What Can PWNA Do For Me? ...besides costing me $250.00.

[AranPressureWashing]

What's the reason for it? . . . to get a sticker?

. . . or to get what I can get here?

------------------
Cleaning America - One Job At A Time!
I love My Boss! I Married Her!
E-MAIL: Randy Ferrantino at aran@bellsouth.net

 

[Barry Laraway]

I did not join, however it seems that they only around to make money, $250.00 membership dues is alot, but for what you get in return, alot of nothing..

JUST MY THOUGHTS, sorry if I spoke outof line..

 

[Jon]

What do you want out of it is the question?

Like any organization you only get out what you put in,join, voice your opinion as to how you want the PWNA to change and what you feel it should offer its membership.

Say you know 3 others who would join if it only offered such and such a thing, tell them that, say I can bring in new members but all of them are seeking this in return and ask if they will offer it.

Remember one thing, the more members the easier it is for them to get things for its members. Numbers speak volume and that goes for all national organizations, not just the PWNA.

Sure if you follow the string of key people they all lead to a very few, and it is those few who do benefit greatly since they are the only ones allowed to push their products.

Say you had are a national manufacture of pressure washers, and you sold to these powers that be, I bet if you asked you would be allowed into that inner circle, it might cost you but you would be "IN".

Now show us a better national pressure washing organization and I will check it out. Would I join it, hard to say and it would depend on many things.

I do admit they are slow to respond at times, and I for one don't like waiting when I ask for things. I also notice they do tend to waste money faxing, emailing and snail mailing the same thing to me. Duplication of work is a waste in any business.

Jon


------------------
Beep beep, the OPC Roadrunner coming through.

Jon Fleischer
Oasis Pressure Cleaning
(909) 792-2247
Fax (909) 792-5633

<FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by Jon on June 02, 2000 ]</font>

 

[Expert]

I am a member of other professional organizations, but not yet this one. I respectfully disagree...all trade organizations are NOT the same. Some are progressive, focused, and useful. Others are stagnant and self-serving, with little redeeming value.
We do not join them to hope that bigger numbers will improve their product. The slow responses and poor organization and communications are truely red flags, legitimate concerns. Many, many organizations are simply not worth a plugged nickel, and others are worth twice what I pay in yearly fees.

------------------
Dave Simpson
"90% of Customer Problems Can be Preempted by Excellent Communication and Organization."

 

[David l Saulque]

Having been a member for 3 years I have mixed feeling about PWNA. PWNA trys very hard to please everyone & when the program is given, everything becomes out of focus. Lots of programs and lots of fluff. Most of these programs they offer, you should be looking for the local guy not the vendor that is 2000 miles away.

I have been to two shows and hold one cert for Hood Cleaning. I enjoyed the shows,but two per year? They are trying to be everything to everyone, thus red flags-lots of waisted mail and so on.

Each year I renew, but I don't think the shows are in the cards. Both shows had same items as last show vendors along with redundant show information.

This site gives me what PWNA cann't give and that is information now and the price is right. Now I find myself talking my way out of PWNA, but when the time comes I will more than likely send the money.

Now someone will say "you get what you put into it". Yes and no - they serve the membership and they develop programs for the membership and in turn pays for the organization. I have signed up for 3 committees & I have yet to get a call.

David

 

[DevilDog]

I am a realist by nature and Jon I'd have to disagree with you. Though numbers do hold Power, I truely belive if the PWNA was doing there job the numbers would already have been there. It seems to me to be very SELF SERVING and no matter what the members say nothing seems to change. I belive that we as a group that visit this board could come up with a better organization that would better serve the pressure washing industry.
Think of it this way, if the PWNA was doing the job right then we would be a recognized profession. How many of you had a hard time getting insurance because hardly anyone writes pressure washing contractors? In large cities you see ads in yellow pages for cleaning contractors but here in little town USA it is unheard of. The sad thing is that most all people look for a painter to pressure wash?! Is that right? NO! Why doesn't pressure washing have a union (not that I'm pro union, but....) we still should have the right to choose. Being in this for so long I have seen good and bad happen on a daily basis but never have I seen those from the PWNA do there job. I have always thought the an oganization for pressure washers was really needed with people that would talk to our congressman about our ideas and better ways to change the way things get done.
Now these are only my ideas and not meant to talk anyone out of joining the PWNA, but I guess what I am saying is make an educated decision before you do so because $250 is a lot of chemicals and equipment.

