn't know any different!

I had a lot of good advice from friends and from on here, and I'm fairly proud about how little spotting & streaking I had in the early days,... but even 3 or 4 months in I was learning.

For the first few months check EVERY window before you go to the next job. Most spots are at the top of the glass, and thats the bit that dries first, so you'll see the problems 9 times out of 10 even if the window isn't completely dry.
Double openers above a large pane were my nemesis when I started out,.. but everyone finds different places that are particularly hard.

GG3 is a big help though,.. My father in law is trad and uses Fairy liquid (There's no convincing him otherwise!), and its a real pig to wash off on first cleans. Switch over now and you'll find the WFP transition that much easier.

[jonah]

I'm in 2 minds about the letter myself. I used a letter, but only bothered to give it to the custies who were home. The only fuss and bother I had was from those who got the letter,.... the rest of the custies didn't know any different!

I had a lot of good advice from friends and from on here, and I'm fairly proud about how little spotting & streaking I had in the early days,... but even 3 or 4 months in I was learning.

For the first few months check EVERY window before you go to the next job. Most spots are at the top of the glass, and thats the bit that dries first, so you'll see the problems 9 times out of 10 even if the window isn't completely dry.
Double openers above a large pane were my nemesis when I started out,.. but everyone finds different places that are particularly hard.

GG3 is a big help though,.. My father in law is trad and uses Fairy liquid (There's no convincing him otherwise!), and its a real pig to wash off on first cleans. Switch over now and you'll find the WFP transition that much easier.

Spoke to a lad at soapnational and advised me to use gg3 or gg4 for 3 months to get best results for wfp !

[Moderator David@stives]

Jonah

They would suggest that at £8.00 a litre.

[pjulk]

Dave morris @ st-ives said -

I feel sorry for you really, changing over to wfp was the worst time of my life.

I got really depressed going to work, also was embarrassed, dont ask me why but i did.
I used to cringe everytime I pulled the hose up the customers path, In the end i just couldnt face going to work.

It took 18 months until i was over it, now I dont give 2 hoots I just get on with it and have never looked back since.

I felt exactly the same and i think i made it worse by saying in a letter that there may be the odd spot for the first couple of cleans.
Im sure the customers were going round looking for them.
As the following month i had quite a few say about spots.
And airvents drove me mad when i first changed over as i was getting runs from them.

It took me about 4 - 5 months to get comfortable with WFP and start feeling happier about my work again.
And several time in the first few months nearly went back to traditional.

Now 3 years on i don't worry about anything, i get no complaints and i just tell new customers that the way we clean, your windows will be left wet but dry clear.
And get no problems this way.

I think tell customers as little as possible just the basics and you have far less problems.

And NEVER mentions SPOTS ....

[pjulk]

Spoke to a lad at soapnational and advised me to use gg3 or gg4 for 3 months to get best results for wfp !

Use Squeegie Off far cheaper and better than GG3/4 i find.

Paul

[Pj]

You really should explain in advance that your method is changing!
You don't own these clients!
You are providing a service and they have a choice in the matter too.  Especially residential.

How would you feel if you called in the services of a gardener to cut your grass and he turned up with a big long pole, squirted some strange liquid all over your lawn in 10 minutes and gave you a bill with no explanation? 
Maybe when the strange liquid dries your grass would scientifically be shortened leaving your lawn unharmed, but that's not the point.

I for one would not be impressed with the attitude of someone just marching in and doing something by a method I don't comprehend, and worse still they don't think I deserve an explanation, and that sticks in the mind a long time.

Explain simply, but explain.

"Misunderstanding is the incubator of strife"

Pj

[Captain Scarlet]

PJ has a point, so use your discretion and see whats fit for different customers and people ( some are always in or out etc ). But if you do explain it, only give a brief explanation as too much information leads to more qustions and them looking at the final results closely!! Luke

[NWH]

I feel sorry for you really, changing over to wfp was the worst time of my life.

I got really depressed going to work, also was embarrassed, dont ask me why but i did.
I used to cringe everytime I pulled the hose up the customers path, In the end i just couldnt face going to work.

It took 18 months until i was over it, now I dont give 2 hoots I just get on with it and have never looked back since.

I must also say In the 3 years or so since i went wfp, I have trebled my turnover, dont know how much of that is down to wfp or my business accumin ?

The answer to your question,  I would say there isnt too much you can do really pre wfp, as everything needs a clean or 2 before they come perfect anyway.

Practice on your house windows and get a full understaning of what is actually happenning with the dirt on the windows, maybe go on a wfp course, and go out for a couple of days with an experienced wfp guy.

Dave

Dave the bit about going out for a couple of days with a WFPoler is good advise,i`ve had a couple of guy`s come out with me who were obviously trad WC`s and after doing 1 house that`s 1 house the first guy said cheers for that i`m going to buy 1 now thanks for showing me how to use it lol,what a muppet.I see him around from time to time and he often says some customers won`t take to it for some reason. : : : : : :

[jonah]

smashing posts lads  I took advice from bret and have just quoted some new houses at double price to " get the frames clean too " so will be easier when starting the pole .

[jonah]

Spoke to a lad at soapnational and advised me to use gg3 or gg4 for 3 months to get best results for wfp !

Use Squeegie Off far cheaper and better than GG3/4 i find.

Paul

Is sqeegee off basically the same product as gg3 n 4 paul ?    want to use it so it doesnt intafere when starting to pole