Somehow I end up on the Fish website which I have not visited in a while. I admit their site looks pretty good and they always update content and graphics.
One thing they do that I rarely ever see is how they utilize testimonials.
I must say whoever writes their site content is not good. I am not sure embedding a testimonial into paragraphs without highlighting that it is indeed a testimonial is a bit strange. Let’s not get into the fact they do not attach any name what-so-ever to any testimonial.
I am not saying they are fake, but that legally unbinds them if they are asked for proof. They did not say anyone wrote it.
Why am I picking on Fish? Because they should have this stuff down perfect by now.I do not deny their success and my personal opinion about their service is not relevant. I do not exaggerate at all when I say that new window cleaning companies on this forum write far better website wording.
To show you how bad the writing is I leave you with this from the residential page-
“When you find something good, you often want to share it. That’s been our experience. That’s why our existing customers are one of our biggest referral sources.”
I am not anywere near Fish. So I only ask this for clarifacation. What is the deal with fish? In all the times I have seen their name mentioned it is for something negitive. are they that big that no one likes them? is it their quality of work? anyway just wanted to know. it’s not a big deal to me, just wondering why I hear so many things bad about them.
They generally are the low standard for pricing in any given market.
They generally are the low standard for quality…several of my customers are their former customers. These customers dropped them and found me, paying me more, to get good service.
One of their strategies to enter a new market is to use “penetration pricing”…you would call it lowballing.
Their low quality comes from the fact that they have to pay at or near minimum wage to their workers in order to draw a profit for the franchise owner…who, after laying down a substantial down payment, must pay them 10% royalty for life.
I think most of us seek to be the Nordstrom’s of window cleaning…providing excellent service for the customer while receiving excellent pay. I’d say Fish is the Walmart…no, they’re not even that good…I’d say they’re the Kmart of window cleaning.
John,
I think you were right when you said WalMart. At least in my town, ANY time I can support KMart instead my wife and I do. It has nothing to do with the fact that KMart has me do their windows for $120 and WalMart, hmm, I don’t even know.
If im not mistaken about this, Fish’ website is for all of their business owners nationwide? If I look up them in my area, their corporate website comes up and you enter your zip to find a local company near you.
My thinking on the testimonial part of the site is that if they put Betty from Norfolk Va, Or Donny Baker from Birmingham Alabama, it doesnt do much for me in San Diego California the consumer. Thats probably the reason that its that way.
My thinking is that the testimonials become totally ineffective by being nameless. If they are going to have that silly corporate website they need to think of something better. People landing on their site are not thinking this out, they notice no names attached to the testimonials and that renders them useless.
They should kill them all together or let be known that “People across the country agree” and post them that way and by the dozens. I thought of that in 2 seconds, why haven’t they thought of anything at all?
As an aside, KMart is way too expensive and it is full of old people. I like Target which is not any more costly than Kmart… but cooler
I agree. Target is cooler, albeit, no less expensive. I have to travel 30+ miles to get to my nearest Target. I cringe every time I look at the windows there, because NEST has me do them twice a year at some ungodly hours in the relative dark. The results are not my normal quality. KMart is only 6 miles away and unfortunately doesn’t have the one-stop shopping that WalMart has. Alas.
I cleaned a handful of jobs in the local mall for NEST. God I hated working for them. I used to have to have the store managers sign their forms or I wouldnt get paid. It also had to have the store stamp on it too. They were very technical with their billing process and paperwork. It totally sucked. Hard to keep up with their way of billing too!
As far as a franchise website, I think Windowgang has the best I’ve seen.
[SIZE=“6”]DONT GET ME STARTED ON THE STINKY FISH!![/SIZE]
The testimonials I was told actually helps with SEO…more content higher ranks!
And yes Fish is so big everyone hates them. I would be the leader in that club!
I sat in on one of the Round Table sessions on Thursday morning, and right across from me was an older gentleman with a very nice looking Fish shirt on.
I told him, no disrespect, but I’d like to ask you about the tactics of Fish when they are bidding, if that is allright. He said fine. I explained to him about the new Fish Franchise in my area, and how they are telling my customers that they will do their windows for half of what I’m doing it for, and so on. He shook his head and said, “that’s not what we teach them” I said “you teach them”?
He said, I’ve opened up quite a few franchises, ( I think he said about 150 or so). After a little more conversation I find out that he is Mr. Fish, so to speak, The owner of Fish Enterprises. He asked what area I was from and he said yea you’re talking about so and so, and he mentioned the guy in my area’s name. I said yea that’s him.
He said my Franchisee’s are like kids, when they are finished training, you tell them take a left out of the drive, and half of them leave taking a right. He said you can’t control their pricing. We spoke for about 45 minutes, and I must say, I have alot of respect for this man and HIS business tactics, (not some of his Franchisee’s who are mostly lowballers), very interesting talking to him, and it was most certainly not time wasted.
After paying what they pay to have the Fish name, it’s no wonder that some resort to some of these tactics. For the most part though, I don’t believe these tactics work. In fact, it probably hurts their business more then ours.
In the end, the Fish franchises that follow good business practices will do well. The ones that don’t will not succeed (even though it may seem that way for a limited time).
In the end, the Fish franchises that follow good business practices will do well. The ones that don’t will not succeed (even though it may seem that way for a limited time).[/QUOTE]
You said it perfectly, I use to work for a FISH franchise as a window cleaner in another state. The one I worked for was about 45 minutes from another FISH franchise. “Night and Day” was the only way to compare the two. The owner of the one I worked at was a firm believer of only getting work if it was at “his price” however the other franchise seemed to grab any work they could. Our owner was also strict on quality and went through quite a few people to ensure it.
I would think that having to pay a Royalty to FISH would make their prices go up. I suppose unless its a percentage thing. Which I am sure it is knowing how franchisers work. But to my knowledge, their franchise fee never goes away. NEVER. Thats working for the man. I started my business so I could be the man, not work for him.
[B]Yeah, it is funny how when you finally meet with someone that you previously thought was a real POS, how your view might change a little. For example, my run in with the FISH franchise locally put a really bad taste in my mouth for them. But after having a nice little meeting with them and discussing legalities with their VP of Operations in Kansas City, I now have a nicer opinion of FISH. Especially since I think that I am totally kicking their a$$ in my area! I’ve only lost one customer to them. The customer says it was because he was a friend of the local FISH guy. I think it was totally price. But what do I care. I have the rest of the Strip Center and he has one store!
Mr. Fish is a smart man…the fishies around him are the ones I want to “matanza” for my Italian friends. I look up to smart people and the owner of the franchise is that guy…but really, a name is important. That brand is a bad one. If he really cared, he would make sure the brand didnt stink.
Would Coca-Cola change things to make their appearance better? I know its not much of a comparison, but same pricipal applies dont it?
Its all about the dollar. If some Fishs’ arent that way, I think it may be the exception to the rule.
I got a chance this past week to hang with the kid that has the largest Fish franchise. Really smart dude… sharp young guy. I hope he comes here to participate a bit.
There is a big Fish franchise in Massachusetts, and they are very big. He took over the South Shore territory a year or two ago and I noticed that the quality of their work went up when he took over. Some franchises are definitely better than others. Perhaps it’s the same guy you’re thinking of. He’s all right in my book.
