Bidding a custodial job

[steve_64]

It would be our largest account. Our largest now is in the $30,000 plus range just for Genny. I do about another 5 or $6000 with them.

I'm always looking for more work. I have always been pretty good at figuring out how to get things done efficiently.

Genny said she could quit all her other nasty jobs and just work evenings. Maybe as a retirement plan, maybe lol.

 

[Old Coastie]

Steve, I think the key in any service job is to be very specific about the scope of work.

Be clear that any additions will be gladly performed for an additional charge. Then hold the line against the office manager who will absolutely add little bits to your list, but do not antagonize her.

It sounds like a good account and I'd urge you to develop a disciplined work pattern, use utility belts and *watch the time*.

 

[Small town janitorial]

Tons of good advice above. I've found too that frequent communication with employees and manager helps a ton. If the manager just thinks of you as "the janitor who makes 4k a month" they will whine and complain and never be happy. If they see your face often enough sometimes they like you more. Or they can at least tell you if there are things they want done differently. Many cheap companies never communicate, so the customer gets a bad taste about the cleaning company. We leave a "cleaning log" that all the managers can leave notes on. It's rare that we have problems.

 

[steve_64]

One of the things all of our accounts like is communication. We make it known when we are coming or if we need to come in later or the next day they are informed. Genny has always been extremely detailed in her invoices and on our bids. Almost always multiple conversations before during and after completion when they available. We don't like suprised not do our customers.

Yes lots of great advice here even the negative stuff has merit.

 

[smastio]

One of the things all of our accounts like is communication. We make it known when we are coming or if we need to come in later or the next day they are informed. Genny has always been extremely detailed in her invoices and on our bids. Almost always multiple conversations before during and after completion when they available. We don't like suprised not do our customers.

Yes lots of great advice here even the negative stuff has merit.

I can tell you with 1000% Certainty - Communication is the key. It's not cleaning. It about communicating about cleaning on the commercial level. If not, you're have a blind date from a long distance - it's just a matter of time. Use what you want from my brochure if it helps. The company was sold recently. Good luck with the biz...https://training.fittlebug.com/images/brochure.pdf

 

[Small town janitorial]

While I agree with the above post about communication, my clients would laugh at all the computer hastle and they hate the big contract company style of your business. They know me, the owner, personally and thats the kind of service smaller businesses like. Big enough cleaning company to be proffesional, small enough to be efficient.

 

[FB7777]

Well????


How much did you overbid the guy that got the contract?

 

[steve_64]

Well????


How much did you overbid the guy that got the contract?

Haven't heard anything yet. We've talked about calling but haven't yet.

 

[steve_64]

I stopped in today and was told our bid was in the running. No decision had been reached yet. Maybe a couple more weeks but I bet they stay with who they have because of price.

 

[Old Coastie]

Yep, they are just making sure they have a reserve. Meanwhile, they are sticking with their current guy.

 

[steve_64]

I figured they would take other bids once they saw ours and it sounds as if they did. They will probably put up the cleaners they have.

 

[Old Coastie]

Yeah.. About five years ago I bid a job thinking to build a local route.

They dithered and stalled until I finally called the contact for the last time. No, they were still "thinking about it" about six months after the urgent "we need a bid by Friday" call.

So I offered him a choice, to "sh*t or get off the toilet."

No idea who they hired or when; nor do I give a tinker's damn.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

All the post on this subject were pretty interesting. We Are the Mom and Pop you all have been talking about for years You know the no vacuuming, toilet cleaning janitors I agree with everyone, that I wouldn't get to enamored with any auto dealership. All the bad that was posted is prolly accurate (maybe not). But, there's nothing "EASY" about this job. If you believe it's gonna be easy, breeze in, breeze out, prolly need to keep moving.
Like everything, success only come with hard work.

 

[steve_64]

It will be easy because I won't be doing it.

Seriously though, I agree it's not just about showing up you gotta do the work too. All of our accounts are easy in the sense things run smoothly for us. We know what needs to be done and how to do it. The hard part is employees but that works itself out too.

 

[steve_64]

So, they had decided to stay with the people cleaning already. They even rented a walk behind and worked all night on the tile a month or so ago. I had gone in to see what was up because we hadn't heard anything.

Well Genny got the call today. They only want Tuesday Thursday and Saturday now so we reduced the price to $450 instead of $850. Looks like we got the job but it has to be approved first.

