[md_cleaning]

I asked this question a couple of years ago and got a mixed response, but most of those members have left now.
I keep getting told I should wear a shirt and tie, with trousers, does this not get to hot?
I do have polo shirts with my company name on and wear grey combat trousers with shoes, never trainers, but feel a shirt tie and trousers is taking it a bit far, or does this seperate you from the rest?
Dave

[prodry]

Shirt and tie? Why not complete the look with a cloth cap and a Victorian accent.

[Neil Grainger]

Dave

Every 3 months I go and buy Five pairs of Brown Chino's and Five Blacks Polo Shirts from Primark.

Looks smart and cost about £30 every 3 months.

I think this is enough, I do no some that wear shirts and ties but its a bit extreme considering it is manual work,

Cheers

Neil

[Steve Chapman]

Surely no sensible person would wear a shirt and tie :

Smart cargo trousers and a polo shirt with company logo is about right i think!

Do customers really want to see you trussed up in shirt and tie on a hot day, sweating etc, i not think so.

The clothing has to relate to the job, and we do a manual job, theres no two ways anout it.


If i go canvassing or doing quotes then often i will wear a shirt and tie, but the fact is, if you look smart and have id then that should be good enough.

If i had a builder or plumber turn up with shirt and tie on i would laugh my head off and assume they weren't going to get there hands dirty!



regards
steve

[*paul_moss]

I wear a blue short sleeve shirt and black tailored trousers,black shoes for work and quotes.I used to wear a tie for quoting but dont bother now days

[nick p]

Hi

i wear a short sleeved shirt when qouteing and polo shirt for doing the job all with company logo on

cheers nick

[Mike Halliday]

Dave, I wear a shirt & tie most of the time and I don't want to get into the pros & cons about it all.

 All  i will say is you never see me moaning about how quite it is an how I've only got 3 jobs this week and only did 4 jobs last week.   I'm of the opinion now that I only take advice (or heed the word) of people who are more successful than me, so when someone ridicules wearing a shirt & tie ask yourself how successful are they,  if they are always winging about how slow it is or how no one will pay high prices, do you really want to take  their advice.

just to add most of my customers are retired, but every day they get up, wash, shave and put on a shirt & tie ( even if they are just sitting around the house) would they laugh at me when I walk into their home also wearing a shirt & tie.

but..... each to there own, just because I do this doesnt mean what other people do is wrong

Mike

[Steve Chapman]

Mike,

Are you saying wearing the shirt and tie brings in more business?

Are you getting more referrals because of you're clothing?

If so you may be on to something    :


regards

steve

[Mike Halliday]

Steve, I think this subject is deeper than it first appears.

there is a line of thought that if you want to be successful then act & dress successful , go where successful people go,   do what successful people do.

if you want to be a manual worker dress like one, but if you are aiming higher then dress like a successful businessman.

even if I'm wrong I bet dressing in a shirt & tie  will do more good than harm,

Mike

[Neil Grainger]

Quoting and working are 2 different things, I wear Shirt and tie depending on where I am quoting but always work in smart polo and chino's.

Used to turn up for work in shirt and tie but a number of customers commented that it seemed strange to them. It got me thinking and I asked all my customers that I cleaned for in a month what they would expect me to turn up in for cleaning. I work mainly for high end people that wear suits for work so there input was invaluble in my mind.

Its each to their own though, whatever works best for you is whats right.

[lands]

Polypropylene cat suits.........it's the future

[Steve Chapman]

Mike,

You're living in the dark ages

I know plenty of successful people who have never owned a suit, 1 in particular wears shorts and a t shirt nearly all the time, and it has never affected his business!

Whats the point of actually being a manual worker and dressing like the bank manager?

Thats just self deception  -   if you're a carpet cleaner you ARE a manual worker,   wearing a suit in my mind, is just pretending to be something different.


Just my humble opinion   


steve

[lands]

I agree Steve. But I always shave and always wear a collar of some sort. Other than that Jeans and Gazelles (don't pick up so much soil).

[*paul_moss]

Steve
I used to wear chinos/combat trousers and a polo shirt. I was cheap in those days in terms of price.
I changed my dress after getting a load of fast track stuff and advice from a couple of fast trackers.
I wore tailored trousers ( nice but cheap ones £10-£15 ones and a blue short sleeved shirt with my company logos on, and on a quote I would slip on a clip on black tie.
I aslo changed my whole presentation style ( as Mike says its not just one thing).
I was able to get 3 times job tickets because of this but the biggest thing I noticed was the customers and particulary the high end ones listened to what I had to say much more than they did before.

[Dave_Lee]

I wear navy working trousers, clean and ironed. 'T' shirt with company and personal name on the front and Logo on the back. I have four pair of trousers and twenty 'T' shirts and four Sweatshirts similarly printed. I change my 'T' shirt at least every day sometimes twice a day in the summer. I quote wearing the same clothing as I have discovered over the years that most people prefer to see an owner/operator looking like they are busy and industrial rather than a saleman which can give them negatives feeling straight away. After all they dont want to be SOLD anything, they just want to know you are able to carry out the job properly at a suitable rate.
Dave.

[maxcarpets]

Sorry to dissapoint you guys but if its hot I'm in ( smart ) shorts!

Cheers

Justin

[misterrartois]

Shirt and tie? Why not complete the look with a cloth cap and a Victorian accent.

Hee hee.Gawd blimet guv,nor!I agree that a collar and tie is a bit daft.I wear the Company Polo shirt,always shaved and with smart Trousers,shorts.Im not moaning about lack of work either 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

No tie but I do wear, a tailored shirt with logo button down collar from M&S, grey farrah trousers and a blue v-neck jumper also with logo and shoes, I am also always busy.

1 customer said I look like her bank manager!

Shaun

[Bertie Boo]

quote "I quote wearing the same clothing as I have discovered over the years that most people prefer to see an owner/operator looking like they are busy and industrial rather than a saleman which can give them negatives feeling straight away. After all they dont want to be SOLD anything, they just want to know you are able to carry out the job properly at a suitable rate"

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!

So its not just me who likes the man doing to quote to look like the man who's doing the work? This time last year i had about 8 different double glazing companies round so that i could compare quotes of 3 doors and 2 windows...and quiet frankly i was not interested in the companies who sent me a salesman.

I didnt need to be sold the idea of replacement doors and windows - the fact that the old doors were falling off was all the persuasion i needed. However, i did expect the reps to sell THEMSELVES and i am always drawn to the guy who 'calls round after work' and looks like he's as much a part of the 'dirty work' as anyone.

But like i say, i thought i was alone it that opinion.

Stephen

[Shaun_Ashmore]

8 different quotes!

nothing like looking for the cheapest!

Shaun