[twt]

Who has a uniform that they work in personally i just wear jeans and t-shirt or jumper/jacket depending on the weather. after reading pro window cleaning mag im annoyed because of the artical where the bloke slags off w/cs who have dirty jeans, fair enough for him he wont get dirty sat in his office while all his minions are out earning him money but trampling round peoples gardens and up and down ladders (not for much longer soon get me wfp trolley sorted ) you cant help but get mucky and so what if i dont have a shave one morning im cleaning their windows not asking for their daughters hand in marriage as long as i do a good job, am polite, honest, regular, friendly, insured, pay my taxes what does it matter if i get a bit of mud on my jeans? 
     Also while im on the topic of that mag why do those people send it to me ?? i dont want it, i dont pay for it, and im not going to now ive seen how up its self it is. funny how all the articles are sqeeged apart from the scare mongering rubbish about dying from cleaning leaded windows by hand, the guy spouted some rubbish about getting black hands from cleaning leaded windows, what was he doing rubbing the window until there was no lead left!!! idiot. im not waisting my time going for a blood test this was just a ploy to get us to buy wfp, well im not gonna buy wfp from them or their stinking mag why should i pay them to advertise to me. I had though about buying this tripe but why should i pay to be insulted by these people calling us domestic cleaners cow boys

Sorry about the rant had to get it out off the sytem, on a lighter note just got to ask tosh is that your uniform in your picture. (no offence intended).
phil

[Davindo Cleana]

its the way of the world - but if you are making v good wage as you are - then it doesn't matter if you turn up dressed like the Swansea football club mascot

[windows_chepstow]

Phil,

Good rant, mate.  We wear sort of a uniform.  Wor Lass and I wear red polo tops, similar trousers and different footwear.

I keep my hair short, she keeps hers long.

We both shave; me every morning.  I shave while having my morning 'toilet' with a 'lecky shaver (much to Wor Lasses disgust); so that's a time-efficient tip.

I think it's important to try and look at least half decent and often I'll load my 'uniform' into the washing machine with my scrims (much to Wor Lasses horror), so I'm clean and fresh each morning.

In winter we often differ in our clothing (although I'll standardise it this year) and in extreme heat we both wear white t-shirts that are different.

But usually we look the same.

I don't have any facial peircings or anything that could frighten off old grannies and never smoke in front of customers or while at work (or while Wor Lass is about).

And I've spent ALL EVENING designing new 'chits'; ensuring the spelling and grammar is the best I can produce (there's lots of info on there) and making sure they're as pretty and professional as I can muster with my low level of desk top publishing skills.

I think with the amount of Chav-looking window cleaners we have, it's important to not appear to look like one; even if you're definately not.  It doesn't take a lot of money to cobble some sort of 'uniform' up.

I can see your point of view though.  Fair 'nuff!

[windows_chepstow]

Sorry about the rant had to get it out off the sytem, on a lighter note just got to ask tosh is that your uniform in your picture. (no offence intended).
phil

I've just waffled for England, then realised you think that's a picture of me in my avatar!

Doh!  It's not.  I'm a Geordie-Jap.  The bloke in the avatar is a Nigerian con-man, who I conned to get him to send me that picture.

I do like his clothing though.  Just the job for mincing around the house in.

[twt]

Tosh
conned a con man, nice one. back to the subject i dont look like a chav and most days im clean shaven and well groomed but with my round it is almost impossible to avoid getting a bit mucky sometimes  and i think my customers accept this and know im an above board service. about your chits i do mine on www.vistaprint.co.uk u can get free (pay for postage)buisness cards from there and design them online i just design them informing the customer the windows have been cleaned and ask them to send a cheque i think they look the part.(hope it helps).
phil.

[Moderator David@stives]

"Just be yourself and the customers will get to like you and would not swap you for any one else .no matter what as long as you do a good job and turn up regular ,after all we are not dentists ,lawyers etc .
yes we do exactly what it says on the tin ,we clean windows .nobody has ever sacked me for being unshaven or got ripped jeans on or turned up there drive in my ancient rusted out Volvo .they just like me for who i am and what i do. nice uniforms don't win jobs .they just want clean windows of someone they can get to know and trust .They no i always go home a bit knackered and have got family and some times  cant be bothered running yourself through the tarting up bit .believe me i clean in a very affluent area and have done so for the last 7 years .Not all customers are like Mrs Bouquet you know .

this was my reply to the question

[AuRavelling79]

Yes! Brilliant rant twt - love it! However..........

a) If you want more business, especially in more "select" or commercial (profitable) areas a uniform is good because business and professional people generally prefer a smart look to the raggedy ars*ed, f*g-smoking look.

