Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: md_cleaning on October 10, 2004, 04:05:45 pm
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At Carpex yesterday I was told that you should always wear a shirt and tie when working, while I realise it's important to look smart I feel this is over the top, so just wondered what you lot wear.
I wear black polo shirt with company name on black combat trousers and a black feece also with company name and always wear shoes, yes black to.
I thought this was ok but maybe I'm just a scruff.
Dave.
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Which banana told you to always wear a shirt & tie :D
I wear a shirt & tie and am happy with it and find it comfortable, the ways you dress I would'nt know if you were a carpet cleaning or member of a S.W.A.T team ;D
Mike
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I would prefer S.W.A.T in my house rather than an UNDERTAKER :o
I know people who wear ties and look uncomortable and stupid. If you feel comfortable and relaxed then the feeling is echoed by the client 8)
Wear what you want.................... I stopped wearing what i was told when i left employed work.
I admit to adjusting dress code for certain clients/buildings but generally wear polo with company details, smart trousers/shorts and trainers with non marking soles.
Hair MUST be immaculate and no longer than 2 mm all over ;D
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I like your website Chris, doesn't take long to read at all :D
p.s.
Minty from Eastenders, If you ever read this forum, you look just like a carpet cleaner called Steve Gunn! ;)
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Always dress to meet but not exceed you customers dress style.
Ever wonder why so many customers can't remember who last cleaned their carpets ?
Give them an unforgetable and pleasant experience - it's called "theatre"
We get a tremendous response from our customers for all sorts of things we do that have nothing to do with our cleaning systems.
White gloves for moving furniture, microscope for pre-inspecting fabrics, goofy white shoe covers, clip-on tie though I'm now thinking of a clip-on bow tie. I know a US cleaner in Florida who presents every customer (usually female) with a fresh rose upon completion of job and says this simple act generates massive refferals ( again note it's got nothing to do with the cleaning results)
What is it that really gets your attention in a restaurant or hotel or store when you are the customer, let your imagination go to work !
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Giving women roses?? That will only get you a black eye from husbands thinking your cleaning wasn't the only service you provided there wife with ;D
I'm thinking of leaving a company labelled bottle of number 3 and terry towel after each clean.
As far as my choice of clothing goes its, company polo shirt, nice jeans, nice shoes with blue plastic covers and company jacket in the winter :)
Paul
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just showing up on time is always a good start
a tie would just get in the waY
why not wear a tuxcedo while your at it.
IVAR
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Peter........website updating.....since thursday ???
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Paul, that was my first thought too and when I asked the fella
he said that has never happened and besides in most cases the husband is not there.
Ivar, the clip-on tie comes off aff the meet and greet, Bow-tie would not get in the way.
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I may wear a whistle and flute when dealing with a corporate company, don’t think putting on a tie with my polo shirt (uniform) would look that good.
Peter, have to agree was going to ask for an autograph. :P
Chris, taken the hint HAIR tomorrow nbr one thanks! I was wondering who had the best dread locks You, Nick or Me think Sue won. ;D ;D
Len
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Polo shirt ane tailored work pants
Shirt and tie too old fashioned I feel.
Polite efficient service is always the key.ps not got used to all this new stuff yet
Paul
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Navy or Royal Blue 'T' shirt, with with name and business on the front and promotional stuff on the back, same with sweatshirt and jacket. Shirt and tie, even polo shirt too hot for me, I soak my 'T' shirt by lunch time as it is. Dont you collar and tie lads ever clean DIRTY carpets.
Dave.
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Dave,
I'm with you on that one mate - I get HOT even in an open-kneck cotton shirt.
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Tailored trousers and a Polo shirt for me, I like a collar it looks smart I take an extra polo shirt with me on the van for hot days, a quick change and a spray of prochem urine remover and I smell like a puffs crutch ( allegedly )
Mike Halliday came to my house last NewYear and was in uniform my Mrs thought he'd been working as a security guard.
Shaun
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That will be Micks big shoulders then !