DD

 

[Jon]

Well said DD,

I might sound double faced here but in many ways David and you and perhaps all of you are right.

I have mentioned to PWNA more then once about th triple mailings, a waste of money to me.

Yes they are in many ways self serving, like I said, follow the string and it leads you to a few, and all those few push only each other, in writings, on the board and at shows.

Very clanish, now for Avery running it, I think he truly wants it to be for all pressure washers, and I know he is doing something about medical insurance with a few congressman, I truly did not bother reading the whole report partly because politics is a dirty game.

IF and this is a big IF I had the expertise in developing and moving forward a truly open trade group I would do it for all of us, even giving up pressure washing to make it work. Yes I mean that, now you know I have to make a good living out of it but it won't come to pass by me.

I know I am not the right one to start something better then PWNA, something like DD says we need, an organization for all pressure washers to make us truly professional.

My only problem is all those fly by nights, we should all work with our city code enforcement officers to rid them.

Enough, I step down from this stump and allow another to step up and be heard.

Jon

------------------
Beep beep, the OPC Roadrunner coming through.

Jon Fleischer
Oasis Pressure Cleaning
(909) 792-2247
Fax (909) 792-5633

 

[David l Saulque]

What I have done over the past 2 years is focus on local and regional groups, vendors & other related issues. Chamber, LOCAL CHEMICAL Blenders, Calif. State Contractors License & small buz. organization (worker comp. rebate).

Bang for the buck is local and it will not be found 2000 miles away. Look local for the answer. Why would you ship 55 gal. of chemicals 1000 miles, when with little effort you can have it made less than 20 miles away. Think about it.


David

 

[Glenn]

If you expect something for nothing... you will get nothing. There are numerous benefits to being a PWNA member if you will take the time to check it out.
Glenn

 

[Ramon]

I am not a member of PWNA. But I will share my opinion with you guys and gals. Back a few months ago on a different board there was a lot of racy discussions about PWNA. All of a sudden Michael Hinderliter made numerous postings helping people with fleetwashing questions. That was great, the more people responding the better. However after the board cooled down he hasn't posted since to the best of my knowledge. I never saw postings before or after that episode. If he was so willing to help and be a chairperson of this orginization why not help people out on his dad's board with questions. Personally I will not join until I see that I can get something out of it. I don't see any reason to spend 250 a year in the hopes to see that they can pull something together with more members under their belt. I would like to know how much money is paid to chair people. Why not lower the fees to $100 per year until they have enough members to offer some real benefits to it's members. I am young and may be off base but for me it is alot of money to spend and I really don't see anything I can use from them.

Ramon

 

[AranPressureWashing]

Glenn - as you said "If you expect something for nothing... you will get nothing."
However - $250.00 REALLY IS SOMETHING!!!
I got the information on the PWNA and do not see it being there for me.

You also said - there are numerous benefits to being a PWNA member if you will take the time to check it out" Well - I got the info pack & I am also here trying to understand what good is it?

You see to think there is a benefit to it - GREAT! . . . what is it?

Do understand that I am an analytical person - and I have not (as of yet) seen what I can gain from it besides a STICKER and more junk mail!

I'm Hungry To Learn!

------------------
Cleaning America - One Job At A Time!
I love My Boss! I Married Her!
E-MAIL: Randy Ferrantino at aran@bellsouth.net

 

[Mike@Everclear]

Currently, the PWNA is all we have. I am a member of the PWNA, and I like to be able to tell my customers that I belong to the only national organization that represents our profession. Most of my competitors probably don't even know what the PWNA is.

Secondly, the seminars have been a tremendous learning experience for me. I don't care so much about the vendors, although I have met a few there that I happily do business with now......the most important thing is all of the people I met and talked to, and still talk to for that matter.

