HARD-working van drivers are being warned that using generic email addresses can cost business by proving an unprofessional turn-off.

Thousands of small British business are still using generic web-based email accounts on their liveried vans because they fail to understand how easy and inexpensive it is to set up a web domain.

Now van leasing giant LeaseVan.co.uk has warned drivers they could be missing out on lucrative business deals because of their Hotmail, Yahoo and Gmail email addresses.

They warned that the use of such email addresses on the sides and backs of vans can create a perception that the tradesman isn’t a serious business person.

The issue can be solved very easily by registering a web domain for a few pounds. It isn’t even necessary to build a website and the new email address can be easily set up to forward to an existing mailbox.At worst, it could give the impression of a rogue trader or a fly-by-night who might not be around until the end of the job.

Tim Alcock from LeaseVan.co.uk said many van drivers were unaware just how easy it can be to register their own web domain.

He also said many wrongly believed there were huge costs involved in buying a domain when the truth is an email address can be bought for pennies.

He said: “No one needs to be driving around with a generic email address on their van in 2017. Yet many tradesmen wrongly believe setting up their own domain is costly and time consuming.

“We want to bust that myth once and for all because the reality is it costs a few quid and they could be missing out on scores of jobs every month because some punters are put off by a Hotmail or Gmail address.

“If they convert one single extra job the web domain has paid for itself. It’s a no brainer – why on earth wouldn’t you?

“It’s frustrating that someone should work so hard to set up their own business, make a really smart move by leasing a van to save on costs, and then lose out on something that’s so easy and cheap to set up.”

A recent survey found that 78% of people trusted company-branded emails more than free email addresses and two-thirds, 67%, also said they were more likely to remember a company branded email.

One homeowner recently told LeaseVan.co.uk of her experience of a tradesman with a personal email address.

She said: “We needed to find a gardener, and came across someone with a Hotmail address that referenced a children’s TV character. I was really put off, as it looked like he wasn’t taking the business seriously.

“For some reason my husband insisted on trying him, against my wishes. He didn’t actually show up for the first appointment and was almost impossible to contact afterwards.

“We are definitely not going to try any more tradespeople with silly email addresses. If they think their business isn’t important enough to set up a professional email domain, why should we use them?”

Tim Alcock from LeaseVan.co.uk added: “Suppose you’re looking for a plumber. You’re comparing different people and you come across someone with the email address paultheplumber12345 at hotmail.com.  Are you going to use him or are you going to call the competitor with his own professional sounding domain?”

Tim said: “It’s hard enough setting up in business – we don’t want our tradesmen to lose custom over an email address. Take a few minutes and set up something professional.”