Dave
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I just wear a thong and leotard...the customer goes very quiet, and let you get on with it ;D
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we need to get this shirt & tie thing into context, I'm not talking about the sort of shirt & tie you wear to a wedding but a basic white shirt & a simple tie, yes it does look like a uniform but that's the piont. its about having a professional corporate image.
Its not everyones cup of tea but i bet if their was a poll, the gentlemen who wears a S/T would get the higher price.
plus because you are projecting a more professional image customers believe what you say and more readily take your advice, if i say a stain won't come out the customer believes that the stain won't come out, if I was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and I said the stain won't come out then they might think (that I really mean) I don't have the skill to remove the stain.
Mike
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Hi Guys,
I would not turn up to clean in a shirt and tie but I would definitely quote offices in one.
The reasons I would not clean in shirt and tie are.
1. Too hot
2. Too sweaty
3.Looks too smart for the type of job ie . inappropiate clothing
4. Looks like the carpet cleaner called in sick , so they had to grab someone out of the office.
Cheers,
Doug
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Fair comment Mike
Nick
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this topic is goint to end up like all the T/M v portables, Under & over £100 for a suite, bonnet cleaning v HWE etc..etc...
people will only accept how they do things, and make up daft reasons why the other way is wrong :D
Mike
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If we all did everything the same way, and all agreed with each other it would be pretty boring.
PS Why is Mike britains 3rd best looking carpet cleaner ?
Dave
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Mike has said almost everything I would wish to say on this subject. All I would like to add is that the the short sleeved embroidered poly cotton shirt I wear is lighter and cooler than the polo shirts I've worn in the past. I don't wear a tie to work in, but at other times I do.
I know that many people perspire quite easily, but others, like me, don't. If you perspire from the effort you are putting into the job, it may be advantageous to work smarter rather than harder. Use machines for agitation, do more of it then the rinse/extract will be a doddle. (I'm talking of residential work, not commercial)
Safe and happy cleaning:)
Ken
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I agree with some of the comments ref shirt & tie over polo shirt but just because you wear a shirt & tie does'nt make you a better carpet cleaner or less knowledgeable.
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Well, that topic caused quite a debate, but at least now I know I'm not the only one in polo shirts, in answer to your question Mike it was Dave Jenkins from proclean who said this and he also said to send out thankyou cards to customers, which I found rather strange, thanking them for what exactly?
Dave.
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I agree with you Steve. It doesn't make you a better carpet cleaner. BUT it does help to provide a more professional image to your prospect/customer.
Within the cleaning industry, it is often a sore point with many that we are looked on as being "just cleaners". By selling a more professional image in this way, we are moving our industry forward so that the marketplace will begin to accept us for the highly trained and skilled tradesmen that we are.
Safe and happy cleaning :)
Ken
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Interesting subject, I can see both sides to the argument and dont disagree with either, Its good to see we all make an effort to look smart and put across a professional image, but for now while i'm still in my twenties i'll skip on the tie.
The shirts the Hydramaster chaps were wearing at carpex were ok, and a logo'd button up shirt i would wear on domestic work so i guess i'm somewhere in the middle in this debate :)
Paul
David, If i remember rightly it used to say the 2nd best looking carpet cleaner on Mikes posts and now he's the 3rd so he must have seen me at carpex ;D ;D ;D
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Hi Guys,
I've always thought of carpet cleaning as a fairly physical job , therefore requiring appropiate clean , smart clothing.
You would'nt expect to see Wayne Rooney playing football in a tie and you wouldn't expect your'e accountant to turn up in a football shirt.
Carpet cleaning is somewhere inbetween and surely demands clothing inbetween.
At the end of the day it's a personal preference.
I've seen some terrible scruffs in a tie and some really cool dudes in a polo shirt, 'you pays your money..........
