Wrong image for home quotes?

[Carbonio]

Hi all, I'm looking at starting a domestic water treatment business and will need to go to customers homes to carry out water anaylsis and see what equipment is needed.

If someone came to give a quote in an expensive looking car would it put you off or be seen as the company doing well?

My daily runner is a bit out of the norm but don't want to buy a German barge.

I will be subcontracting the install side so won't need any vans until I have taken on staff so that's out of the question.

 

[sjb84]

From my point of view, I wouldn't care what car you turned up in, I would be more interested in the price of your quote. That said how many times have you heard 'image is everything'. A cliche I no

 

[Carbonio]

From my point of view, I wouldn't care what car you turned up in, I would be more interested in the price of your quote. That said how many times have you heard 'image is everything'. A cliche I no

A fair price and good customer service will be my main selling points so hopefuly as I'll already be at the clents home or site it shouldn't have e negative effect.

 

[mitch@volume]

Park around the corner. :|

Turn up in an Aston, top end Range or similar then maybe it would give an impression to the customer. But anything else from a Focus to an M3/S5 etc I would just think it was another sales guy in a company car. Nothing more or less.

So what do you drive?

 

[Carbonio]

Park around the corner. :|

Turn up in an Aston, top end Range or similar then maybe it would give an impression to the customer. But anything else from a Focus to an M3/S5 etc I would just think it was another sales guy in a company car. Nothing more or less.

So what do you drive?

Parking around the corner would work in built up areas but the area I'm starting is quiet rural with one main market town and villages so won't be able to do that all the time.

My daily driver is a Quattroporte but if I go to see potential customers on an evening I could possibly take the wifes car.

 

[mitch@volume]

Ahh I see, very nice car, but one of those that people think cost three time more than you can buy them for now. (used prices obviously)

Would love one, but I bet the servicing etc is a tad pricey :|

Wifes car sound like the best option.

 

[Carbonio]

Ahh I see, very nice car, but one of those that people think cost three time more than you can buy them for now. (used prices obviously)

Would love one, but I bet the servicing etc is a tad pricey :|

Wifes car sound like the best option.

That's the problem, not your average salesmans car.

I budget 4k a year servicing costs and 8-19 mpg so not cheap to run but makes me smile.

Might pick up a cheap A4 if I find it putting customers off.

 

[MikeJ]

FWIW, it would make me wonder if there was a cheaper option. It's a bit odd, as it's clearly a hobby as much as a mode of transport. You could easily spend that money following a football club, and nobody would care.

We had our drive done last year, and I particularly didn't want to use one company as we saw their Range Rover in Tesco and I always thought "pricey". We got them to quote, and their price was very competitive and they did a fantastic job.

As an aside, if you're going to Aquatech in November, let me know and you can call by our stand for a beer. We're not really in your market (we do industrial & municipal stuff) but I'm always interested in chatting to people in the business.

 

[Carbonio]

FWIW, it would make me wonder if there was a cheaper option. It's a bit odd, as it's clearly a hobby as much as a mode of transport. You could easily spend that money following a football club, and nobody would care.

We had our drive done last year, and I particularly didn't want to use one company as we saw their Range Rover in Tesco and I always thought "pricey". We got them to quote, and their price was very competitive and they did a fantastic job.

As an aside, if you're going to Aquatech in November, let me know and you can call by our stand for a beer. We're not really in your market (we do industrial & municipal stuff) but I'm always interested in chatting to people in the business.

My bread and butter is municipal, waste and industrial water treatment, UF, RO, DI, EDI etc but this is going to be my own baby, starting off domestic before going industrial but want to grow it organicaly along side my other commitments.

I'll swing by Amsterdam if we get there, are there any UK shows worth going to?

 

[MikeJ]

Not really. Iwex (or Sustainability live, as it's now called) has been and gone, but is drifting further away from water these days. There's also the Water, Waste and Sewage shows, but they tend to be quite small.

http://www.pse.co.uk/

However, they stage them around the country so there's a chance there will be one quite close to you. If you've not been to Aquatech before, it's worth a visit. There's more and more Chinese suppliers there, which are more suited to the the domestic markets if you can get stuff with the right approvals.