They fired the other cleaners last week, not sure why yet.

 

[Small town janitorial]

When they go down in frequency, it means that each night will take you longer because it will be busier. I've had jobs ask if the price would be halved if we did half the nights. I said no. I lowered the price by about 35percent for half the nights.

 

[steve_64]

When they go down in frequency, it means that each night will take you longer because it will be busier. I've had jobs ask if the price would be halved if we did half the nights. I said no. I lowered the price by about 35percent for half the nights.

I told them I thought $500 would be fair for exactly that reason. They also eliminated some of the work they want us to do. They wanted to see $400 so I decided to try $450 for awhile. Once in and proving ourselves we can ask for a raise.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

I hope it works out for you.

 

[Small town janitorial]

Sounds like a plan. I have a couple jobs I'm a little low on because I like to have their business. First, a tire shop(I like burnouts, so this comes in handy) and second, california highway patrol office. Nice to not have to worry about a ticket or trouble for my Cummins not having emmisions stuff.

 

[FB7777]

Cool beans

Half the load is better than none

Plus less burnout

Had to chuckle at the " ask for a raise" comment

It's a car dealership, they'll have to "talk to a manager" for that request

 

[Ivan Turner]

Many years back I had a house cleaning business and commercial cleaning business. While it was a profitable under taking, it did come with many pit falls.

One large commercial contract that we cleaned nightly had this Magpie that was the unit Manager, or better known as the Keeper of the Cube Farm. About once a week I was summoned to the building to meet with the Facility Director to address her complaints. One time it may have been her accusing one of my girls of taking a piece of candy off of her desk, another time it may have been a complaint of not vacuuming good enough beneath her desk. It became a game of Cat & Mouse. She would intentionally try to set us up.

One week she complained that there was a dead cock roach far beneath her desk. Oddly enough, there were never any roaches found elsewhere in the 30,000 square foot building. The week following the coach roach incident, I decided to make my rounds and conduct an inspection of the entire building with an emphasis on her Cube Farm and her Cube in particular. There it was...the smoking gun. Tucked neatly in the back of her cube panel was a shiny newly minted Quarter.

After finding the quarter I decided to conduct an experiment. Instead of placing the quarter on her desk with a note, I simply picked it up and laid down two dimes and a shiny nickel. I never heard a peep out of her for the remainder of our contract.

 

[Old Coastie]

Gotta love those Easter eggs, hahaha! I always counselled my elves to assume they'd be somewhere around and to assume there was a camera on them at all times. Often, there is.

 

[steve_64]

Still talking lol now they want a price for monthly window cleaning. It's going to be a mess starting up so we may mention an initial clean price.

 

[FB7777]

Dude, you were warned...

This ain't gonna end well


With minimal effort, you can 'accidentally' score an additional $1K month in carpet cleaning without the headaches these Scumbags are gonna inflict on you cause they think they got you by the short hairs

You're either a business owner or a part time custodian at a local car dealership

 

[Small town janitorial]

I disagree. I'm 30 and make net 6 figures a year in a small town because I own the janitorial all over town. I don't have slow months. They are all the same. I vacation two months a year in foreign countries and I don't have to deal with the public every day.

 

[steve_64]

Dude, you were warned...

This ain't gonna end well


With minimal effort, you can 'accidentally' score an additional $1K month in carpet cleaning without the headaches these Scumbags are gonna inflict on you cause they think they got you by the short hairs

You're either a business owner or a part time custodian at a local car dealership

We have someone lined up waiting To do this job. She works evenings and weekends when we need her. She's excited about it.

 

[BIG WOOD]

I disagree. I'm 30 and make net 6 figures a year in a small town because I own the janitorial all over town. I don't have slow months. They are all the same. I vacation two months a year in foreign countries and I don't have to deal with the public every day.

You either love it or hate it in the Janitorial Field. I hated it, because I didn't know how to find good help at only $10/hr for 2nd shift jobs.

 

[FB7777]

I didn't know how to find good help at only $10/hr for 2nd shift jobs.

Probably because it's 2017

 

[BIG WOOD]

Probably because it's 2017

When I tried to get into Janitorial, it was 2005

 

[Wayne Thompson]

Gave up night work, they want it cheap and I have to work nights and weekends. I am spoiled but I stay with residential 95 per cent of the time and am happy to do some commercial if it pays and is not at night. After 24 years you can be picky.