well that got me thinking!!

[seanieg]

i had just finished cleaning a customers house yesterday and was talking to the guy outside the front of his house, and we were talking about the fact that i seem to clean quite a few houses in his road and he said there was another guy who cleans the two houses directly opposite him but he is one of those posh window cleaners! when i asked him what he meant by posh he said "well he seems to have all the flash gear with a nice new van all sign written and a uniform and stuff" (i should point out at this stage that i only do this game part time and have a vwt4 van that is red with a black bonnet and use a gardiners backpack and poles and have a van full of 25ltr barrels to top up and have no uniform of any kind. so i guess that means im not posh.

So as the title says that got me thinking, do you think that some potential new customers would be put off from using me because they just see a bald headed bloke in a hoody and slightly rusty 1997 van. now im not talking about the new customers that have had me recommended to them but the newbies that have looked out of their bedroom windows and seen me pull up out the front of their next door neighbours house. would they be more likely to approach me if i was in a nice van, all kitted out looking more professional (posh). also is there anyone that has made the change from a basic setup to an all singing and dancing setup and noticed a increase in the business.

look forward to your thoughts on this one

 

[Jake]

It helped me going from a car to a sign written van, I think people put a lot more trust in a brand than they do in just a bloke in a car...

not always, but yeah I think more people would approach a more 'professional' looking worker in any industry,

(That's not to say you guys that still use cars and no uniform aren't pro by the way, it's just the public perception of 'professional' is a branded van and uniform)

 

[Underdog]

i did 15 yrs working from cars and never wore branded shirts or anything. i was a scruffy git but had plenty of work. now coming back from a 10yr break i think differently and want to present a more proffesional image so im going for signed shirts and have a van. im not signwriting van though as when i have enough work i wont want the advertising the van will give.

 

[BenjiRixon]

I've thought many a time about this......

I think I depends on how long you've been going and where you want to be. Canvassing For my quick and easy £5 a front I've got a uniformed polo shirt on and my baseball hat and jeans and get them no probs. Done simular streets with proper work trousers, boots etc but people were saying no before I even got to the price.

I think it can work against you in both ways as people think wow he's got all that clobber etc and looks like a tradesman........ gonna be expensive

So in my cheap and cheerful canvass areas I dress casually and more expensive areas I put my proper kit on. I do think image has a big part to play. If you have a full round and happy with the prices don't worry bout how you look. For me I do like to look as professional as possible as I feel I can charge a decent price as I look professional and do a professional job.

Once I've got the cheap and cheerful fronts on board I turn up in my proper gear anyway, just don't wanna look too expensive from the start

Also works opposite way when having to view and quote big jobs or commercial. I haven't long started on my own but went with the "tradesman" look and seem to be picking up quite a bit of commercial work from the business owners approaching me

 

[peter rogers]

not really if u approach people in a uniform ie clean work trousers and clean jacket with logo its a uniform and as for van a old van can be as good as a new one if its sign write i have a 04 transit high roof big beast of a van and the sign write changed it

as for system i say over winter watch out for cheap systems on ebay as pt workers give up seell there gear very cheap

 

[steve garwood]

Also depends on the type of area your working. I do a lot of big posh houses so wear logos on tops and sign writing on the van that's always clean. Just think it looks professional I.m.o

 

[jimmyboots]

@seanieg There's absolutely nothing wrong with a VWT4 my mate. They are getting like gold dust. You must know that you can make your van look well if you want to.

Here's mine. R reg. I have a magnetic sign that goes each side behind the side blacked out windows when I work.... Got any pics of yours?