[dai]

I have been approached by a guy who runs a commercial cleaning company. This guys business is on the up, new van and car in the last few months. They clean mainly offices, they also clean windows inside only.
He as asked me if I would be interested in doing the outside window cleaning as he has no interest in this. Of course I am interested, but in the course of our conversation it became plane that he wanted some financial reward for passing the work on. Should I say that I would pay him the value of the job on receipt of the first payment? Have any of you ever been in this situation?
He has two cleaning contracts on a new business park. It could be a good way of getting in early. Advice appreciated. Dai

[jeff1]

If He has no interest in the outsides, but want's money off you for passing on the work, i would tell him to sling his hook, and approach the company myself.

unless you really need the work, then I would find out how much he wants, and if it would be a one off payment.

[dai]

I don't know who the companys are. He said he turns down lots of outside jobs, and tells them to find someone else. Dai

[jeff1]

Dai

Thats a difficult one then?
Is it worth going around your cleaning areas and ask them yourself, you can normaly tell if the places have a window cleaner, or just pop into the reception, and ask there, the only other way is to ask this guy, were they are and you will think about it, But i really wouldn't want to hand money over if its a continuose payment plan, like i said if it wasnt to much for a one off it might be worth it.

[stephen.b1]

some of you guys are as daft as a brush
THIS IS BUISSINESS
offer him 50% of the first clean  and 50% of the second clean that way you know its going to be an on going job  pay him after you have been payed and you will bill the company . dont go into the company and try to bye pass him he will more than likely have a very good working relationship with the contracts manager that will be your downfall think of all the other contracts this guy can put your way you are quids in pay the money reap the rewards

[Trevor Knight]

some of you guys are as daft as a brush
THIS IS BUISSINESS
offer him 50% of the first clean and 50% of the second clean that way you know its going to be an on going job pay him after you have been payed and you will bill the company . dont go into the company and try to bye pass him he will more than likely have a very good working relationship with the contracts manager that will be your downfall think of all the other contracts this guy can put your way you are quids in pay the money reap the rewards

Agreed, DON'T Try and bypass him, this will cause more damage than good. If he has contacts then use them to your advantage. I would offer him a % over 2/3 months. Invoice direct and keep your working relationship on a good footing. I did this with a guy years ago and what started out as £200 p/m built up to £1500/£2000 p/m, then when he retired I bought his existing business. Out of small acorns grow big oak trees. I now have a fleet of 4 vans and we are busy as hell. Don't bite the hand that feeds ya!!

[stuart webster]

I agree with Trevor, I would look at the job, set my price, and bill him as a contractor. It is then only reasonable that he bills the company with a % added.

[Ian_Giles]

I have to disagree, backhanders for doing no more than passing your name to a prospective customer sucks.

if he wants money for it, tell him you will price it up and he can add his own percentage and you'll bill him for the work.
That way you get exactly what you want for the job/s and he gets an ongoing commision.
Let him collect the money for it, no doubt he would just cost it in alongside his other work.
Sorry, but I hate it when people think they can get money for doing sweet FA.

Ian

[telboy]

Dai

we sub contract work from a number of cleanining companies,
we price the jobs ourselves tell them the price we want then they put there bit on
and providing they are not to greedy we get the job been doing this for years

Telboy


Angel C/S

[dai]

Thanks guys, I'll stick with it and see where it goes. I like Steven B1's idea, 50% on the receipt of the first two payments and that's it. No ongoing payment, unless they are one off jobs and I bill him direct.
He told me that he was doing one job with 80 large windows but the present W/C was doing a bad job. He said he could find out how much he charged.
I told him he could find out what the other guy charged, it would be a useful guide to local commercial rates, but there was know way I would be prepared to do this job, and take the crust off the other guys table. If they sacked him for incompetence
it would be a different matter. This went down rather well. For all this guy knows I may have ambitions in the office cleaning sector. Dai

[geoffreyspecht]

di make sure u price these jobs properly if u want help give me a ring

[dai]

OK jeff, will do. Dai

[stephen.b1]

you have to speculate to accumulate
the world is full of small men with big ideas
but the ones that clean-up are the ones that act not dwell
good luck