[Andy Hogarth]

The time has now come to seriously try and take my business to another level, I want to move into more commercial work and preferably ones that have regular cleans so I'm not just relying on getting in domestic calls.

My questions to you guys are who should I spend most of my time trying to get, what businesses are good for regular work???
I'm going to spend more days going round businesses with a portfolio and asking to speak to managers/facilities management etc.

What hooks are good to use to get commercial work or just to get that foot in the door??

I have never done anything like this before so I'm looking for ANY advice whatsoever when it comes to dealing with managers/companies etc.
Any tips as to what armouries I should have in my portfolio??
Any tips whatsoever in fact

Cheers all

Andy

[markpowell]

Andy,
Are you based in York, there must be hundreds of hotels and guest houses. If you can get the Hotel work and get yourself a decent maintainance plan in place you should be ok. Make sure you have at least £2M liability insurance in place and you can supply risk assessments if required. just beware some of these contracts can be like getting blood from a stone when it comes to payday.
Mark

[Andy Hogarth]

Thanks Mark, what type of maintenance plan would you recommend for hotels/guest house

I only have 1 mill on my insurance, I'll look into this one

Cheers

[TommyB]

Andy
Your doing what i did a few years ago. The mistake i made was not making sure that my equipment was up to the job. I had a single vac prochem unit that was ok for domestics but totally rubbish for commercial jobs which lost me everything i gained so if i were you i'd make sure you have the proper gear first and then go out an get the work. commercial jobs are a whole new world with tight deadlines and high expecations, tread carefully.
Tom

[Mike Halliday]

are you not getting the amount of domestic customers you need to be successful?

I speak to a lot of carpet cleaners who are struggling and aren't getting enough work in, so they think to themselves I'll try and get into commercial cleaning, that's where the big money is

I thought the exact same thing myself and did tons of marketing, which was successful and I did get a lot of commercial work but after a while I realised if I put the same amount effort into my domestic side I would have made more money and it would have been less stressful.

commercial can be profitable but its not the nirvana some think.

mike

[Kinver_Clean]

I used to do quite a bit of commercial but have let most of it go because a: I am trying to slow down and more importantly b: the best customer is the one who PAYS ON TIME. Domestics pay on completion so helping cashflow, if your commercials do not pay at a reasonable timescale you are funding their business not yours.
If they do not pay -dump them.

I am still putting my prices up due to rising caosts- work out your fuel cost- it may surprise you- 20 p per mile for my van alne.

Trevor

[Len Gribble]

Mike

How long have you been a moderator?

Len

[TommyB]

Mike makes the perfect point and mirrors exactly what happened to me. I thought that commercials would be  a pot of gold but turned out to be a headache that i was well rid of in the end. inow do three or four jobs a day domestics and make good money.
Tom

[COLIN BRIGHT]

it depends on the commercial jobs you target
most i find are price shoppers and really crappey jobs but the more up market ones do seem to care about the quality and service
i dont do a lot but the ones i've got are very good

[Mike Osbourne]

Commercial really is too broad a term. My idea of commercial is the odd shop, sugery, or care home. 

Whilst I think what Mike is saying is true, people find their own niche that suites their personality and abilities. You don't have to drop yourself in at the deep end with large buildings requiring contracts, hired help, muliple decision makers etc.

On the other hand I met a relative of mine last week who, let's just say isn't the sharpest tool in the shed and has had a few run ins with the Bizzies in his teens, he's now 22. He owns a van and a rotary and has a number of contracts just to clean office space.

He is absolutely coining it in. And I'm thinking well it can't be that hard.

[Andy Hogarth]

are you not getting the amount of domestic customers you need to be successful?

I am getting in a fair bit of domestic but not enough to carpet clean full time. 6 months ago I was a full time postie doing the odd carpet, now I mainly carpet clean and work between 15-20 at royal mail.

The reason I would like some commercial is for the regular income and leave rm (can't even think about leaving it yet due to mortgage having to be paid and it's regular guaranteed work with the option of overtime if I need it during slow cc weeks), some weeks are great and I earn nearly what I earn a month at rm doing carpets then some weeks 1 job some weeks none!!! I figured that getting some regular contracts would come in pretty handy. However I do see what you are saying about putting the effort in to domestic as the earning potential there is good.

Cheers for all the advice

Andy

[Mike Osbourne]

I know the feeling Andy, just when you think you have cracked it you have a patchy week and at the end of the month it doesn't look quite so good.

Have you tried getting people on maintenance plans, or penciling them in for next year. It seems ages off but it's amazing how quickly it comes round and you have some idea of what you will have already booked.

Can't help feeling the answer is something you can't do much about. To get consistent response you need 5+ years in the business and even then you have to keep the wheel spinning.

[clinton]

I have been going for 18 years andy,as mike said yes some weeks are great some are bad,over the years you will get more clients more work buit it will take time..Ido some commercial and it is somtimes slow paying or a hassle to do ie out of hours,night work..Sounds like your geting on your feet mind you,why dont you do an add on ie pressure washing or oven cleaning as you can sell it to your existing clients. cheers clinton

[Mike Halliday]

its hard to leave guaranteed money but like was said to me once man who chases 2 rabbits will catch neither

the lad that worked for me left because I couldn't pay him  how much he wanted, he's now working as a taxi driver doing cleaning part time until he gets busy.

but he know how my figures work, for over a year we did our own leafleting we did 5 man hours a day and this kept both of us in work 6 days a week.

if he spent the time he does driving a taxi leafleting he would bring in enough work to stop taxi-ing.

you work 20hrs for royal mail in 20 hrs you could put out 3.5 k leaflets at a response of only 2 jobs per 1000 that would bring in 7-8 jobs if each job is your minimum charge of £50 you will earn at least £350 a week.

HOW MUCH A WEEK ARE RM PAYING YOU FOR 20HRS

If it not near £350 then you need to have a big think about your future, and don't worry about the mortgage this is what will motivate you to get out off bed and start leafleting.

[Mike Halliday]

and please don't tell me your are working 4hrs a day delivering the mail, because the irony of what I've just written would just kill me

[Mike Halliday]

yep its on the back.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Mike how are you going on with your answer machine? are you using it or still diverted to the mobile?

I have an answer service you may want there charges seem to be less than most.

Shaun

[Buster Ingram]

Mike I hate to be a damp squid, but your figures don't add up ?
Your man puts out 3.500 leaflets in 20 hours and gets £350 worth of work!
Now the important bit you have missed is he still has to do that work to get his £350!
So lets say it take him 15 hours in total from start to finish thats 35 hours counting him putting out the leaflets in all.

Taking out all his over heads from printing the leaflets, Shoe leather and cleaning equipement.

Stacking Shelves at Tesco's at night is better pay!

[Jon Tabbener]

Sorry to hijack this thread - but reading about 3.5k leaflets in 20 hours & getting 7-8 jobs from that  -

would anyone care to share a good leaflet with me, if i'm not in your area, i'm in Cardiff

Many Thanks

Jon

[Len Gribble]

Andy

Most commercial only budget for daily cleaning (spot vacuuming), carpet cleaning is the last thing on their mind then there is a rush to spend the budget or they are having a visit!  Can and probably be out of normal working hours.  Payment can be frustrating only if you let them get away with it 30day rule, then you budget for this, don’t we!

Mike O

Given the wink on a care home £2k missed the boat on this, but will be checking them out Tue to see what system. : And yes Wayne you can have a small peace of the pie when I get it, which is a certainty.

Len