Feeling Accomplished - First High Rise Cleaning

[WillS]

After 2 years of trying to get this contract, we finally did! Our first high rise condo in downtown Vegas. (see pic below) And not a crappy run down one either. 14 floors of hallway carpet, lobby, wool area rugs. Approx. 55,000 sq. ft. of carpet. We have cleaned several units in this high rise over the years, and I have emailed back and forth with property management about how the traffic lanes and carpet in front of each unit always seemed dirty. I would send them pictures via email when we would have a job from a tenant in one of the units. They have had a contract with another cleaner for years who used a porty and the contract finally expired and they went with us! Persistence pays off! We now have a contract to clean quarterly all floors!! $$$

6 guys and 2 days on this job. 9am to 4pm was our time limit. Technically 5 guys and 1 girl. I hired on one of our techs girlfriends to follow with vacuum after it was cleaned.3 techs ran CRBs, 2 prepped (pre-sprayed, refilled chems, hosted where needed). It came out amazing! Did a test spot for them 2 weeks ago and they were pleased that the dark traffic didn't reappear after a few days of being cleaned like before. The test spot was where tenants entered in through the parking garage into the hallway.

On top of this, last month we became the only cleaner for 2 new management companies. Combined they manage 175 commercial properties. In the last week, we've done 22 commercials for them. It's been insane!

Upside of these jobs:

- Commerical Money$
- Schedule properties around our residentials
- No one at any of these properties. Throw on headphones, music and clean away.
- Low traffic lanes, most are small office turn overs.

Downside:

-30 day net pays. Though it has been nice getting these checks in randomly, not really thinking ahout them as residential has been enough to keep the business healthy. At times though, some run past 30 days and you have to begin to hound accounts payable. Usually reminding them that their touch up cleanings go void, or the late fee on payments they agreed to will go into effect. Usually has them issuing checks the next day. Had one deposit $2,800 directly into our bank same day when they were notified of being late 12 days.

I guess my point of this post, besides for a bit of bragging, if you have been shooting for commercial and not getting as much as you wanted - keep pursuing and networking. One commercial property management company referred us to a maintenance company they use for paint touch up, etc. That maintenance company now sends us 15 to 20 commercial cleanings a month to. When it comes, it comes in big!

 

[Mikey P]

did that grumpy tile guy bid for the hard surface?

 

[WillS]

Grumpy tile guy from on here or the one from the convention at Mirage I seen you at a few months ago?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Congrats that is awesome!

Once you feel that relationship is built ask him/her if the know of any other friends that also manage properties.

Then ask if they mind you using them to get a meeting/demo.
It could be as simple as using Linked In to connect.

These people all know each other often socialize in the same professional circles. Facilities managers groups etc.

 

[WillS]

now that I think about it, I failed in one part. I should have asked the GM on site to take our flyers for tenants needing cleaning in the high rise. Offering 10% off. Emailing her today to see if we can drop these off.

 

[Nate The Great]

now that I think about it, I failed in one part. I should have asked the GM on site to take our flyers for tenants needing cleaning in the high rise. Offering 10% off. Emailing her today to see if we can drop these off.

I've also had the same idea for our commercial clients... I personally rather do more commercial work, less interaction with people and they clean more often...

 

[jmo]

What does your contract consist of? You have one you can share?

 

[smastio]

now that I think about it, I failed in one part. I should have asked the GM on site to take our flyers for tenants needing cleaning in the high rise. Offering 10% off. Emailing her today to see if we can drop these off.

Will - now this I can actually comment on. Many don't know that I used to have a commercial cleaning company. Was in 4 states and cleaned about 120 buildings at one time. Floor care was about 250K a year.

Here is my advice: Give them the 30 days, but bill them at the beginning of the month. They know when you are doing it, cause it's in the contract. At 31 days - call them and remind them of the penalties.
Regarding the cross promotion to the tenants - Do it. Create a promo coupon for 10% off and have the PM send the following:

Tennants - If you have noticed the carpets looking better these days, it is because we have changed services cleaning our carpets. The best part is they are offering you a 10% discount on your unit. Use Promo Code "staysinvegas" then choose from their list of services you would like them to perform. (or something like that; but I would keep the promo code - it's Brilliant" LOL Call if you need assistance.

FYI Guys - I have been seeing many of Will's clients posting "FaceBook" in the message area of FittleBug of where they heard about Natural Dry. FaceBook ain't dead. I'll be in Florida, but no booth (unless you call the tiki hut a booth) Call the main number to reach me...

 

[Shorty]

Willis, that's awesome.

I'm a bit slow, so can you clarify your procedure for me.

"I hired on one of our techs girlfriends to follow with vacuum after it was cleaned.

3 techs ran CRBs,

2 prepped (pre-sprayed,

refilled chems,

hosted where needed)."