Looking at your current area, you probably work for one of our customers!

 

[Deleted member 138423]

If you turned up in a Maserati, well I'd talk to you about the car firstly as a bit of a petrolhead, but for the masses, I would suggest something far more conservative personally! What car does your wife have?

 

[Carbonio]

Not really. Iwex (or Sustainability live, as it's now called) has been and gone, but is drifting further away from water these days. There's also the Water, Waste and Sewage shows, but they tend to be quite small.

http://www.pse.co.uk/

However, they stage them around the country so there's a chance there will be one quite close to you. If you've not been to Aquatech before, it's worth a visit. There's more and more Chinese suppliers there, which are more suited to the the domestic markets if you can get stuff with the right approvals.

Looking at your current area, you probably work for one of our customers!

Mike,

Thanks for the info. Is it ok if Pm you if I have any questions that I think you may be able to help with?

Chinese suppliers would be good for some products, if as you say they are WRAS approved etc.

I've worked for some big water companies and am currently employed with a large utility company but don't want to say any more on the open forum. Feel it's time I should be building my own empire rather than building up others.

 

[Carbonio]

If you turned up in a Maserati, well I'd talk to you about the car firstly as a bit of a petrolhead, but for the masses, I would suggest something far more conservative personally! What car does your wife have?

Nick, I think your right. I'll probably buy a little run around or possibly a van that can be passed onto the first person I take on.

The wife has a Seat Ibiza that should do the trick.

 

[Deleted member 138423]

Nick, I think your right. I'll probably buy a little run around or possibly a van that can be passed onto the first person I take on.

Yes, a little nicely logoed van should do the job just fine

 

[Carbonio]

Yes, a little nicely logoed van should do the job just fine

Decision made, that wasn't too hard. Caddy Sportline should do nice

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

I was about to post about getting a van. You don't even need to get it sign-written if you don't want to, but folk who expect someone to turn up in something less "flashy" are normally quite happy to delve into their pockets.

 

[beasty]

The fact you have even asked this question shows that you know people are going to be put off.

It is a cast iron fact that if you turn up in that car, people will be aware that you can cut whatever quote you are offering and that if you dont there are going to be alternatives at lower cost.

I know people who would just think flash tw$$ no matter what you quoted they would say no thanks.

Get an A4 and blend in

I worked in field sales very part time and there was a full timer making 120k a year, single guy, drove an 8 year old corsa and was a man of the people when he closed a deal (Customers were 95% council house tennants)

If you do not mind losing the business you are definitely losing, then keep pushing the 4 door


Ok i did not read replies above only page 1, see you have a van coming

 

[Carbonio]

I was about to post about getting a van. You don't even need to get it sign-written if you don't want to, but folk who expect someone to turn up in something less "flashy" are normally quite happy to delve into their pockets.

Yep, think your right. I was hoping that as I'm looking to be more involved in growing the business and running it day to day and not have too much customer interaction I could get away with using my personal car for a short while until I have the staff in place. But I'm going to have to need a van any way so might as well roll my sleeves up, get stuck in an build it up from a little further down and miss out the sub-contractors, that way I have total control over the service. I can train my installers the way I want the job done then.

 

[JoeyCart]

I would expect to see a decent but not too flashy car. If the car looks nice it would give me comfort but if it was over the top it would put me off. I would get something like a C-Class or A4 would be proffesional but not in your face.

 

[BustersDogs]

Oh yes, I'd definitely think I'd contacted someone at the higher end of the market if you turned up at my door in that and as soon as you'd gone I'd ring someone else. I'd think you were too expensive for me!

ETA I'd probably feel embarrassed.

 

[telemax]

Nice, new, clean, signwritten van.

 

[MikeJ]

Mike,

Thanks for the info. Is it ok if Pm you if I have any questions that I think you may be able to help with?

Yes, no problem at all.