New to the game

[mikeyb]

Hi all just after some advise I have been offered a van full loaded and kitted out with a wfp system I have never done window cleaning before but am not shy of some hard work. Love to learn new things and thought it would be abit of an adventure. Could anyone give me some stater points to help me out where to start getting customers if a wfp system is good enough any help would be much appreciated thanks. Mike new boy

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[Goodkingnige]

Blimey - that's different.  I can't advise you on the general stuff but as for getting customers - that's where I excel.  Where in the country are you?

 

[chris clean]

Wow that's a hard question to answer. I'm basic terms yes a wfp van system is great to clean Windows. But.... does it work, is it complete with ro di etc to purify water or is it a delivery system only? In which case where are you going to get your pure? Also a van ain't much use without customers and you need to think about insurance tax etc. Also a pure who system only works if used with correct technique it's not just spray it on and walk off! No offence but reading your question I think you may wanna do some research and watch some YouTube vids first!

 

[mikeyb]

Blimey - that's different.  I can't advise you on the general stuff but as for getting customers - that's where I excel.  Where in the country are you?

Hi thanks I know hard and prob silly question. Something I'm just interested to do and have the opportunity to do it. I'm in Cambridgeshire.


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Wow that's a hard question to answer. I'm basic terms yes a wfp van system is great to clean Windows. But.... does it work, is it complete with ro di etc to purify water or is it a delivery system only? In which case where are you going to get your pure? Also a van ain't much use without customers and you need to think about insurance tax etc. Also a pure who system only works if used with correct technique it's not just spray it on and walk off! No offence but reading your question I think you may wanna do some research and watch some YouTube vids first!

I know sorry but of a silly question. Basically I have been given a fully kitted van with brand new wfp system been told just need to fill with water and away I go. Van and equipment is worth 5k. I know it's not gonna be as easy as a quick wipe and I'm done would be doing a lot of practising first to get the right technique. Have been watching videos online already. Just after any advice on starting up.


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[chris clean]

If you go for it mate there is definitely a lot of reward after time and I myself love the job and lifestyle. You will have loads of questions and most can be answered using the search box on here. You are doing the right thing to practice loads first you can make use of family's and mates Windows too make sure they are perfect then go out and start getting some customers. You need to get some public liability insurance which isn't expensive. Register self employed with hmrc within first 90 days. Loads more but there the first steps I took good luck 

 

[mikeyb]

If you go for it mate there is definitely a lot of reward after time and I myself love the job and lifestyle. You will have loads of questions and most can be answered using the search box on here. You are doing the right thing to practice loads first you can make use of family's and mates Windows too make sure they are perfect then go out and start getting some customers. You need to get some public liability insurance which isn't expensive. Register self employed with hmrc within first 90 days. Loads more but there the first steps I took good luck 

Ok brill thanks for the advice do you find that customers don't like the wtp cleaning as much as traditional cleaning?


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[Clisty1989]

Ok brill thanks for the advice do you find that customers don't like the wtp cleaning as much as traditional cleaning?


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you will find the odd ones, even if they do take you on, odds are unless you impress your gonna lose them quite quickly. Make sure you price well (hundreds of threads on this) or it'll bite you. You need to know if your van has an ro/di system from day 1, tap water won't work, in fact it'll make them worse. If in doubt stick a pic of the setup on here and you'll quickly get an answer, also when you find out, change resin in the di & prefilters & membrane of Ro, just to be sure

as for getting customers, start with friends and family, then they're neighbours, whilst also knocking doors and hammer Facebook (again more threads on here) you need to hit the streets when no one else wants to be out, such as in rain, evenings (between 5&7), weekends and keep going, every no is 1 no closer to a yes. Another one I did was get friendly with other local windys, they make chuck you the odd job they done want/havent go space for. There's a few canvassing thread's on here too, id recommend the threat called my canvassing blog, its a minefield of info.

good luck

 

[mikeyb]

you will find the odd ones, even if they do take you on, odds are unless you impress your gonna lose them quite quickly. Make sure you price well (hundreds of threads on this) or it'll bite you. You need to know if your van has an ro/di system from day 1, tap water won't work, in fact it'll make them worse. If in doubt stick a pic of the setup on here and you'll quickly get an answer, also when you find out, change resin in the di & prefilters & membrane of Ro, just to be sure
as for getting customers, start with friends and family, then they're neighbours, whilst also knocking doors and hammer Facebook (again more threads on here) you need to hit the streets when no one else wants to be out, such as in rain, evenings (between 5&7), weekends and keep going, every no is 1 no closer to a yes. Another one I did was get friendly with other local windys, they make chuck you the odd job they done want/havent go space for. There's a few canvassing thread's on here too, id recommend the threat called my canvassing blog, its a minefield of info.
good luck