A uniform need not be expensive. Go to your local workwear supplier (Aarco for example) and for about £35 you'll get a zip up jacket with chest pockets and trousers with sewn in creases (like van delivery drivers often wear.)

You can wear the top with shorts or the bottom with T shirt when its warm.

And like Tosh says you can wash it with your scrims.

And of course you can choose to wear it only when its useful to do so - "calm down dear" it's only another tool in your toolbox.

B) Professional window cleaning mag/leaded lights

They're doing a good job - but the leaded light cleaning  article made me smile too! I think it was Graham who said the essence of "Only worry if you're licking them clean."

I use a trolley and a J reg Honda Estate and I'm no example of sartorial elegence either! (But the uniform idea is a good one and I get more "asks" on posh domestics since I bought mine)

c) Of course Tosh's uniform should have 3 stripes and a crown on the upper sleeve.

[Sarah Sarill]

hi guys - enough of your one sided ranting !!  As a typical exapmle of the fairer sex and the wife of a window cleaner it is my duty (no obligation) to express the view of the opposite sex.

Most of your clients are ladies (after all it is they who  sort of got left with the responsibility of keeping the house clean !!!).  From OUR prespective there is nothing better than have someone turn up to your property looking just CLEAN & TIDY.  Us ladies are bred to judge men on their personality firstly and then the effort they have made with their apperance secondly. 
SO IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF YOU LOOK AND SMELL GOOD IF YOUR CUSTOMER IS FEMALE. 

If, like me you think you live in a half decent area then having a window cleaner who wears a uniform is a must - what will the neighbours think if one turns up in Jeans and a bobble hat eh !!.

No all joking aside superficial dress and cleanliness does 'wash' with us females so why not maximise on this to bring in extra business.  Having one up on your competitors is a must in any business and if it means spending a few quid on a uniform then do it.  Commercially it is a MUST particularly if you are cleaning restaurants and hotels - their customers do not want to be looking at a dirty, unprofessional cowboy and your clients do not want their customers complaining aboutr it to them either.

Well thats my rant over and dont forget its only my opinion .
Just one thought though who are your customers and what would they like to see? Are there any other females on this site who agree or dis-agree ?
 
PS: Dont forget the deodrant and after shave either it may get you a cuppa and a cake or .....

[twt]

hi saril
you'v given me food for thought, i think i may have come across as some sort of hill billy who never washes . i do wash and i dont smoke and over all i think my appearance is good despite the jeans and t-shirt. as for the idea of buying a uniform might be a good idea but would cost a fortune as im 6foot 7 and probably would have to get it specially made. In the small town i live in there is only one w/c who wears a uniform and he does not give people a poffessional image, and someone once told me they thought he was mentally handicapped (hes not hes just v strange). Ive picked up lots of customers who used to have him and they all thought he was rather silly to say the least (i didnt poach them they just sacked him because of his service).Im always  turning work down because of word of mouth, i think my service speaks for it's self.

You do have a good point about comercial work though but it doesnt pay in this town on the whole because we have a battle for this type of work and the guys who work in the town centre are always undercutting each other so i just stear clear and let them work for a pound a day.
thanks for your well thought out answers and helping me to see a different point of view.

[twt]

ps im just off down town to get the links affect

[AuRavelling79]

ps im just off down town to get the links affect

Off for a game of golf in this weather?

[windows_chepstow]

I've only ever had two decent commercial contracts (but I've only been going 2 and a half years).  The first was a massive Hilton, which I dropped because it was more than I could chew on, and underpriced - but well over priced from the company I took the contract from.

The second was (which I still have) a nice hotel in Tintern.  Well priced.

Both times when turning up to quote, Wor Lass and I ensured we wore the same clothing( ); and she put a bit of 'slap' on. 

I always give a bit of 'speil' saying we're professional, insured, blah blah blah, (normally before I give the price) at which point both hotel managers have agreed and commented positively on our turnout and bearing.

We can talk the talk.  It's the 'walking' bit we have problems with, but at least we're halfway there!