Have I got this correct??

You first pre-sprayed the carpets.

Then extracted using the CRB's.

This was followed up by vacuuming using a wet/dry vac; to remove any fluff/crap, etc; ??

HOSTED?? ----- This I don't understand ??

Did you use any OP, Cimex, porty, etc; at all??



Feels good when you get jobs like this, as you say, payment can be slow, so you do need the cash flow until a continuous turn-over is being banked.

 

[WillS]

Willis, that's awesome.

I'm a bit slow, so can you clarify your procedure for me.

"I hired on one of our techs girlfriends to follow with vacuum after it was cleaned.

3 techs ran CRBs,

2 prepped (pre-sprayed,

refilled chems,

hosted where needed)."

Have I got this correct??

You first pre-sprayed the carpets.

Then extracted using the CRB's.

This was followed up by vacuuming using a wet/dry vac; to remove any fluff/crap, etc; ??

HOSTED?? ----- This I don't understand ??

Did you use any OP, Cimex, porty, etc; at all??



Feels good when you get jobs like this, as you say, payment can be slow, so you do need the cash flow until a continuous turn-over is being banked.

Correct. HOST is a dry compound. Helps prevent residues from spot cleaners in high areas. Also absorbs moisture into the sponge to allow for faster drying. No wet/dry vac, sanitare commercial vacs. 17 inch for double passes on the areas.

The previous company used a portable and they made point not to use that again. In between cleanings their janitorial staff uses a 175 on the hallway entrances from the garages. These areas are black w oil and grease. They just had the garages power washed so should help reduce this amount of dirt these areas are getting.

 

[Old Coastie]

Will, the dry compounds strike me as expensive for the coverage. By that I mean it takes a lot of the stuff to clean and three times the labor, all for the sake of keeping it pretty dry.

But I've never used the technique. What's it like?

 

[Nate The Great]

Will, the dry compounds strike me as expensive for the coverage. By that I mean it takes a lot of the stuff to clean and three times the labor, all for the sake of keeping it pretty dry.

But I've never used the technique. What's it like?

So easy a monkey could do it.......

 

[WillS]

So easy a monkey could do it.......

Exactly. Hence why 95% of hwe cleaners should be doing it. Better results.

Will, the dry compounds strike me as expensive for the coverage. By that I mean it takes a lot of the stuff to clean and three times the labor, all for the sake of keeping it pretty dry.

But I've never used the technique. What's it like?

The compound is kinda pricey. 90$ for a 30lb drum. You don't need to put a ton down in non-high traffic areas. You can also tap the machine to get more out and re use as long as it hasn't turned brown/black. (This means more dirt has accumulated to those sponges and can't continue to be used). We used 2 of the drums for all 14 floors. Several cases of 02.

The main reason isn't to keep it dry. Even though it is a big plus.. HOST and the Encap will keep the carpet cleaner longer without reappearance of stains. It also has a very clean smell for weeks after using. High rises like this can not use truck mounted systems. Instead of running a 175 over it with encap, this does much better in cleaning and keeping it that way. A commercial property we did a 8 months ago that had horrid black traffic lanes, we went back into last week, and the traffic lanes were lightly forming. It does an awesome job.

 

[Nate The Great]

Don't kid yourself on getting all the dry compound out of the carpet... The process is messy imho...

I'm happy it works for you, and wish you more success with it...

 

[WillS]

Don't kid yourself on getting all the dry compound out of the carpet... The process is messy imho...

I'm happy it works for you, and wish you more success with it...

Just like soap residue, etc. left over by not properly extracting in hwe process. As long as you know what your doing, (not over wetting, making sure the compound is moist enough so it doesn't leave small particles and is in bigger clumps, doing passes over the rooms several times if needed, a very clean vac used at each house. You should be removing almost all or much of what is put down).

 

[WillS]

It would surprise most if I told you how many phone calls we get a month from cleaners around the country switching to this process. The problem is, many don't know how to do it, or aren't using the right products together. You have to be trained in it, just like I'm sure in wanding. Makes all the diff.

 

[Nate The Great]

I got no beef other than the mess... I had to do 2 Cartier Jelwery stores with wool carpets with rubber backings and they specifically requested dry compound cleaning... I used a vacuum, crb, and a pile lifter and still had compound left in the pile... Thicker pile is a bitch to recover all of it...

 

[Mark Von*Lay]

Well after all that......bottom line....CHA-CHING

 

[PrimaDonna]

It would surprise most if I told you how many phone calls we get a month from cleaners around the country switching to this process. The problem is, many don't know how to do it, or aren't using the right products together. You have to be trained in it, just like I'm sure in wanding. Makes all the diff.

Will I would love to see this in person. You should come to MF in AZ and demo or do a session. I find it fascinating and just can't wrap my head around it. Seeing is believing I suppose.