Customer Appreciation

At Glass Doctor we appreciate our customers and we really appreciate their taking time to say thanks. Here's just one example of Glass Doctor service from Glass Doctor of St. George, Utah:

http://mchobbs.blogspot.com/2009/06/call-glass-doctor-we-fix-your-panes.html

Glass Doctor of Charlotte, NC Wins Franchisee of the Year Award

The Glass Doctor of Charlotte, NC, franchise, owned by Ed Sieber, was honored as the 2008 Glass Doctor Franchisee of the Year during the company’s 2009 annual reunion conference at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

The Franchisee of the Year Award is presented to the franchisee who has consistently grown his or her business through the Glass Doctor training system and has achieved a consistently high level of success through quality and professional service.

“This is the highest honor given to a Glass Doctor franchisee. The Sieber family sets the gold standard for excellence in the Glass Doctor system,” said Mark Dawson, president of Glass Doctor. “They have exemplified our values and our high quality service time and again - no matter what the state of the economy - for more than 20 years, the longest tenure of any Glass Doctor franchisee.”

The Siebers (Ed, his father William and his brother Wyatt) purchased a Glass Doctor franchise in 1987. Ed purchased the franchise in 2002 from his father and brother, and he manages the main shop in Matthews, N.C. Wyatt manages a second shop in Concord. The two shops employ 19 people between them.

“We’re proud to be Glass Doctor franchisees, but we’re especially proud to have such a wonderful team that makes this possible by giving our customers world-class service,” said Ed Sieber in accepting the award.

The Glass Doctor of Charlotte franchise has received a number of Glass Doctor company awards, including the Excellence in Leadership award last year and a total of six Top Gun awards for annual performance.

As a leader among Glass Doctor franchises, Glass Doctor of Charlotte offers customers the company’s newest products and services, including energy-efficient windows by MI Windows and Doors that qualify for federal income tax credits. Glass Doctor of Charlotte also offers G12, a one-year guarantee on windshield replacement. If an OEM replacement windshield that a Glass Doctor franchise has installed is damaged or broken within 12 months of the replacement date, Glass Doctor will repair or replace the windshield glass only at no additional charge to the customer (some vehicle restrictions apply; contact Glass Doctor of Charlotte for complete details).

Glass Doctor of Longview, TX Now Open

The Glass Doctor of Longview franchise owned by Gary and Vivian Jacobson is now open and ready to “fix your panes” after a ribbon cutting ceremony by the Longview Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.

Glass Doctor of Longview offers mobile residential, automotive, and commercial glass services to Gregg, Harrison, Smith, and Upshur Counties, including Kilgore, Marshall and Tyler. The shop is open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 24-hour emergency service is available. In addition to repair and replacement of windows and windshields, Glass Doctor of Longview can install storefronts, shower enclosures, entry door glass, mirrors, tabletops and other glass products.

“We’re pleased to be a part of Glass Doctor because of their dedication to high quality and service,” Gary Jacobson said. “We want to give customers in the Longview, Marshall and Tyler area professional, friendly service. That’s what it’s all about.”

For that reason the Jacobsons installed an innovative glass storage and workstation system in their new Glass Doctor service van. The system is the only one of its kind among the more than 375 Glass Doctor locations in the U.S. and Canada. The modular system allows glass service technicians to safely carry both windshields and flat glass for home windows together in the van. Flat glass also can be cut using a sliding pullout board (at left). Storage boxes for tools and adhesives can be reconfigured depending up on the size of the flat glass and windshields that need to be carried.

The Jacobsons also attended the most in-depth training in the glass services industry, a 10-day training course on the latest glass repair technology, customer service techniques and marketing methods held at the Glass Doctor University training center in Waco.

The Glass Doctor of Longview shop is located at 2907 W. Marshall in Longview. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (903) 297-9100.

Prepare Now to Protect Windows from Hurricane Rush

If you live in a coastal state, you know what happens when a hurricane warning is issued. People rush to grocery stores for food and home improvement stores for plywood. Plan ahead to beat the rush. First, store enough non-perishable food, water and supplies for two weeks. Then prepare your window and glass protection.

Avoid the rush to nail plywood to window frames by installing special storm panel frames that will be ready to hold the plywood in place. Pre-measure and cut 5/8-inch plywood to fit the frames before a hurricane is on the way. When the hurricane watch is issued, all you’ll have to do is slip the plywood panels into the frames.

How to Prepare Secured Plywood Panels

Storm panels and frames may not be able to be installed for some window openings. If storm panel frames are not possible, prepare to secure plywood directly to the window frames. This saves time when a hurricane watch is issued.

• Cut the plywood to fit at least six inches around the window frame.


• Make sure there are at least two inches from the edge of the window pane to the outer edge of the exterior wall to prevent damaging the window when the plywood is installed.


• Special clips that fasten to the window frame or brick veneer can be used to secure the plywood to the exterior wall.


• When a hurricane watch is issued, secure the plywood using clips or by drilling screws 18 inches apart around the plywood perimeter.
  

Other Window Protection Options

The main reason to secure the windows is to protect them from wind-blown projectiles and water. High wind still could damage the glass, but the worst of the water will be kept out of the house. So make sure the windows are sealed, caulked and/or weather stripped too. Replace gravel landscaping material with shredded bark or other soft material. Cut weak and dead branches to at least five feet away from the house. Put lawn furniture and ornaments inside when there is a hurricane watch.

