YAPH wrote:
On Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:28:14 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

If Mrs Smith is elderly she is highly likely to want someone
uniformed & Trading Standards accredited who she can trust.

I've never had anyone ask me about a uniform. I'm not sure how it
would be a deciding factor, except in the case of a few companies who
either make
an advertising point of it or are known for it.

Its a brand image thing really. People don't ask about uniforms, it
wouldn't really occur to them. But they are impressed by them and like them
a lot. "I could see you were a professional from the way you are dressed"
is a common comment. Why do Gritish Bas et al insist their staff are
uniformed?

Bearing in mind that embroidered corporate clothing is wholly & exclusively
for business use, is 100% tax deductible and actually cheaper than being
non uniformed.

Older people & lone females like it a lot & often comment on it. They are
reassured that you are who you say you are. Commercial clients like it as
well, better than a strange scruffy oik wandering around their premises.


As I'm not Trading Standards accredited I don't know how much of a
factor that is. Do you get business directly through some TS
register, and if
so do you get much work that way?


Medway Council TS operate a 'Fair Trader' scheme and list you on their Fair
Trader website
http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/commu...airtrading.htm
lists the benefits and
http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/busin....htm?initial=H
shows what happens if the client clicks through.

I get a lot of business via the councils website. Council employees make it
their first port of call and the elderly use it a lot. Costs £100 a year,
well worth it, very cheap advertising.


And do you get a better class of
customer (or at least, a less-worse class!)? (I have a slight
suspicion that the sort of people who rely on such directories are
more likely to be unreasonably picky and troublesome to work for.)

The clients I get from the FT site tend to be less price conscious & willing
to pay what I ask. Not noticed any especially picky trend, they mainly want
someone they can trust. Everyone has seen Rogue Traders. Trust is the
thing.

Or do you just use your TS-accreditation in your advertising? And if
so do you get any sense from customers how much of a factor it is in
their decision to choose you? And again, are they the sort of
customers you want?!


I use the FT logo on everything; van, web site, flyers, adverts etc. It
certainly makes a big difference " I chose you because you are a Fair
Trader" is a common comment.

So its a twofold benefit, it attracts the sort of client I want and it
reinforces the sale if the client has found me elsewhere.

Reading Council don't seem to offer such a scheme, maybe you should suggest
it.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk