WCW ready to fire the fastest tools in the industry

Speed and efficiency are of the essence for the window cleaner. Sole traders in particular have an acute understanding of what completing a job quickly and to a high standard can do for their bottom line.

Working faster, literally, can have a positive effect but can be physically depleting and have a negative trickle-down effect on a window cleaner’s other jobs, for example to maximise work output and effectiveness, high quality equipment must be employed.

Window Cleaning Warehouse (WCW) is fully aware of this and has added to its burgeoning portfolio and reputation, by recently securing a coveted deal that installs the South Wales-based company as the sole UK distributor for Australian company, Wagtail Cleaning Tools. Wagtail’s squeegees are regarded as the fastest window tools in the world – using either extension pole or arm.

“Wagtail is a well kept secret among the window cleaning elite, and we feel it’s our duty to bring these fantastic tools to the UK's window cleaners,” beamed Steve Fox, general manager at Window Cleaning Warehouse. “We are always on the lookout for exciting and innovative products and the Wagtail range fits the bill perfectly.”

Based in New South Wales, Australia, Wagtail Cleaning Tools is an innovative company specialising in designing award winning fast and easy to use window and floor cleaning tools. The company was established in 1993 by inventor and professional window cleaner, Willie Erken, who, after developing muscle strain and carpal tunnel syndrome – along with his employees – due to the weight and design of window cleaning equipment, recognised the need for lighter, faster and more ergonomically designed tools.

Wagtail tools have been independently tested and endorsed by leading ergonomist consultant, Dr. Austin Adams of the University of New South Wales, and designed so that they reduce the strain on the body. Subsequently, end-users can work at greater speeds and for a longer period of time, which could increase productivity.

The company’s products do not have a prolific presence in the UK and Window Cleaning Warehouse has accepted the challenge to improve the commercial viability of Wagtail tools across Britain. “It's surprising to find out that Wagtail, a winner of six international product and design awards – is very hard to come by in the UK market, said Steve Fox. “We at WCW are on a mission to get these tools into every window cleaner’s arsenal and help make their work that much easier.”

Window Cleaning Warehouse www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk, is the UK’s largest distributor of window cleaning equipment supplying professional window cleaning tools to over 4000 window cleaning companies across the UK and Europe.

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A cost-effective alternative to all in one van mounted systems

The Inter-Loc modular tank delivery system

The Inter-Loc is a unique modular tank delivery system for use with water fed pole technology.  Available exclusively from Window Cleaning Warehouse www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk, this system is a cost-effective, easy to use, flexible alternative to traditional all in one van mounted systems.  As the name suggests, a special inter-locking system enables the user to expand the capacity of the unit as and when required by adding additional tanks.

Inter-Loc is made from high-quality materials and composes a 400 litre tank, Window Cleaning Warehouse flo controller, hose reel, 100AH battery and a 100psi pump.  Combined with the Ultra Pure RO pure water making machine it is the fastest, most efficient way of producing and delivering water to windows. Whether a small start-up or a large established company, easy set-up and upgrading make this an extremely attractive piece of kit. 

As a one man band you might start out with the standard 400 litre tank and upgrade to 700 litres which provides enough water for one man to work all day.  When your business grows there’s no need to buy a completely new system, just add another 100 litre tank and your water holding capacity is increased further.

For the larger company, Inter-Loc makes running a uniform fleet really cost-effective.  Once water production is established, you can have four Inter-Loc systems for less than the cost of one standard van mounted system. 

Inter-Loc is robust and no fuss and puts you in control.  By using this system you won’t have to contend with the common difficulties of all in one van mounted systems which include slow filling, fixed amounts of water, added weight of components and freezing membranes in winter.
Inter-Loc is only available at Window Cleaning Warehouse www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk.  Founded in 2004, Barry, South Wales based Window Cleaning Warehouse supplies professional window cleaning tools to over 4000 window cleaning companies across Europe.

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WATERFED POLES:  FOR OR AGAINST?
 

In April 2005 new Work at Height Regulations were introduced in order to prevent deaths and injuries caused by falls at work.  The regulations apply to all work at height where falls are liable to cause personal injury.  Unsurprisingly the window cleaning trade was seriously affected by the new regulations.  Justification for using portable ladders was suddenly more difficult and the market for waterfed pole systems was born.  Three years on waterfed pole is well established and ladders tend to only be used for working at height as a last resort.  Despite this, some window cleaners out there still strongly favour the traditional ladder and squeegee.  Are waterfed poles really as safe or effective as their manufacturers would lead us to believe?  Do they help or hinder the trade?

WATERFED POLES – FOR

Tops for Health & Safety
If you compare waterfed pole systems with ladders, as far as Health & Safety goes it’s a no- brainer.  Andrew Lee, safety officer at the Federation of Window Cleaners comments:  “Waterfed poles are undoubtedly safer than working at height.  After all you can’t fall off the ground.”  Many professional window cleaners now use waterfed poles 90-95% of the time.  Confirms Kevin Robson of Progress Cleaning Services:  “When the new regulations were introduced in 2005 we had already started using waterfed poles.  Now ladders really are the last form of access for us.” 

Faster & more efficient
Window cleaning with a waterfed pole (or ‘reach and wash’ as it’s known) is much faster and gives a better end result.  Dave Thomas of window cleaning company Dr Squeegees says:  “I can do a lot more houses with reach and wash than I can with ladders. Customers are happier – It takes less time so I can charge less and as I know how to use the system properly, the clean is better too.  You can get right up into the corners of the frames which is something you can’t do with a squeegee.”

Increased business opportunities

In the commercial sector, customers expect window cleaners to use waterfed poles.  These customers understand the need to comply with Health & Safety regulations and as such will only consider contractors who apply the safest methods and use the safest equipment for the job. Put simply, if you don’t use waterfed poles you’ll be missing out on commercial contracts and limiting opportunities to grow your business.

Flexibility
You can go up to 60ft with a waterfed pole so you have much more freedom to work and fewer issues with height restrictions than you do with ladders. You also have less down time and can clean whatever the weather, says Dave Thomas:  “Cleaning in the rain isn’t a problem.  You don’t have to worry about going up a slippery ladder or using a wet cloth.”

Acceptance all round
In the early days of waterfed pole there was some resistance where residential customers preferred ‘lads on ladders’.  Neil Ramsay explains: “Three years ago we had to educate residential customers to accept waterfed pole.  It was new and I suppose people don’t like change. Eventually they got used to seeing the new kit around and so it’s no longer a problem.”  The result?  A dual opportunity for the waterfed pole window cleaner who can target both commercial and residential markets.

Long term investment
The window cleaner who buys a waterfed pole system understands that this is a long term investment.  He’ll not only be minimising risk for himself and his staff, the system will save him time and money and open doors to new business opportunities.

WATERFED POLES - AGAINST

An accident waiting to happen
Waterfed poles can cause injury if you don’t use them properly.  There’s manual handling issues, trip hazards from trailing hoses, risk from overhead electrics and if you think about it you’ve actually got a 40ft lighting conductor in your hands!  You could drop the pole and they blow over frequently too.  What if the pole falls in a busy street?  It could crash into the windscreen of a passing car or fall onto a pedestrian’s head.  To summarise Andrew Lee says:  “Risk assessment should always be carried out to enable you to choose the most suitable method of access.”

High expense
No doubt about it, waterfed pole systems aren’t cheap.  You can pay anything from £1,500 to £15,000 for a full kit.  You’ll need the pole itself (a decent length if you want to make the most of it), a pure water making unit, a tank, a trolley if you want flexibility and a van to transport it all in.   If you go for a van mounted system it means you’ll be forking out for a dedicated vehicle too. 

Is this expense always necessary?  Commenting on this Steve Fox says: “I’ve had a number of phone calls from window cleaners who have been told that ladders are to be banned and they are worried for their livelihood. A lot of the time this information has come from a company trying to sell them a high end waterfed system costing many thousands of pounds! Ladders will never be banned completely as they can be used safely, 10’s of thousands of people use them every day with no accidents. In some cases waterfed systems are not a viable option or expense.  These cases are few and far between but window cleaners need to be aware that it’s not a magic wand that will earn them £1000’s overnight.  It can take years to pay back the initial investment.”

Traditional finish is best
Waterfed poles don’t fair well for a sparkling clean finish either according to some. For example Kevin Robson finds that the finish achieved can vary depending on the state of the building.  He says:  “If the building is in bad condition or has old wooden window frames, paint sometimes smears across the glass during cleaning.  If you use a squeegee you can avoid this, with waterfed pole you can’t.”