Thanks a lot this is the info I have on the set up of the van. The van comes with 300 litre Baileys wfp system.
The floor as been treated with a waterproof paint.
Steel frame with mounting plate.
100psi shurflo pump.
Varistream controller.
Claber hose reel.
100 metres of 6mm hose.
4040 ro membrane with pvc housing. (This ro is the ultra low pressure one, so will work of mains pressure, however if you do have very low pressure you may need a booster pump).
Twin 20 inch pre filters.
Di vessel filled with brand new tulsion 115 resin.
Shut of kit, so you can leave the van to fill without worrying about over filling.
This systems takes 1 hour 30mins to fill with pure water, on my mains pressure.
Everyones water and pressure are different throughout the country, but this system should take no longer than 2 hours to fill.
The system is producing 000 tds.
Tds metre.
1 x Pole tube for the pole to slide into.
18ft clx Gardiners water fed pole (I do stock larger poles too.)
Van ports for filling the van.
You can work with the van doors locked.
110ah leisure battery, which as a relay fitted so the van will charge the battery when the van is turned on only.
The van system is bolted into the van, using high tensile bolts and spreader plates.
The system is ready to work from day one. All you need is a water


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[Clisty1989]

Thanks a lot this is the info I have on the set up of the van. The van comes with 300 litre Baileys wfp system.
The floor as been treated with a waterproof paint.
Steel frame with mounting plate.
100psi shurflo pump.
Varistream controller.
Claber hose reel.
100 metres of 6mm hose.
4040 ro membrane with pvc housing. (This ro is the ultra low pressure one, so will work of mains pressure, however if you do have very low pressure you may need a booster pump).
Twin 20 inch pre filters.
Di vessel filled with brand new tulsion 115 resin.
Shut of kit, so you can leave the van to fill without worrying about over filling.
This systems takes 1 hour 30mins to fill with pure water, on my mains pressure.
Everyones water and pressure are different throughout the country, but this system should take no longer than 2 hours to fill.
The system is producing 000 tds.
Tds metre.
1 x Pole tube for the pole to slide into.
18ft clx Gardiners water fed pole (I do stock larger poles too.)
Van ports for filling the van.
You can work with the van doors locked.
110ah leisure battery, which as a relay fitted so the van will charge the battery when the van is turned on only.
The van system is bolted into the van, using high tensile bolts and spreader plates.
The system is ready to work from day one. All you need is a water


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I assume its new, if not replace the bits I mentioned anyway, just to be sure. Apart from that get lots of practice, get insured, and your good to go. Just make sure you register with hmrc, but that can wait until your up and running

 

[mikeyb]

I assume its new, if not replace the bits I mentioned anyway, just to be sure. Apart from that get lots of practice, get insured, and your good to go. Just make sure you register with hmrc, but that can wait until your up and running

Yeah everything in van is brand new with 1 years warranty. Someone owes me some money and has this as part of the payment to give to me. Thanks will take it all on board and see how it goes.


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[Dave B]

you will find the odd ones, even if they do take you on, odds are unless you impress your gonna lose them quite quickly. Make sure you price well (hundreds of threads on this) or it'll bite you. You need to know if your van has an ro/di system from day 1, tap water won't work, in fact it'll make them worse. If in doubt stick a pic of the setup on here and you'll quickly get an answer, also when you find out, change resin in the di & prefilters & membrane of Ro, just to be sure

as for getting customers, start with friends and family, then they're neighbours, whilst also knocking doors and hammer Facebook (again more threads on here) you need to hit the streets when no one else wants to be out, such as in rain, evenings (between 5&7), weekends and keep going, every no is 1 no closer to a yes. Another one I did was get friendly with other local windys, they make chuck you the odd job they done want/havent go space for. There's a few canvassing thread's on here too, id recommend the threat called my canvassing blog, its a minefield of info.

good luck

I see every rejection as weeding out the no's so i can find the yes's

Can't get disheartened you are just elimimating the ones who don't need you 

 

[Clisty1989]

I see every rejection as weeding out the no's so i can find the yes's

Can't get disheartened you are just elimimating the ones who don't need you 

I once got 3 days of no's. Kept plodding on and then picked up 10 in under an hour. Now I know what to look for my hit rates gone through the roof!

 

[mikeyb]

I once got 3 days of no's. Kept plodding on and then picked up 10 in under an hour. Now I know what to look for my hit rates gone through the roof!

Sounds good know this is prob going to be the hard bit do you find knocking on the door face to face more rewarding than posting cards/leaflets?


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[Clisty1989]

Sounds good know this is prob going to be the hard bit do you find knocking on the door face to face more rewarding than posting cards/leaflets?


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yes. Leaflets have roghly between a 0.1% & 5% success rate, whilst at a guess canvassing has a 5%-40% success rate, depending on area, how many other windys etc