[matt]

top stuff on the rant

I am sure Philip will love it 

on the note of Uniforms, i wear a T-shirt and Jeans (or shorts in the summer), i shave every few days (so what)

Im polite and the customers love the honest joe type of thing

though i am looking at getting a fleece and T'shirts with my name on it, only because i think it looks slightly better

[matt]

i dont subscribe, the cheap skate i am

the only article that i would like to read is the 1 about my mate Ben who moved back to OZ and ive got his round now

i hope he says good things about me in the article

[Paul Coleman]

Who has a uniform that they work in personally i just wear jeans and t-shirt or jumper/jacket depending on the weather. after reading pro window cleaning mag im annoyed because of the artical where the bloke slags off w/cs who have dirty jeans, fair enough for him he wont get dirty sat in his office while all his minions are out earning him money but trampling round peoples gardens and up and down ladders (not for much longer soon get me wfp trolley sorted ) you cant help but get mucky and so what if i dont have a shave one morning im cleaning their windows not asking for their daughters hand in marriage as long as i do a good job, am polite, honest, regular, friendly, insured, pay my taxes what does it matter if i get a bit of mud on my jeans? 
     Also while im on the topic of that mag why do those people send it to me ?? i dont want it, i dont pay for it, and im not going to now ive seen how up its self it is. funny how all the articles are sqeeged apart from the scare mongering rubbish about dying from cleaning leaded windows by hand, the guy spouted some rubbish about getting black hands from cleaning leaded windows, what was he doing rubbing the window until there was no lead left!!! idiot. im not waisting my time going for a blood test this was just a ploy to get us to buy wfp, well im not gonna buy wfp from them or their stinking mag why should i pay them to advertise to me. I had though about buying this tripe but why should i pay to be insulted by these people calling us domestic cleaners cow boys

Sorry about the rant had to get it out off the sytem, on a lighter note just got to ask tosh is that your uniform in your picture. (no offence intended).
phil

I wear blue one piece boiler suit most of the time I'm working.  The very hot days see me in a light t-shirt and jeans though but I prefer to cover up well as I tend to burn too easily.

[Sarah Sarill]

One futher point I forgot to mention was  that there will be different ideas on what is a 'uniform '.

Clean industrial blue trousers and a cheap high street white polo shirt is ours but know of a local w/c who has matching thingyie trousers and jacket (all printed) He wears a yellow sleeveless body warmer in the winter too !!! (also signwritten).

AND. in the summer his hat also bears his company name.

Personally I think its over the top but he is INSTANTLLY recognisable and constantly promoting his company name.

So dont get all hung up on a uniform - in my opinion be clean, recognisable as a w/c, (to whatever extent), be courteous and most of all provide a decent INVALUABLE service and you cant go wrong.

[Sarah Sarill]

top stuff on the rant

I am sure Philip will love it 

on the note of Uniforms, i wear a T-shirt and Jeans (or shorts in the summer), i shave every few days (so what)

Im polite and the customers love the honest joe type of thing

though i am looking at getting a fleece and T'shirts with my name on it, only because i think it looks slightly better

Matt.  Dont get them done professionally.  You can buy T-shirt Transfer paper sheets from your local stationers which cost about £11 for up to 10  shirt prints.  I pay £6 frr two polo shirts from a well known high street store (you know the bird one!!) and design and print my own.  The good thing is you can change the info you print when you want eg. Tel no changes, special offers etc.  We sometimes do ones that say 'STOP ME IF YOU NEED A WINDOW CLEANER' or GOOD WINDOW CLEANER FOR HIRE etc.  Change the message to your job ie simple, funny or more professional for commercial jobs.

The good thing is that for £4 a top you are constantly promoting your company and without the usual high costs !!!.



FINALLY be prepared to get stopped anywhere for enquiries as I've been propositioned in the supermarket , at the petrol garage and last week whilst picking up a prescription in my local pharmacy.

[Deanyp]

Mate, im totally with ya there. Read article on here bout shiners lookin not totally dapper and i wound me up a bit too. Like yourself, honest, polite, work hard, dont stitch anyone up. But oops i wear a sleeveless t shirt when it's 28 degrees outside.Oh and shorts lol. I would say i sometimes have a smoke while on the job, but i dunno if i dare for fear of bringing the profession down into the gutter  Cool, thanx 4 inspiring me to get that off me chest.
PS never had a customer cancel cos of my attire.In fact, the phone don't stop ringin with friends of existing punters who have recommended me.