If you know you won’t have much time to protect your home when a hurricane watch is issued, you may need to spend some more money. Storm windows, screens, and other protective devices are more expensive than plywood, but they can save valuable preparation time when a hurricane watch or warning has been issued.

• Install accordion shutters or roll-down shutters of plywood, aluminum, Plexiglas or steel.


• Large, open entrances to patios and sunrooms can be sealed off with roll-down screens or aluminum slats.


• Replace windows with storm windows that can withstand hurricane-force winds. These windows are made from two panes of glass melded together by a sheet of tinted laminate. Laminated glass doesn’t shatter into shards, it breaks into little pieces held in place by the PVB layer, similar to a windshield.
  

Storm Window Options

Glass Doctor now carries StormArmor™ Windows from MI Windows and Doors, which meet the strict Miami-Dade County, Fla. building standards. StormArmor™ windows have a 10-year warranty on most parts, frame material and insulated glass panels. These windows also frustrate burglars and reduce outside noise. StormArmor™ windows can be ordered with Low-E glass that qualifies for a federal tax credit of 30 percent of the cost up to $1,500. Plus the outer layer of glass can be NEAT glass that uses the sun’s UV rays to loosen dirt so they can be cleaned with just a spray of water. Now you can protect the environment and your home too.

No Shortcuts When it Comes To Windshield Replacement Safety

At Glass Doctor we're proud to use quality windshield replacement adhesive products from Sika and Dow because they don't take any shortcuts when it comes to safety. Check out this new video from Sika that explains why safe drive-away time is so important. If the adhesive doesn't have time to cure, not only are you risking water leaks, you're risking your life in a crash.

http://www.noshortcutstosafety.com/

Running Man YouTube Debut

Running Man made his YouTube debut with his hit jingle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0eJ60e0FW4

How to Clean & Disinfect Windows

It’s really more confusing than difficult to clean glass. There are a lot of cleaning products on the market that promise to make window cleaning quick and easy. And it is quick and easy as 1-2-3 if you follow these tips from Glass Doctor.

1) Decide whether to use a retail glass cleaner or make your own.

If you use a retail glass cleaner read the contents.

• It may have ammonia, which cleans best but has strong fumes and leaves streaks. It may have al­cohol, which dries quicker. It may be a combina­tion. Both are effective, but they are flammable.


• Some glass cleaners are tinted liquid in squirt bottles and some are foamy in aerosol cans. Wipe fast with a tinted liquid, it can streak the glass. Foamy cleaners stay put, which is great for inside windshields. However, they may contain petro­leum products that are harmful in large amounts.


• Most environmentally safe cleaners have citric acid. This is an effective cleaner, but you have to dry it off quickly so it won’t eat into the glass.


• Spic and Span® by Proctor & Gamble® is marketed as a glass cleaner and hospital-grade disinfectant. It may not be available in stores, but it is avail­able online in high concentration for professional use. Go to http://www.pgpro.com for more information.

If you make your own glass cleaner, use the right ingredients and the right recipe. A simple, effective homemade glass cleaner con­tains vinegar and water mixed equally.

• Pilkington, a leading window glass manufacturer, recommends one part vinegar to 10 parts water for tinted or treated glass. Anything stronger can damage the tinting.


• Consumer Reports recommends a mixture of 7 pints of water, 1 pint of rubbing alcohol and a half-cup of ammonia. This mixture cleans better than vinegar and water, just be sure to follow the recipe specifically; it is toxic if swallowed.


• Never use bleach or abrasives in a glass cleaner mixture. The resulting fumes are toxic. Plus they damage the glass.


• If you are going to store homemade glass cleaner tint it with blue food col­oring so that you remember what it is.

2) Clean the glass without damaging it.

Use a clean, dry cloth when you apply the cleaner to the glass. Preferably the glass is dry too. If there is no visible dirt on the glass, first spray the cleaner on the clean, dry cloth instead of spraying it directly on the glass. Ignore your grandmoth­er’s advice and don’t use newspaper. It sticks to the glass and gets your hands dirty for no good reason.

• Never use brushes, abrasives (like powder tub and tile cleaner or baking soda), razor blades, credit cards or steel wool. Glass scratched with these things usually must be replaced.


• If you have never used a new glass cleaner before test it on a small part of the glass. Make sure it dries clear. If the glass is cloudy there is residue and possibly chemical damage to the glass.


• Use a squeegee to remove excess cleaner from the glass before you dry it.


• Dry the glass with a separate cloth. There are new micro-fiber cloths that do an amazing job of removing cleaner without leaving spots.


• Be sure to get all of the glass cleaner off the glass, or it will dry into a film that slowly con­taminates the glass.


• Watch out if you get glass cleaner on latex paint. It could take the paint right off.

3) Consider using a glass treatment protector.

Now there are a number of glass treatments that repel water, such as Aquapel® by PGW, which is available at many Glass Doctor locations. Most glass protector are designed for windshields, but they can be applied to shower doors, mirrors and windows as well. Make sure the glass is thoroughly clean and dry before applying a glass protector. The glass protec­tor needs time to dry according to the instructions.