Not good for impacted soilage
Problems can be even worse if you come across tape, putty, cement or other impacted soilage on windows.  If you’re working hands on, it’s easy enough to remove the offending specimen because you’re close to.  With a waterfed pole you can use a scraper but you’re too far away from the surface to check the end result.  You really don’t know if the job has been completed to a high standard or not.

Maintenance & the right conditions
“To get good results with water fed poles you have to look after your kit, become skilled at using it and use really clean water,” says Neil Ramsay of Ramsay Window Cleaning.  The conditions have to be just right too.  Neil continues:  “If it’s a wet, windy day, the glass is likely to still be wet and dusty when you’ve finished.  With ‘hands on’ cleaning you can get up close, give it another once over and a final check.  With waterfed pole you’re always working at a distance which makes it awkward.”

Access problems
There are times when you just can’t use a waterfed pole.  Andrew Lee explains the problem:  “In city centres and red routes you often can’t park and so can’t get up there with your van and kit.  You could take a trolley or backpack but then you’ll only have a limited amount of water. Similarly if you have to tackle steps it can be impossible.  With a ladder and squeegee you can go wherever on foot.”

Conclusion

So, are you for or against waterfed poles?  Still wavering on the edge? 

Our discussion proves that it’s really not so clear cut.  Indeed, there are pro’s and con’s for both traditional and waterfed pole systems. 

While I have to admit certain nostalgia for traditional window cleaning (and would like to pronounce it the deserved winner…) I have to conclude that I am pro waterfed pole.  These systems may not be totally risk free but are more effective than ladders at minimising risk (it is definitely safer working on the ground) and this has to be the number one deciding factor. 

We have seen that there is still a place for traditional window cleaning but it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify its use and the consequences of getting justification wrong are extremely serious.

I believe that waterfed pole systems will continue to grow in both commercial and residential markets but are unlikely to ever totally replace or indeed produce the pristine finish of the good old squeegee and ladder routine.

Useful information about Health and Safety in window cleaning can be found on the Health & Safety Executive website at www.hse.gov.uk

Window Cleaning Warehouse www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk is sponsor of the FWC IOSH accredited “Cleaning Windows Safely” course this November.  Window Cleaning Warehouse is the biggest U.K distributor of window cleaning equipment.

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Thinking about Training?

Julian Davies director of Window Cleaning Warehouse discusses training for the window cleaning trade.  Which training is essential and how does it benefit business?

In the window cleaning trade, training is one subject always on the agenda.  As a trained window cleaner I’ve seen for myself that good training is crucial if you want to do well whatever the size of your business.  Following the recent launch of the Federation’s IOSH accredited “Cleaning Windows Safely” course I thought it timely to talk to others involved in the trade and gather their thoughts on training and its benefits for business.

Which training?
I’d edge a bet that most of us have been trained in manual handling with Health & Safety as a close second.  We all need to know how to handle a squeegee and should definitely concern ourselves with Health & Safety if we want to ensure the future of staff and business.  The thing is, once the basic training has paid off you’ll need to invest in more training to broaden your horizons and keep the business growing.  You might decide you need working at height training or more specialist skills such as powered access and then there’s general business management skills too.  How to handle VAT, your software system, financial planning and marketing, these are all areas you’ll need to address and train for.  In brief, if you want to keep up the momentum a continuous training programme should be introduced to make sure you add to and refresh your skills.  This will help you keep one step ahead of the competition.
 
What are the benefits?

Business Security – Health & Safety
In my opinion the number one benefit has to be business security.  Several years ago I was involved in a window cleaning accident and it really shook me up.  Frightened into action, the next day I invested in a water fed pole system and went on to gain NEBOSH Health and Safety certification.  Your business could be seriously at risk if you don’t invest in health & safety training.

Commercial cleaning company Progress Cleaning Services Limited specialises in high level window cleaning and holds the National Britannia safe contractor certificate.  Commenting on training Kevin Robson director at Progress Cleaning Services said:  “All our window cleaning operatives are trained at the British Window Cleaning Academy in Swindon.  Operatives do the skills course and supervisors cover both skills and Health & Safety.  As an employer you must ensure staff receive the appropriate training to make sure you’re covered.”

The Health & Safety Executive website www.hse.gov.uk holds a host of useful information and explains what happens when workers are put at risk and what to do to stop falls in the workplace.

Competitive Advantage
As an accredited contractor you’ll stand out from the crowd too.  It may mean another expense upfront but many larger clients won’t even consider your services unless you are accredited.  Jim Cocks, general manager, MITIE Group, a national business support services company confirms this: “Window cleaners have to be CHAS approved or we cannot work with them.  They are only allowed on site if they have risk assessment, method statements and can show their training records.”

