Maybe you could measure it the same way arrow spines are tested.
Take an arbitrary weight and set up two stationary points a few feet away from each other. Lay a pole section over the stationary points and hang the weight from the middle. Measure the deflection of each pole section and compare. Less deflection means a stiffer pole, more deflection means it’s more flexible.
My immediate reaction is: way to slit your own throats…
But on reflection: all of the really big companies target consumers in addition to professionals: Ettore, Unger, etc.
And at a certain point, you have to recognize the limitations of your market, and the (in)ability of your product to disrupt that market. The professional market is already saturated with high quality WFP’s. If you fail to blow away the competition and give yourself a less than stellar reputation, you have to move on to a different market segment.
I applaud FoC for their efforts in WFP education and innovation. Unfortunately, their products entered the market about ‘3/4’s baked’, and left in their wake a considerable number of disgruntled and vocal customers. Even if they fixed all of the issues with their poles right now and built a pole that surpassed those by Gardiner or Unger, I think it may be too late for them to recover their reputation in the professional market. I feel a little bad for them because of that.
The video is a submission to a contest. They are probably just trying to prove the market potential to investors or contest judges. If not, then they really don’t understand why consumers hire professionals. It is certainly not because they can’t get the right tools to do it themselves.
To be a supplier in an industry that sells through distribution, they are in a real spot given the bridge between them and the distributors has been burned. It will be hard for them to remain in business, IMHO.
Seems like all the preexisting WC retailers have had ample opportunity over the years to invest in marketing to “hospitals, janitorial companies and homeowners.” So, has the demand from that market segment increased or will Reach It be trying to gain additional market share?
I predict minimal impact on professional window cleaners. It just isn’t cost effective for that segment of the market to have that much capital tied up in infrequently used equipment.
@Chris I was really hoping that was going to be a video about that guy who is making $2400 on a 3 hour job and would put Reach-It out of business because WFPs aren’t necessary.