Editor’s note: Two recent discussions from the Cleaning & Maintenance Management Online Bulletin Board spoke of ways to secure new business in an uncer-tain economy and the competitive nature of bidding for services. Excerpts from those conversations follow below. Posted by: Wayne Myslinski 7/21/2011 Okay, so I went and looked at a 10,000-square-foot building to be cleaned three times per week. After looking at it and talking to the per-son who will award the job, I asked what the price was that he is paying right now … $800 per month is what it is. He said that, if I wanted this account, I would need to provide better service and a lower price. Now, I know that I can provide better service, but I really don’t want to go in any lower than the $800. Any ideas as what I could do or offer to get this account? I was thinking about stripping and wax-ing the bathrooms and the kitchen/break-room at no charge — just one time. Posted by: Karl Blair 9/13/2011 I know this subject has been discussed a lot on this board, but I would like opinions con-cerning the ease or difficulty of getting new contracts given the state of the economy today. It seems to me that it is more difficult than it used to be where we are located at in Florida for at least two reasons: 1. A shrinking market — i.e. more vacan-cies in office parks 2. Conjecture on my part I can’t prove it, but with high unemploy-ment, people who can’t find jobs are starting cleaning businesses because of low startup costs and bidding whatever just to put food on the table. Opinions please and advice as to how to overcome these obstacles. We specialize in small professional office buildings. sional dedication to satisfaction. While many customers shop solely on price, some care about quality service above all else. If you are looking to fill your time, price-shopping customers are alright. However, these types of accounts are generally more work than they are worth. Of course, in this unsettled economy, any work is better than no work. Though it takes considerable time and effort, visiting accounts you would like to secure and introducing yourself can be quite helpful. The link below is to an article from our August 2011 issue about marketing your company versus advertising. This reply could go on forever, as there are a plethora of factors that go into finding and securing new accounts. If you want, feel free to send me an e-mail ([email protected]) and I can pro-vide you with some points of contact that might be able to better lend you some advice. In the meantime, best of luck to you and Godspeed. www.CMMOnline.com/Management-Training/Article/Market-Dont-Advertise. CM Responses: Ken Galo 7/21/2011 Are you looking for business just to have something to do? Why would you take an account that isn’t offering a decent profit and then give them something more for free? Tell him you are better than what he has and you can prove it at $800 a month. You are not a car dealership with flexible overhead, government rebates, etc. Responses: Peter Weiss 9/16/2011 Here in New Jersey, there are definitely many more vacancies as well as more peo-ple with a vacuum that now call themselves cleaning services. In the last week, we started two day care centers, two surgery centers and one church. There is plenty of work for those who operate a good service and know how to sell it. Get involved CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management Online ™ viewers as well as CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® magazine readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor on topics of interest to the professional clean-ing and maintenance industry. Send letters to the editor to [email protected]. Wayne Myslinski 7/22/2011 I am looking to pick up one or two accounts to help pay some bills. I do have a full-time head custodian job, so I guess I am not looking to make a career move — just some extra money for bills. Aaron Baunee 9/23/2011 The key is to differentiate yourself from the competition and show a personable, profes-www.cmmonline.com 7
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