[Niall McAllister]

ok sell it to me......

what is the advantage to me of joining!?!

Mostly a good bunch, It is getting bigger, and some deals are starting to appear, for insurance and such.
as a community quite positive (even Scrimmy, if he has a full nights sleep).
Also have had a few people comment of the fact I am a member of the guild, they aren't sure what it means, but you put a shield on your paperwork people are impressed.

And ฃ20 for a year advertising, can't be bad

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

i dont think i can play cowboys and indians with a guy who doesnt even know his own name

so for that reason i am out..Niall

fancy a game of cowboys and indians Matt

[EZclean]

matt, since you own oakley window cleaning i thought you might be interested in these.

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.surffusion.co.uk/images/p/l/1/4911/Oakley-Sunglasses-Oakley-Rokr-Pro-Bluetooth-Sunglasses-Polished-Black.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.surffusion.co.uk/p/4911//Oakley-Sunglasses-Oakley-Rokr-Pro-Bluetooth-Sunglasses-Polished-Black.htm&usg=__Q6H5P6FJ01gwC0rP8DW9E6kY4-o=&h=310&w=310&sz=11&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=EBwRw-zAUn2-YM:&tbnh=117&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3Doakley%2Bbluetooth%2Bsunglasses%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

i am buying a pair.

they are just wot i need for work, a radio and a bluetooth reciever all in a neat pair of sunnies

is that to go with the Knight Rider watch/phone?

Scrimman The Robocleaner   

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

i like it.

yep i plan to use these with my watch phone

i aint paying 150 quid

so i found these cheaper imitations.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4GB-SUN-GLASSES-MP3-PLAYER-BLUETOOTH-FM-RADIO-BLACK-4G_W0QQitemZ170398892361QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_PortableAudio_MP3Players?hash=item27ac90c149#ht_3886wt_928

[macmac]

i recieved a sticker but nothing else 

The 2010 member pack has been vastly improved. You now get 3 decals, a fancy member cert, a CD with all the logo's & stationary pack on, and even a welcome letter with my autograph (soon to be very valuable I'm sure!).
 

Well, IMO, that is superb. Well done.

[Gleaming windows]

How about one of these clamped to your luggholes 

[Niall McAllister]

in what countries does the guild have members??

[Nathanael Jones]

in what countries does the guild have members??

At the moment the majority of members are in the UK and Ireland, but we also have a few members in the USA, Canada, Spain, and even 1 member in Australia!

[Niall McAllister]

so it is defo growing in stature. nice

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

this is the current target email (advert on gumtree etc) we are using to bring in more members (just started using it last week), however we think its too long.....there is a wee competition on the guild forum to come up with a shorter and more concise message which we hope the recipients will at least read (the winner gets a free Thermoshine/Aquashine sticker).....you guys on here are welcome to have a stab at it also.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Whom it May Concern

My name is Graeme Anderson, sales and marketing director of the Master
Guild of Window Cleaners, allow me to present a brief intro of the Guild
and the benefits of being part of the only international community group
for window cleaners, just like you and I.

The Master Guild of Window Cleaners is a non-profit organisation founded
by window cleaners, for window cleaners.

The Guild is a community based professional support group for window
cleaners. The Guild is run and maintained on a voluntary basis.

It is our aim to benefit cleaners and their clients alike, by raising
standards, improving work practices, ensuring its members are adequately
insured and always aware of the health and safety challenges that face
them.
It is the aim of the Master Guild of Window Cleaners to:

• Promote improved working practices and conditions for all window cleaners.
• To promote professional conduct by our members at all times.
• To ensure that our members are adequately insured for your protection.
• To help customers make a better choice when choosing a cleaner.
• To promote higher standards of health and safety.
• To provide information and help to window cleaners.
• To furnish new and up to date cleaning and safety methods to our members.
• To highlight the need for cleaners to adapt to economic and
architectural challenges.
• To promote the need to exceed our customers expectations.
• To raise standards within the industry

We would like to invite YOU to become a member of our community and
benefit from the experience and knowledge of other professional window
cleaners from around the globe.

To Join or simply have a browse through our site then click the link below.

www.mgwc.org

Part of A.C.S Forums

www.acsforums.com

[LWC]

Also have had a few people comment of the fact I am a member of the guild, they aren't sure what it means, but you put a shield on your paperwork people are impressed.

Anyone could put a logo/sheild on paperwork, it doesnt mean anything im sorry as you said "they aren't sure what it means" so whats the point! Like me putting a turbo badge on my car but its only a 1.1 fiesta.

[Steve CM]

can i ask what benefits the guild has to its members?

i'm currently a member of contractor plus and have put all my guys through the city and guilds NVQ level 2. both these have been good for business and the city and guilds has given them all a basic understanding of health and safety, methods etc.

The contractor plus scheme has been very in depth of our policy's and procedures.

I'm looking at joining the fed so i was wondering what the guild is to its members? why should my company join it??

[Niall McAllister]

Also have had a few people comment of the fact I am a member of the guild, they aren't sure what it means, but you put a shield on your paperwork people are impressed.