Even if you don't believe in the PWNA, or where they are going, you should consider going to one of those seminars. That's my opinion, based on experience (been to two of them so far.)

I'd like to see the PWNA grow and offer more, but I don't sit here and complain, because I am not willing to get off my *** and do anything about it. I've got too much other stuff to do. So, I will sit back and watch them slowly work it out themselves......and I believe they will. I don't think a second organization is the answer......who has time for that?

How can the PWNA pull off all of these wonderful things that people want if they don't have the membership base to support it? Don't they have to have the members first to have the power to move forward? Who knows..........time will tell I guess.



------------------
Mike Hughes
Everclear
Souderton, PA

 

[Glenn]

Well put Mike. As for Randy, if you don't want to join, then don't. I, like Mike, feel that being a member of the only national organization representing power washers says something about my concern and support for the industry. By supporting PWNA we will have a voice in Washington when decisions are made that effect us. I don't think $250.00 is a lot of money for a one year membership, however, I can respect the decisions of others not to join if they can't afford it. Joining PWNA was one of the best decisions I have made. If you don't join, you will spend the rest of your business days wondering what it would have been like being a member of such a respectable national trade organization.
Glenn

<FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by Glenn on June 04, 2000 ]</font>

 

[AranPressureWashing]

Originally posted by Glenn:
Well put Mike. As for Randy, if you don't want to join, then don't. I, like Mike, feel that being a member of the only national organization representing power washers says something about my concern and support for the industry. By supporting PWNA we will have a voice in Washington when decisions are made that effect us. I don't think $250.00 is a lot of money for a one year membership, however, I can respect the decisions of others not to join if they can't afford it. Joining PWNA was one of the best decisions I have made. If you don't join, you will spend the rest of your business days wondering what it would have been like being a member of such a respectable national trade organization.
Glenn

&lt;FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial"&gt;[This message has been edited by Glenn on June 04, 2000 ]&lt;/font&gt;

Great!! I've got a good business lawyer! He can set me up an LLC for pressure washing!

If ONLY being a member of an organization with a cute sticker is what you want - then join the " INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD of PRESSURE WASHERS " ! We Now Offer A One Time Special Membership of ONLY $224.99

It Even comes with a FULL eight color sticker!

Get Yours Today!


Let's face it ... what ARE you getting for that price? . . . a chance to spend a fortune on classes? or to get a junk e-mailing about office supplies for PWNA members?
I got one a few days ago - & I'm NOT even a member!

As far as the Mentoring program - someone on this board said they NEVER heard from their so-called mentor. That means that PWNA doesn't follow up on the services they offer. Is that because they got your money already? ... or don't they offer a compensation plan for mentors to take time out of their schedule to help the newbie? Where is the win-win for the mentor? EVERYONE'S time is a value. . . not just the org's office!
It looks more like they are so busy trying to make $$ that they forgot to take better care of the money they are making!


------------------
Cleaning America - One Job At A Time!
I love My Boss! I Married Her!
E-MAIL: Randy Ferrantino at aran@bellsouth.net

 

[Mike@Everclear]

I think it's hilarious that the people that have the most to say against the PWNA are not even members! Get involved and do your part, or just step down and forget about it.

------------------
Mike Hughes
Everclear
Souderton, PA

 

[Ron Musgraves]

David how have you been?

Having been a member for 3 years I have mixed feeling about PWNA. PWNA trys very hard to please everyone & when the program is given, everything becomes out of focus. Lots of programs and lots of fluff. Most of these programs they offer, you should be looking for the local guy not the vendor that is 2000 miles away.

I have been to two shows and hold one cert for Hood Cleaning. I enjoyed the shows,but two per year? They are trying to be everything to everyone, thus red flags-lots of waisted mail and so on.

Each year I renew, but I don't think the shows are in the cards. Both shows had same items as last show vendors along with redundant show information.

This site gives me what PWNA cann't give and that is information now and the price is right. Now I find myself talking my way out of PWNA, but when the time comes I will more than likely send the money.

Now someone will say "you get what you put into it". Yes and no - they serve the membership and they develop programs for the membership and in turn pays for the organization. I have signed up for 3 committees & I have yet to get a call.

David