[Skyglide]

Been going since August with a cheap van thats now clapped. Looks good with vinyl signage, always damp with WFP.  No spare money so going to use my 1987 Merc saloon.
The Merc is old, reliable and worth nothing. One set of tax and insurance.

Will this affect my business in any way, or is it simply Mrs Jones wants her windows cleaned properly with a regular reliable service, no matter what?

Chris

[KJG]

I can't see there being a problem with domestic punters. Like you say, reliability overides everything - even quality of work in some cases!

However, in my opinion anyway, looks are important with most commercial jobs so a nice shiny van is must.

Just out of interest what van is/was it? My Berlingo kicked me in the knackers over Christmas so I know what it's like.

[matt]

from my point of view

domestics just want you to turn up roughly when you say you will, and to do a good job, traditionally domestic WC'er have used cars etc

Comercail, if you are pricing for work, its allways good to make a good unpression, i allways use my "family car" a VW golf when i price up / meet clients, the car is a few years old and looks smart

BUT

Once i get the job, i honestly belive, they dont care if i arrive in a van, car or push bike, they are only interested in having clean windows

[genesis_windows]

the only thing that will affect your business although indirectly will be your name and number on the side.
that will only affect growth not existing business.
do a good job as im sure you do and they wont care if you turn up in a pink reliant robin! as long as you do turn up....

[petetaylor56]

 :)chris if you need to advertise just get some magnetic signs made up for the car they look good and dont cost a fortune and i think your customer dosnt care as long as you do the job

[Skyglide]

Thanks for the reassurance everyone.  The Merc it is then! I'll canibalise my trolley with Shurflo pump and Varistream and run a hose from the car. Can get plenty of 25ltr jerrycans on board and take out the rear seat squab.

By the way KJG it was a Fiat Fiorino van, M reg. Rust, injectors, exhaust, battery. Like my friendly mechanic said "It's a FIAT - Fix It Again Tomorrow." Still it got me going and noticed for a few hundred quid.

Chris

[windows_chepstow]

I've heard two stories, one of them first hand of how a prestige work-vehicle upset window cleaner's customers.

I know a guy who recently procured a brand-spanking new van and got it professionally sign-written.

It's upset one of his commercial customers.  Only one mind; and it sounds as if this guy is a proper wan numpty.  He basically told this window cleaner that he's changing a fortnightly clean to a montly clean and cited the shiny-van for the reason for doing so.  The window cleaner in question is putting up the price for the clean; but I don't know what the outcome was yet.

So I'm not saying 'don't buy a new vehicle'.

I think good inter-personal skills count far more than any vehicle, WFP system or any other tool.  If you can build a good rapport with your customers - particularly your good accounts - you've got them where you want them; your car/van/bike wont matter a jot. 

We used to do the Hilton Newport (huge account but hugely underpriced too).  I don't think the Manager ever saw our beaten up old Rover, but he chose us in preference to his previous window cleaners who he said, "Just didn't look 'The Hilton'".

[Roy Harding]

I agree with Tosh.

I have had several new motors and some customers, allways have a dig, you must be earning more than me if you can afford a new van.

Its suprisinng how jelous people are, and they hate people doing well.

I have a private plate S100ROY now they dont know how old my van is.

But if your clean and smart and trustworthy and do a good job what more do they want.

Roy

[matt]

i know of a certain window cleaner who borrows some1 else's van (kitted out with a WFP system) to price up work, he has even to the lenght of having magnetic signs done with his details to cover the owners details

he then arrives on site to do the job in a old Mondeo estate

funny thing is, if the guy who owns the van is busy, he still goes in his Mondeo

When asked if he gets more work using the van, the answer is, its hard to tell, as he gets a few in either motor

it allways amuses me

no offence if the guy reads this  : you sad sod

[Easyclean Windows]

Never had a problem turning up in new van why should i?
Tescos have new vans to deliver , people dont stop shopping there.Bt have new vans people dont switch phone nos cos of this so why should it be different for a window cleaner who wants to look different from another with a car?
It has never effected my customers or my work or turnover ever.
I can say i probablly got my biggest contracts because of the van though..

[Ian_Giles]

The bottom line is you and the job you do, not the vehicle you turn up in.

If you do a good job, if your customers like you, if you are regular and reliable then what you drive matters not a hoot.
It's taken me over 20 years to get a new vehicle, up until then I've driven whatever I have had to.

For me the new van, all shiny and signwritten is about image and hopefully as a result aquiring new business.
It is also of course about having a reliable vehicle that is also exactly the 'right' vehicle for the job I'm doing.
It is the right size for the load I wish to carry. ease of access and loading and so on.
Working out of a car is hard work by comparison.
Also it means my car is now just a family car again, I can keep it cleaner and it doesn't pong to high heaven, the seats are dry, the carpets are dry...it is so nice to have my car back again!

But what you drive won't affect the way your customers look at you.

Ian

PS,

Tosh,
I've still to do the garage again, what their reaction will be when the price goes up remains to be seen...they have had a bargain for too long anyway

Ian

[gaza]

MY VAN IS N REG AND THE LAST 3 DIGITS IS "CON" WOULD YOU HAVE A W/C ADVERTIZING IT

  GAZA

[Paul Coleman]

I agree with Tosh.

I have had several new motors and some customers, allways have a dig, you must be earning more than me if you can afford a new van.

Its suprisinng how jelous people are, and they hate people doing well.

I have a private plate S100ROY now they dont know how old my van is.

But if your clean and smart and trustworthy and do a good job what more do they want.

Roy

I just tell them that if they want a reliable service, then I need a reliable vehicle with which to provide it.

[dai]

Large commercial jobs usually mean large car parks. Smaller ones often mean difficult parking. You could arrive in a brand new van or a clapped out escort. Half the time the bloke your talking to won't see it.

IT'S WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU GET THERE, NOT HOW YOU ARRIVE. Dai

[petetaylor56]

 :)i used to use a seven seater pajero one day pulled up outside a customers house to collect the money i knocked on the door the lady of the house shouted to her husband its the window cleaner can you get the door i heard him remark he must be some %.....g window cleaner to drive a vehicle like that when he answered the door i said would you have said what you just said if i had turned up in a brand new van he just grunted and went in