Anyone could put a logo/sheild on paperwork, it doesnt mean anything im sorry as you said "they aren't sure what it means" so whats the point! Like me putting a turbo badge on my car but its only a 1.1 fiesta.

then don't join, everyone wins

[LWC]

Also have had a few people comment of the fact I am a member of the guild, they aren't sure what it means, but you put a shield on your paperwork people are impressed.

Anyone could put a logo/sheild on paperwork, it doesnt mean anything im sorry as you said "they aren't sure what it means" so whats the point! Like me putting a turbo badge on my car but its only a 1.1 fiesta.

then don't join, everyone wins

No point saying that though is there? You should be selling it to me, why i should be joining, not telling me not to join.

You tell me what having this badge on my paper work will do for my business.

[Niall McAllister]

no you had your chance

[LWC]

Lol ok, and for that reason, im out.

[Nathanael Jones]

can i ask what benefits the guild has to its members?

i'm currently a member of contractor plus and have put all my guys through the city and guilds NVQ level 2. both these have been good for business and the city and guilds has given them all a basic understanding of health and safety, methods etc.

The contractor plus scheme has been very in depth of our policy's and procedures.

I'm looking at joining the fed so i was wondering what the guild is to its members? why should my company join it??

The Guild doesn't have nearly the same setup & resources as the FED, and as such can't offer the same benefits that larger companies would appreciate more. At the moment our member benefits are aimed mostly at the average Joe sole trader window cleaner. As the Guild grows we are adding more and more benefits, but all good things take time!
One of our biggest aims at the moment is to get a members deal/discount on safety training. Eg. ladder safety, work at height courses etc.

Anyone could put a logo/sheild on paperwork, it doesnt mean anything im sorry as you said "they aren't sure what it means" so whats the point! Like me putting a turbo badge on my car but its only a 1.1 fiesta.

That is true. One of our aims for 2010 is to raise public awareness of the Guild and the benefits of employing Licensed (In Scotland) and insured professionals to work on their property. It's no good if only window cleaners know what the Guild is! It again is a process that will take a lot of time,.. how many members of the public are aware of the FED and what they stand for, and they've been around for ages.

I believe that the badge alone even without a full understanding of what it means, shows your customer (Or potential customer) that you are someone who takes his business seriously enough to join an association,.. it instantly sets you apart from your competition.

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

can i ask what benefits the guild has to its members?

i'm currently a member of contractor plus and have put all my guys through the city and guilds NVQ level 2. both these have been good for business and the city and guilds has given them all a basic understanding of health and safety, methods etc.

The contractor plus scheme has been very in depth of our policy's and procedures.

I'm looking at joining the fed so i was wondering what the guild is to its members? why should my company join it??

The Guild doesn't have nearly the same setup & resources as the FED, and as such can't offer the same benefits that larger companies would appreciate more. At the moment our member benefits are aimed mostly at the average Joe sole trader window cleaner. As the Guild grows we are adding more and more benefits, but all good things take time!
One of our biggest aims at the moment is to get a members deal/discount on safety training. Eg. ladder safety, work at height courses etc.

Anyone could put a logo/sheild on paperwork, it doesnt mean anything im sorry as you said "they aren't sure what it means" so whats the point! Like me putting a turbo badge on my car but its only a 1.1 fiesta.

That is true. One of our aims for 2010 is to raise public awareness of the Guild and the benefits of employing Licensed (In Scotland) and insured professionals to work on their property. It's no good if only window cleaners know what the Guild is! It again is a process that will take a lot of time,.. how many members of the public are aware of the FED and what they stand for, and they've been around for ages.

I believe that the badge alone even without a full understanding of what it means, shows your customer (Or potential customer) that you are someone who takes his business seriously enough to join an association,.. it instantly sets you apart from your competition.

extremely good answer Nat.

i think the large nationals with high staff numbers like Mitie*Greig Avinou* and OCS* and duncan bannatynes* new window cleaning company and other large window cleaning companies across the globe would never come on board no matter how you try to sell the guild to them (*i am sending them all the above email ) however the vast majority of the window cleaners in the world are either a one man band or a small outfit with one or two guys working for them (or lassies).

they are the ones who dont really see the benefit of joining the likes of the fed or their local equivilent in the part of the world they live, as the fees to join these kind of associations are for the most part prohibitive and they simply cannot afford to join.

the difference with the guild is plain to see...it is not a trade organisation and as such does not have highly paid directors or shareholders to satisfy (no-one gets paid at all in fact) as it is simply a community based peer group.

the difference is that the guild is a GLOBAL community based peer group...which means that we intend to give as many window cleaners ACROSS the globe the chance to be part of the ONLY global community for fellow window cleaners.

i hope that speaks for itself, and in my humble opinion the fee that we all pay (including us in the admin) is very reasonable for what we get in return.

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

Good post Nathanael, I think that the strength of the Guild is by serving the sole trader. Hope you & the Guild keep your focus there and go from strength to strength. 

thanks ewan....it always helps when we get that kind of feedback, as it spurs us on

[Steve CM]

ok so if the guild is not offering anything in the way of support what can you expect from joining? or is it just a blue peter badge type thing couldn't i just use the clean it up logo and say that i'm part of that community? what is the difference between being a member on here to being part of the guild?