Have you ever been convinced you were going to win a job? You quote less than you usually would because you need the work; the job is one you have done a thousand times before, and you seemed to build a rapport with the customer. But then, seemingly inexplicably, the job is off and you are left without the additional income.

Recent research from Vanarama, a UK van leasing company, has unearthed a possible reason for the customer’s sudden change of heart: the state of your van.

The research, which canvassed the views of 2,000 people, provided some enlightening results, with 51 per cent of respondents admitting to having concerns about the quality of a tradesman if they were unable to afford a respectable van.

The survey delved further into the perceptions customers formed of tradespeople. 70 per cent of respondents felt it was important for tradespeople to dress suitably, whilst 93 per cent would be reassured about the quality of a tradespersons work by the presence of technical certifications.

There were some regional disparities in the results of the research. It might be said that Londoners are more preoccupied with appearance, with 69 per cent admitting that the condition of a tradesperson’s van would affect the level of confidence they had in their work. Conversely, only 58 per cent of Scots were concerned about the state of a tradesperson’s van.

Andy Alderson, managing director of Vanarama, said: “From both our own experience of using tradesmen as well as anecdotal feedback from our customers, we instinctively knew that a van in poor condition could create the wrong impression about a tradesperson, potentially impacting the amount of work they receive, the price they charge, and ultimately, their reputation”.