ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Your Presentation?

Just a small question here.
How much pride do you take in your appearance when you go into a new job or even a small job.
I'm told that 9/10's of securing a job is how you look when you turn up.
I'm not saying we should all wear a 3 piece suit to work, but there are limits, eh?.
I personally shave every morning (even Saturday and Sunday), time allowing, I have also been refused entry to the odd house through having a 5 o'clock shadow as a Faultsman at 2300, with the words of ("I'm not letting a rough looking B@*&%$d, like you in here!), even though you have PoCo Overalls on!
What are your guys thoughts on this?.

I think appearance is extremely important. If you are clean cut and dressed in neat, clean clothes you have a much better chance of winning a bid or getting repeat business. The good homeowners, you know the ones that pay, will take appearance over low price every time.

Other than appearance, showing up on time and not making a mess in the customers house are extremely important.

I have a hard time getting my employees to understand these key princliples, especially the young guys. They often won't shave for a week and I can't seem to drill it into them to just not make a mess in the first place. I know they have a shop vac on the truck and can clean up the mess, but the homeowner doesn't know that. There's also a drop cloth on the truck, USE IT!

I used to carry Rug Squares on the truck all the time. They're great for putting out in locations to wipe your feet. It shows the Homeowner that you care about their house and can even be a Safety-related thing as many homes have Tile entryways which can be very slippery (and become messy fast) when coming inside on a wet day.

Bill

Oh, and Dropcloths are a great idea too. I'd have 3 or 4 of them on the Truck at all times.

[This message has been edited by Bill Addiss (edited 10-25-2003).]

Eagle, Bill,
Thanks for your replies.
A drop-cloth is standard equipment in our vans, as are vacuum cleaners.
If the Boss found out that you never cleaned up after doing a job, Boy you'd be in for it!.
Just as an aside, I've just about started arguments with customers about cleaning up, they say that they will clean up your mess for you later, but being the sort of person I am, I always like to finish the job properly by getting rid of my rubbish and running a V/cleaner over the area I have been working in.
People just have got used to Tradespeople here leaving a mess behind.
I don't think it's asking too much to have the place left as you found it.
Eagle,
I must say that I agree with you, I will not allow any apprentices that work with me to have stubble or long hair, with the latter being a Health and Safety risk around Motors and other rotating machinery.
But, if you don't take any pride in your appearance, what's your work standard like, I would be asking as a paying customer.

Trumpy, here in the good old USofA if you fired, or wouldn't hire someone because of their long hair you would have discrimination charges brought against you. I am with you guys on cleanliness and appearance and such. I also have a nice truck and keep it clean both inside and out. It gives a good impression as to how you will treat their property. I see so many guys on jobs, plumbers etc, with incredibly messy trucks. I am talking open the door and stuff falls out. (Papers, napkins, coffee cups). This seems to cary over to their work habits in the house.

Scott,
That sounds like a GC I used to know. At the end of the day, he just threw stuff into the back of his van. Next day he'd turn up and when he opened the rear doors, all sorts of junk fell out. He didn't even bother to put lids on boxes of screws, and after a few twists and turns around country lanes (especially the way he drove!) the contents would soon be distributed around the floor.

I'm glad he moved away in the end and saved me the trouble up coming up with an excuse to "get out", because I was getting fed up with working with him. Even though I was only sub-contract, it can give people the wrong impression about one's own work.

Back to personal appearance: I think giving the right impression counts. Nobody expects you to turn up in a suit and tie to crawl through an attic, but one can still be neat and tidy.

Back when I was with British Telecom in the 1980s, there was one guy joined at the local exchange who had just left school. He had a Mohican-style hair-do, dyed in bright red and green!

The engineer he was apprenticed to was kind of embarrassed about taking him anywhere. He was a nice enough young lad, but as the engineer said, "How can I send him to some little old lady's house to go and check her phone? She'll probably scream and run off to call the police!"

I once knew a chimney cleaner who would do the whole carpet pads and drop cloths routine, but he said what got him more work than he could shake a chimney brush at was that he still cleaned chimneys in a black tuxedo and top hat. He also would pose for pictures a few times a day with clients and standing on the roof next to the chimney. He told me he has about 98% repeat customers every year. Appearance can have a great impact. How about that picture of the electricians in suitcoat and ties?...

Electric Eagle,

and

Trumpy,

Tradespeople who turn up on time, do the work from start to finish and not just spread their tools makes a huge difference to the customer. I've been on the back of the odd tradesman who tried to leave a few tools and come back later on half hour jobs. Sure it makes me a PITA, but I can live with that. Unfortunately, the bad tradespeople give people a reason to D-I-Y even if it's more expensive than hiring a pro.

[This message has been edited by C-H (edited 10-27-2003).]

This chimmeny sweep's dry cleaning bill must be enough to sweep a person off their feet!

LOL