Losing A Commercial Account after 13 Years

[Monzie]

Large multi-plex movie theatre. In 1999 we started cleaning it for $1600 a pop. By 2013 our price only increased to $1750. The chain got sold to someone else. I go introduce myself to the new manager and he calls two weeks later to set up a cleaning. Next thing you know, we get an e-mail from him saying he has found someone who will do the whole place for under $1000, so thanks but no thanks. I understand that this is how business works and it falls under the "shit-happens" category. I get out and market regularly and we can get along just fine without this account. BUT it still pisses me off! A place that charges six bucks for a soda to boot. This manager is a young kid who was probably still in middle-school when I started cleaning this place. Morons!

 

[Jeremy N]

They will learn eventually.

 

[dealtimeman]

In six months do a friendly follow up and more than likely you will get it back.

 

[Chris A]

Be sure to check how the new company is handling their waste water...

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Be sure to check how the new company is handling their waste water...

Chris, do you really do stuff like that?

 

[Ken Snow]

Lol

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[Desk Jockey]

Sorry to hear that Mike, it happens we lost a big retirement community account last fall, had it for 10-years and a management change booted us out. It happens, nothing you can do but suck it up and move on.

No I don't think they will call back, he saved $750.00, he already looks like a genius to his boss. Unlike residential commercial is all about how cheap and in this economy you can always find some one to do it cheap. So even if this new guys screws it up, he will just continue his search for a low cost cleaner. Low cost doesn't mean he's getting a poor job, often it mean some poor schmuck is just working very hard for peanuts. Sad part is there is a line of guys willing to take his spot should he fail.

The positive is you had it a good long time and made some good money off that account, plus now no more late nights cleaning up soda spills and gum.

Keep marketing and looking for new accounts to replace those that drop off, you'll be fine without it!

 

[Ken Snow]

We can all have opinions, but without knowing the scope of job we cant even give an opinion of whether the new prices is low of the old price was high.

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[Desk Jockey]

It's a 12-plex theater, the only regular theater in Lawrence, KS other than downtown where they occasionally bring in special movies not shown at regular theaters.
From the price Mike gave that was probably a very fair price and for a 12-screen theater a $1,000.00 is CHEAP.

A lot of people complain about how out dated the place is and the poor seating and small screens, there are also folklore of rats running across your feet in there. The Legends theater at Kansas Speedway is just 20-minutes away, they have nice over sized seating and it is fairly new in comparison to Southwind plus KC is just 30-minutes so you can go to nicer places if you want to enjoy a good movie.

 

[Mikey P]

Were you going out and doing the work personally Mike?


Probably a relief in some ways if so. I hate nightwork.


Welcome back!



$6 for a soda? do they serve it in a bucket?

 

[Chris A]

Chris, do you really do stuff like that?

lol Steve, no I don't.

 

[Monzie]

12,000 s/f and stairs, stairs, stairs. Had a good run and I am grateful to God for the years I had it. Time to move on. Doc Holliday must be from around here, but couldn't find his real name on his profile. Thanks to all for your support and encouragement.

 

[Mikey P]

Doc Chavez.

 

[floorguy]

I have lost a few, to the janitorial companies cleaning them...

the one i do now.....she is fully aware i am a little more...not much but some....

but she wont change.....because she knows it will get done when she wants it....

and most of the time....if its a "hurry up i have visitors" i rearrange the schedule to make it work....

we both appreciate each other....and thats what makes it work.....

now if she left.....welll we all know how the new mgr thing goes....



and night work is all good....

 

[Desk Jockey]

Hey you can't expose my true identity, now how can I come and go like the night?

We do one 8-plex the crews start at 7:00 AM and finish by 11:00, mostly low moisture but we will HWE the entry and the steps. Not bad work, mostly open areas besides the steps.

Marketing gal got this account for us 5-years ago. I barked at her for wasting her time when she told me she stopped there, since that's not they type of client she was supposed to be marketing to. Since then we have cleaned for them twice a year every year.

I'm lucky we let her go not long after that or she would give me hell every time we clean it.

 

[Jimmy L]

I lost a large account a few years ago because of new management too.
My reasoning was the new guy was a FAG and didn't like MACHO mens like me.
I tried stopping in from time to time with some old stale donuts but it was no use.

And Richard you and I both know that the only theaters in that HELLHOLE ToPeeKa are disgusting PORNO theaters that you frequented in your youth.

 

[Desk Jockey]

James James James that's a fookin lie!

I NEVER went to one in my youth, EVER!!!










I've only recently frequented them now that I'm older......and much more perverted.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Happens all the time, especially in the retail/restaurant category. Win some, Lose some...

 

[Ken Snow]

I lost a large account a few years ago because of new management too.
My reasoning was the new guy was a FAG and didn't like MACHO mens like me.
I tried stopping in from time to time with some old stale donuts but it was no use.

And Richard you and I both know that the only theaters in that HELLHOLE ToPeeKa are disgusting PORNO theaters that you frequented in your youth.

Jimmy, we have found that our male gay customers tend to ask for our manliest cleaners- one specifically just says send the Adonis out please LOL.

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL

 

[Jimmy L]

Well Ken by the looks of you I wonder if they ..............request ...............you?

 

[Ken Snow]

Lol- I'll take compliments wherever I can get em.

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[Mikey P]

Ken IS a very handsome woman.

 

[juniorc82]

to be competitve in large scale commercial you need to be somewhere around .10 .12 a square. You are pretty close to kc which has more than its fair share of dirt cheap floor crews that are willing to suck the juices off a piece of roadkill for pennies on the dollar. I hear through the grapevine you have some experience in upper end rug cleaning that more be a more lucrative market for you than duking it out with the midnight squad . Sucks to lose the money but Im sure you know after being in business a long time that sometimes when one door closes a better one eventualy opens.

 

[Goldenboy]

All the Homeless ICS people are showing up.


Golden Boy

 

[Steve Toburen]

Keep marketing and looking for new accounts to replace those that drop off, you'll be fine without it!

Truer words were never spoken. I call it "customer erosion" and fairly often when management changed it would happen to us. It has nothing to do with your quality of work or your reliability/honesty.

Steve

PS When a new manager comes on scene I always use the analogy of a male dog walking into another dog's area. The first thing he has to do is spray it down and make it his. A new manager just fires everyone with a clean sweep. That's why you keep a regular marketing program going and don't get complacent.

 

[SamIam]

Ya as much as I want to keep a second truck busy night work is not something I look for at all.


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