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Getting to the back of houses with water fed poles

Jackie

New member
Messages
15
Hello,

A question for those of you who use water fed pole system, please.

I've taken up window cleaning again and bought an established round. I use traditional ladders, squeegee and applicator. I'm wondering this time whether I should get into the water fed pole system to get rid of the ladders.

However, many of the houses I clean (all semi detached or detached) have locked side access gates. I get round this by splitting my ladders, putting the one over the back, climbing over and bringing the other half with me. Reverse on the way back out.

With a water fed pole system how do you manage with this?

None of the guys I see with the pole system have any ladders. Do they just not do houses with locked gates?

Thanks in advance.

 
Most times I speak to my customers and give them a ring or text the ***ht before and they then leave the gate unlocked for me

Ben

 
I always carry a set of ladders on top of my van, people will always forget the window cleaner is coming.. Fact. It's just trying to find ways around i.e. carrying ladders and using your initiative.

 
Yes but not all customers are happy you doing that. I have a few that don't want me to use ladders to get over gate, why i don't know but they don't so i have to text them the ***ht before. Yes they do forget, actually i had one this morning i went to and they had forgotten annoying! just had to leave a note, told them it would have to be next week now just because it annoyed me lol.

 
Yeah I see the point, its especially annoying when you explain to the customer the ***ht before that your coming and they still forget /emoticons/unsure.png

I tend to have a look over the gate to see where the locks are, if the locks are at the top you can simply hover over and unlock it. However if the locks at the bottom of the gate or the gate is padlocked you are pretty much screwed if the customer is out.

 
Well normally they unlock it when i text the ***ht before, this time they forgot. if they kept forgetting i would contact them and try to work something out but if it could not be resolved i would probably end up dropping them cost me more time and effort driving to them to only drive back again.

 
Well normally they unlock it when i text the ***ht before, this time they forgot. if they kept forgetting i would contact them and try to work something out but if it could not be resolved i would probably end up dropping them cost me more time and effort driving to them to only drive back again.
Thats a fair point. I just hate dropping customers /emoticons/unsure.png I wan't to keep all of them!

 
If they have forgotten to open padlock, then I text / phone them to say if I will be area for a couple of hours - call me & I'll pop back.

But I bill them for the complete job.

If I have booked it, set aside time to do it, called them, and tried when I get there - then it's down to them.

dave

 
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