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Paul_Rolfe

Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« on: August 14, 2009, 03:35:49 pm »
Or doesn't it matter?

eclipse

  • Posts: 501
Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2009, 03:43:54 pm »
do you have a complex about this? or are you just trying to get your post count up  ;D

yes a sign written van looks more proffesional than working out of a car but that dosnt meant the person working out of the car is any less of a window cleaner than the guy in the van and vice versa

I think it depends on how far you intend to take your business
me personally i have alway worn a uniform and had a sign written van but that was what i said i would do when i set up business

Mike #1

  • Posts: 4668
Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2009, 03:45:13 pm »
if you mean does it make you feel less professional than having a van then NO , Worked out of a car all the time no probs what so ever

Mr Formby

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2009, 03:45:25 pm »
I dont think it matters. I started out with a beat up old carand  I got loads of work. I now have a  08 van  , van wrap and people think I must be expensive so dont get asked as often in the street.

jonnyald

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2009, 03:54:21 pm »
true wot Formby says . i started using a car  with   cheaply made signs in the rear windows .  i could easily step to using a van but  theres no advantage (if you are trad) as car seats and car drive is more comfy   ..another bonus of using a car is that its easyto find onethat has belonged to an old fellah who has pumped mega money into keeping it well maintained ,ready for action,whereas van are rarely pampered . perhaps a car looks more unprofessional but hey  as long as the car  catches peoples eyes thats all that matters

 i see a couple of window guys in my town use a merc  with ladders on the roof, but thats probably going too far

wfp master

  • Posts: 2553
Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2009, 03:58:25 pm »
no my car is in better con than most work vans on the road. ;D

Mike #1

  • Posts: 4668
Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2009, 04:02:35 pm »
car is pristene and well maintained our only car , i'm wfp with purefreedom trolley manage great with car

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2009, 04:21:29 pm »
most have humble beginnings, but most trad cleaners around here use a car, its economical. I was talking to a guy the other day 25 years in the business, who worked out of a car. I personally find a kangoo, berlingo, or combo are a good compromise between the economy of a small vehicle and the proffessional look of a van. I wont be going out and buying a Renault traffic for window cleaning trad. No point. I would only do that if I was going to add pressure washing or something to my list of services, but I don't intend on doing that so.

tony talbot

  • Posts: 258
Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2009, 04:28:00 pm »
just fitted a wfp delivery system in the back of the misses fiesta.so she can do upstairs now. a van would have been nice, but at the moment out of reach. i think if your standards are high and you look good it doesn't matter if you turn up in a milk float. (now there's an idea mmm)

simon knight

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2009, 04:40:40 pm »

I work out of a Tesco trolley, bothered?...er no!

Paul_Rolfe

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2009, 05:19:05 pm »
Eclipse - lol! It is a bit low isn't it? I'll try harder.
FWIW, I started out of a car (~Fiat Uno) but soon realised a van would be miles better.
When I see w/c out of a car boot they make me think they are hard up firemen on their days off.
They are usually wearing shorts as well which I think looks cheap.

John Walker

  • Posts: 613
Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2009, 05:24:18 pm »
I work from a new Fiat 500.  With back seats down and a custom made marine ply liner to locate 20 litres water barrels I can go out and earn £50 - £60 in less than half a day.  Come back for a break, refill barrels and go out earn and the same again.  Potentially £500 a week - more than enough for me.

I easily fit in either my backpack trolley unit or my OmniTrolley, 25ft SLX pole, ground floor pole, cobweb pole/brush and all my trad bits.  Well within the carrying capacity of this little car - and 70 - 80 mpg (diesel).  Barells/equipment are chained to the rear seat locators for extra safety.

Customers seem to like me turning up in my 500 and are surprised when all the gear starts coming out.
BaxWalker Window Cleaning

mlscontractcleaner

  • Posts: 1483
Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2009, 05:42:17 pm »
Mr Grey Wolf; why does it look cheap to be wearing shorts ??? ??? ???

I have a sign written van, wfp, top end carpet cleaning machine, high quality floor buffers, hoovers and every thing else needed to run a profitable contract cleaning business.

I wear shorts all the time during the summer.

Does that make my company cheap; or does it just mean I don't have trousers sticking to my sweaty legs as I'm working in these hot, humid conditions ??? ??? ???

Come and talk dirty to us!!!

windolene

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2009, 05:49:56 pm »
Hi,

My take on this is why have a van when all I would put in it is a bucket.!

An ideal car would be a Ford focus  type car.


Kevin WINDOLENE

Paul_Rolfe

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2009, 05:52:33 pm »
I just think too much skin showing looks, um, grubby. Keep it for the beach.

simon knight

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2009, 06:10:04 pm »
Mr Grey Wolf, You clean glass mate and nobody cares whether you drive a van, car, ride a horse or push a pram. Further they don't care whether you wear shorts, skirts, kilts or a three piece suit complete with a bowler hat.

Your customer couldn't care less how you clean their windows: you can trad them, wfp them or pi$$ on them and wipe 'em off with a used tampon...as long as at the end of the day they're clean and you charge sensible money relative to your opposition.

You seem to be under the impression that your customers have a view about you...they don't!...get over it!


s.w.c

  • Posts: 1174
Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2009, 06:14:37 pm »
I just think too much skin showing looks, um, grubby. Keep it for the beach.



i wear shorts in the summer time with a polo shirt all sign written, i even have quite alot of tattoos, it sounds like it wouldn't be up to your standards,
i do mostly residential work out of my car with a freedom trolley, i have a fare bit of better quality residential work some very well to do customers they all treat me well and seem to like chatting with me, they do judge a book by its cover,

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #17 on: August 14, 2009, 06:17:34 pm »
Shorts are okay, shorts and t-shirt or polo shirt are okay.....but NO t-shirt isnt good IMO.



paul saunders

  • Posts: 1110
Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #18 on: August 14, 2009, 06:18:33 pm »
Bout time someone said this ................... if you work out of a car your'e a cowboy.  ;D

btw. I use an astra estate so I'm a cowboy too.  :P
I can remember when waking up stiff in the morning was a good thing.

kenaltobelli

Re: Do you mind being looked down on if you work out of a car?
« Reply #19 on: August 14, 2009, 06:18:42 pm »
come on guys cars do look a bit working class ; ionics kit merc vito your talking pro now ;)