wow rick ,did you stay up all night writing that one .
lol i do this from time to time ill sit back watch the conversation unfold and may throw in the odd comment but i try to avaid these threads as best i can, but when my jaw hitts my toe's i know its time to roll up the sleves LOL......
i do a lot of website design and i know how important image is there is no getting away from that fact, and one of the biggest rules in web design in is the ballance between function and image, i can design a site now that looks 2x better than PC worlds current website but will it function as well as the current one? many failing webdesigns are pushing out these great looking sites with flashy bits of code all over em which to the normal web surfer out there looks at on the first visit and says "wow cool site" but after that it all means nothing, its what the site can do for you! so how does this tye in with W/C ?
flashy vans are just like all those flashy bits of code on websites that make you go oouuuu on the first visit but at the end of the day its how good you FUNCTION or in W/C teams how good you clean the glass, so whats the ballance in W/C?
dont look like you just been pulled off the rubish tip (this does not mean you need a "UNIFORM") speak to your customers with manners and treat them how you would expect to be treated your self and do a good job.... thats it!!!! dito!! vans and cars mean nothing...
when i speak of not looking like you are a scruffy g1tt, i work in jeans and a normal t-shirt, im not going round in uniforms or tucsedos (sp), yes you will get grubby but thats the job but very little effort goes into making yourself look a little more presentable, if you decide on uniforms GREAT! go for it im not saying its a waste of money or stupid all im saying its not a MUST to be SUCCESSFULL...
i sit back and watch the world somtimes and its getting enclosed, i come on here and a lot of you are running 4 man teams with WFP with new vans and basicly are COMPANYS wich is grate and i wish you all the best of luck, but there are a hell of a lot of W/C out there that use trad method's with a old set of ladders and run around in cars that past there best but if they clean the windows well, speak to there customers in a respectable manner and dont break into every house they clean whats the difference??..
it makes me chuckle it really does, as i say i drive a 1993 astra for work, posh? no luxury? i think not, cheap to run/maintain? you bet and the more i can save on trasport and ends up im my back pocket or goes to my kids the better, i would rather buy my 4 year old daughter 4 new bikes 6 wardrobes of new cloths than lash out on a new van/ car, but thats just my opinion and i understand that, just like dave about 5 years back i used to drive a very old volvo estate and i still regreat getting rid of her, she never let me down once and they are as tough as nails,......
ive seen some of these bigger W/C work and again not knocking them at all but they will clean then collect with "hello love £6.00 please" and thats it, and i think they are missing out on one of the most interesting parts of the job, 99% of my customers know me by name and although i carnt aford to spend more than a few mins i always ask how they are getting on and they do the same, they tell me about what there holidays were like and i do the same, basicly i make friends out of em and some are very good friends one of which me and wife go out to dinner with them on a regular basis and if anything is going to sercure you work by not getting the sack its just that and not the age of your van!,
i myself have made bobo's on jobs but its near unheard of that they sac me they will make a joke out of it, i opologize and make sure it doesnt happen again and depending on the scale of the mess up i will offer a refund, if i loose any work apart from death/moving ralated situations it will be NEW jobs where i hardly know the customer...
this flashy van and i use the best in new technology cr@p is getting old, im not knocking you guys who use WFP if anything i wish ya all the best but there aint now need for this kick the smaller guy attitude and you can scream all day long on here but TIME will tell and ill bet my pension this causes reputions in future....
right im going to work now to buy me a new keyboard as this one seems to be getting a little thin on the keys
regards
Rick
