Breaking a commercial cleaning record this month

[Ken Snow]

After a few declining years, our refocus and new sales staff have contributed to a rebuilding of our commercial cleaning business volume. This month we have already broken our previous 1 month record of $91,000 and we will end up being within spitting distance of 100k. So proud of our sales team & cleaners.

 

[Beeks]

After a few declining years, our refocus and new sales staff have contributed to a rebuilding of our commercial cleaning business volume. This month we have already broken our previous 1 month record of $91,000 and we will end up being within spitting distance of 100k. So proud of our sales team & cleaners.

that's awesome man, what new things have you implemented lately that you can say has contributed to the recent new success?

 

[Ken Snow]

Thanks! Complete change of sales staff and asking for the sale better, ongoing CRM with prospects and existing customers. Basically the new team wasn't going to take "the economy sucks" as an excuse and they executed.

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[Shane Deubell]

That is awesome Ken, Big Bonuses for the sales team!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Thats fantastic! You must have a really motivated sales staff!

 

[BLewis]

Congrats Ken those are some awesome results!

 

[bob vawter]

Ken....ever do any road commision buildings........vast amounts of carpet!
i did 'em for about five years back in the eightys....

 

[Ken Snow]

Not sure Bob, I'll check today.

 

[Lonny]

Excellent numbers! What have you found most helpful to motivate the sales team? Other than unemployment

 

[GCCLee]

I can't even wrap that around my little brain, WOW and Congrats Ken, New Sales Team. That is Huge WOW

 

[Shane Deubell]

This is like a perfect storm for a salesperson...
FRIDAY, last day of the month, record sales month, payday (not sure about that one), definitely would be looking to start the weekend off around noonish!

Just like Jon's thread about adding a second truck, we have to enjoy these moments.

 

[Mikey P]

Thats super impressive Ken.

How do the numbers break down as far as carpet, tile, VCT

and VLM or HWE for the carpet?

 

[Torrey Express]

How many people do you have in sales only?
If I remember right you have multiple locations right? Is this total of all locations?

Do they procure their own leads or does the company do the marketing and hand them off as they come in?
I'd guess a blend of each, just curious how the big fish do it.

I use to dislike commercial leads and doing the work. However it's my new biggest push and to lock them into a contract.
I'm finding this will be the most painless way to grow my business and add steady cash flow while increasing my companies value for the future.
With the 4 new contracts I've landed this year I have tripled the commercial work we do and increased overall company gross by about 20%.

 

[Ken Snow]

Thats super impressive Ken.

How do the numbers break down as far as carpet, tile, VCT

and VLM or HWE for the carpet?

My report breaks down by product category. Through Wednesday the breakdown %'s are:

Carpet cleaning 64.49%
Upholstery cleaning 7.29%
Hard surface cleaning 12.12%
Topical treatments- SG, Deo, Sealers etc. 16.10%

I assume that these percents will stay pretty accurate when the month closes

We probably only do about 20% VCT and other hard surfaces, most of it i tile.

Virtually all the carpet and furn is HWE, with a lot of post bonnet as needed. Very little VLM cleaning alone.

 

[Ken Snow]

All of our cleaning operations are performed out of our Oak Park Cleaning Headquarters, where our rug care spa and our fleet are located. Our other locations are showrooms and rug cleaning drop off sites.

1 full time and 1 part time outside salespeople and 1 in house commercial cleaning coordinator. Leads come in and they also generate their own through, phone, walking in and referrals. We have a huge residential client base so most of our leads are through that connection. Every body works somewhere

 

[Mikey P]

Good lord Snow get with the program and buy a fleet of Cimexes.

The ghost of Ahkmed T Hagopian will send you a raise of a 100 virgin brides when he sees those profit margins

 

[Ken Snow]

Lol- we have em. FYI Harry Hagopian was Armenian.

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[Mikey P]

You may have them but you obviously do NOT have the skills or ability to properly use or sell the service.

Go spend some time at the Chavez compound humping his goats and learning how to hide dirt.

 

[mirf]

Great numbers Ken. Is Residential up too.

 

[Ken Snow]

Richard already sold me his sister Mikey~ she's better than the farm animals.

 

[Torrey Express]

Ken, would it be too much to ask how you pay your sales people?

My father has a full time salesman for flooring sales. So naturally I have gotten some leads from him, and quickly realized this could be capitalized on if given incentive and some structure. So I lined out my pricing for him and offered 10% or whatever he can over sell it for.
Its worked well so far, and he found that he is in situations where he's taking my price like on a 200 sqft T&G clean/seal at 1.50 sqft and added 100 just because he knew he could.
Works well.

But what I'm trying to now figure out is when A reoccuring acct comes in or a commercial contract that is monthly or quarterly, how do I structure his compensation?
For the last year it's always been a friendly gentlemens agreement and the fact he is treated well by the flooring company so it's not been an issue, but if I grow and put some systems in place I am wanting some clear guidelines. Penny for your thoughts?

 

[Torrey Express]

I think this is also why some get the idea that I work for my father. However I don't.
I started this business after a couple years of additional schooling I took after high school and then pursued construction management, which I loved.
But the housing market was falling apart and I was having the "entrapanuerial seizure".
Five years in and 2 Sfs classes later I think I'm finally finding my stride.
My father literally disagrees with what seems to be almost everything I do, maybe for a weird protection, but later has seemed fond of what has come from my efforts.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Its entrepreneur btw.

 

[Torrey Express]

Its entrepreneur btw.

Yikes, I never did well with English class.. I'm more of a math and science fan.

 

[Jimmy L]

Ken at any time was your job on the line?

 

[Ken Snow]

It's my company Jimmy, I don't understand...

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[Ken Snow]

Hi Torrey, we use to be that way as well, 10% of sales. Now we pay more for new bus and less for ongoing, but the in house person is also commissioned and she I managing most of the repeats so it is a win win for the salespeople and her.

 

[bob vawter]

Ken ...i seen one of those pesky Modernistic trucks on my street today...
end house.......that's about the 4th or 5th different company i've seen there......

OHH btw the Mrs and i had lunch at the Golden Crown today.......woodward and square lake.....Connie and i became friends for the twenty years that i cleaned it!
well anyhoo....she asks me.. who is good...... cuz CRASH leaves her carpet too wet.......sorry...i HAD to say Hagopian.......soooooooo expect a call from them...sorry

 

[Ken Snow]

Thanks Bob, we'll take good care of her.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Sold? Dan will pay you to take her away from here.

They fight daily!

Sometimes a family business can be harder than a regular business, hard to separate work from home. There can be lots entitlement issues also, we've had a rule for several years now against hiring anymore family. Too hard to fire them without causing issues later.