Cheers,
Doug
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Years ago I used to do my quotes, wearing shirt & tie and smart jacket with logo on breast pocket. I never felt comfortable in this attire, and after a while, started doing my quotes on my way home after the last job of the day, in my professional work wear, T shirt, navy work trousers. Wearing the latter I easilly increased my conversion rate and stuck with that ever since. I think my type of client prefer a cleaner to look industious rather than like a salesman. Im not saying I think it wrong to wear a shirt and tie, as its up to the individual and to say that would be narrow minded. I just love the wide variety of opinions on all subjects - thats what makes these boards so interesting.
Dave.
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As Dave i started a few months back doing quotes in shirt and tie however soon realised the customer wants a carpet cleaner not a salesmen
regards Dave ADL
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My uniform will probably crucify me on THIS forum.
All year round, I wear Green shorts and a Yellow/Gold shirt, (Aussie colours), and proud of it.
In Cairns, every Friday, we call it Tropical Friday, and most people wear a tropical theme shirt.
I figure every day is tropical here and my uniform reflects that.
My shirt is not all yellow/gold, rather, it has a panel that resembles a rain forest, coming from the right shoulder to halfway down the front.
Green collar and Green left sleeve complete it.
An embroided logo is on the pocket.
Comments are always favourable, with people asking not only what we do, and making bookings, but also commenting on how nice, and appropriate our shirts are, and where can they buy some.
We also give away Yellow caps with Green brim and embroidered logo on them, along with our phone number.
My work van is also in Green / Yellow theme.
Cheers,
Shorty.
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Always wear blue trousers, shirt and a tie with a blue jumper.
Today I was working in a house with 2 painters They thought at one stage I was from the police. They must have a guilty conscience.
Ray
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Shorty,
Believe it or not, occasionally it gets too hot for the trousers over here too, and then I do switch to shorts (Not green though) ;D
Dave.
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I managed to convince a dj on Capital radio, that i was cleaning carpets in Harley Street on a sunday with only my trainers on :o
So hot i had to strip and trainers were for safety in case i trod on any chemicals ;D
My wife heard me talking on the radio and rung me in disgust :P
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I thought the Hydramaster shirts John Gott & his men were wearing at the show looked really impressive.
I always wear navy Blue shirts with company name embroided on them and beige trousers or White polo with black trousers, but I am considering going for the cotton pilot shirts next time.
I think woman like that uniform look (so I am told). ;)
It is very importaint to look smart, never wear jeans and a T-shirt it looks so un-professional.
Phil
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John and the team had 10 pin bowling match to attend on way back to Cornwall ::)
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I agree that cleaning carpet while wearing a tie is often too hot and sweaty - not to mention the chance of losing it your down the vacuum hose, lol. So we never do. The tie is an easily removed clip-on which only serves one purpose - first impressions -.
I think it's also fair to say that much depends on whether we work in a large city or small town as well as what type of customer we serve.
When doing quotes for commercial jobs I dress differently for a large prestigious law firm than I would for a small office in an industrial park.
Obviously a tatooed, carpet cleaner with rings in his nose or lip
wearing jeans would not be helped by wearing a tie.
Interesting discussion and soon I'll get to meet the green and yellow, Short-one in Las Vegas at my Leather Restoration Class.
As the Instructor and needing to be taken seriously, I feel compelled to wear a tie. The one shown here is a Python tie (as is the eye-patch). The jacket is an antique, hand made North American Indian deerskin hunting (dinner) jacket. My hat is a genuine racoon hat for formal occasions.
ps; Students that fail my course exam or fall asleep in class, risk being shot.
(http://www.leatherwright.info/pictures/HarryGun.JPG)
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Not mentioned are the kinky leather pants.
John, didn't the boys? on Mod Squadwear them??
One thing for sure, you certainly wouldn't get any raw knees in them. :o
The old Chinaman that used to shoot at us with saltpeter, (potassium nitrate & sodium nitrate), had more whack in that gun of his, than that little pea shooter you got there. ;D ;D
Does wearing a python tie qualify for the full Monty??
I also used to have a Davey Crockett cap, several of them.
You didn't say nothing about having to pass no exam. :'(
See you in Phoenix before Vegas.
Cheers,
Shorty. :-X