Up to date training says you know and comply with current regulations and that you’re a professional.  When responding to tenders if you can say you’re approved it’s another tick in the box.

Business Growth
If you commit to on-going training you can expect to reap the rewards in increased business. Not only will more business come your way as potential customers will recognise you as a professional partner, investment in training for specialist skills could introduce new revenue streams for your business.

Staff Retention
In a trade which is notorious for high staff turnover the provision of training can help buck this trend.  If you show your commitment by providing training, staff are more likely to stay with you as they will be happier and more effective.  Of course this also means that you will avoid extra costs required for recruiting and training staff replacements.

Happy Staff = Happy Customers
Staff who have received training will be more contented at work so they’ll do a better job.  This will in turn increase customer satisfaction.  Comments Graham Mann managing director of rope access training company Skyline Rope Access Limited:  “Trained operatives do a more efficient job and the client is happier knowing that workers on site are safe and effective.  Training really makes for a win-win situation.”

Where to train?
A full range of training courses for window cleaners is available through the Federation of Window Cleaners, the British Window Cleaning Academy and other independent specialist training companies.  The only complaint I sometimes hear is that while specialist training is readily available across the UK it can be difficult to access more general window cleaning training courses as they tend to take place in the midlands and north of England.  In effect attending a training course could therefore mean two days away from work if you’re based far away from the main training centres. Some companies can’t stretch to this as it means down time or finding staff to stand in. 

After saying this, no doubt about it, training must be treated as a top priority.  Taking time out now will bring long lasting returns for your business.  Hopefully with increased demand and the efforts of the FWC, training will become even more readily available wherever you are.

Happy training!

  
Window Cleaning Warehouse www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk is the biggest U.K distributor of window cleaning equipment and is sponsor of the FWC IOSH accredited “Cleaning Windows Safely” course this December.

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21.08.2008

Money making machine for window cleaners – Meet the Ultra Pure RO

For some time the water fed pole window cleaner had no choice but to make do with complete van mounted systems to produce pure water.  This wasn’t ideal as it meant that your entire earning power was tied up in that van.  There was a hell of a lot at stake.  What if the van was to break down, it was stolen or you had an accident?  Down time and lost revenue.  Refilling each evening was equally nightmarish.  You needed a secure, accessible location for a good eight hours and the vehicle was out of action for that whole period.  Those days are now over. 

The Ultra Pure RO from Window Cleaning Warehouse means that window cleaners now have a choice. This truly portable pure water making solution allays all the fears above and then some.  The number one benefit of the Ultra Pure RO is that it will save you time and make you more money.  Sound interesting?  Then read on.

Water for the day in a fraction of the time

The Ultra Pure RO can produce more than enough pure water to supply a large fleet of vans in no time at all.  It’s capable of producing over 500 liters of pure water in just one hour which equates to an impressive 12,000 liters a day.  You can fill your van up anywhere where there is a water source in less than an eighth of the usual time needed.  This 700% time saving means more time available for work and more money in your pocket. No wonder the new machine has been christened ‘the money making machine’ for window cleaners!

A ‘three in one’ solution

1. Do you need a static system?
Get an Ultra Pure RO, fill a static tank up to 500 liters per hour and plug into the mains.  Meanwhile, you still have a totally portable system.

Window Cleaning Warehouse http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/, the UK’s largest distributor of window cleaning equipment, has appointed Les Vogel to the new position of Business Development Manager.  Les joins the company with a remit to develop sales within the UK and Ireland and will focus his initial efforts on distributor support and trade events.  With a wealth of sales and business development experience most recently gained in the field of publishing and media, Les promises to bring a new take on the window cleaning industry. 

Commenting on the appointment, Julian Davies, director of Window Cleaning Warehouse said:  “We are pleased to welcome Les to our team at Window Cleaning Warehouse.  His experience will be a great asset in the next stage of the company’s development.  The fact that he’s new to the industry will mean he’ll see it all with a fresh pair of eyes too.  We are keen for him to get the word out there about our Ultra-Pure RO pure water machine and Inter-Loc tank delivery system.”

Founded in 2004, Barry, South Wales based Window Cleaning Warehouse now supplies professional window cleaning tools to over 3000 window cleaning companies across the UK and Europe.

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20.05.2008