Monthly maintenance charge

[Tim54]

I have a janitorial business and carpet cleaning is an add on. I've been thinking of the idea of offering to clean carpet for our customers on a monthly basis with the idea their business will look better and they will also save money. Do any of you offer this service and how do you charge? I would assume you use a lower rate since by doing monthly ther should be less work.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Offer CC often, but it will depend on individual site managers whether they take you up on your offer.

If you don't offer it, it won't happen at all.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Usually we just break it up into sections and create a rotation.
So if they wanted 2x year we would break it into 6 sections and then repeat the cycle.

The bigger buildings generally like it because they dont have to write that 1 big check.

 

[hogjowl]

I offer this on both residential and commercial. It is surprising how much easier it is to sell to residential customers over business customers. You would think it would be the other way around. How I price it is, of course, complicated. It varies according to soil load, use and other conditions. I approach it on a percentage of the initial extraction charge, but then have to adjust that number according to other considerations too cumbersome to describe in a post. What I would suggest you do is this:
Do NOT allow a customer to talk you into starting a maintenance program without a full extraction cleaning being done first.
After this initial extractions (at full normal pricing) set them up on a program of choice and base your pricing upon the factors that came into play during the initial extraction ... like difficult areas to clean or access ... parking or entry problems ... anything that effects the time it takes for you to perform your scheduled tasks.
Residentially, I sell almost all my accounts based on a six month cleaning schedule and can usually price them at somewhere between 12 to 15% of the initial extraction charge (paid monthly), but you can't do this with commercial. A commercial program is just too complicated for blanket statements. I have commercial accounts that I clean monthly, so of course these are priced higher. I have other accounts that I clean quarterly, but I am in there weekly changing out the matting. So, you can see how hard it is to describe, or even formulate, the pricing.

The best thing to do is focus on your hourly target and factor in your expected time until you can titrate your rates based on experience.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

 

[Tim54]

Thanks to all for your input. I only have one chance to make this offer, so want to do it right. You have some good ideas.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have a janitorial business and carpet cleaning is an add on.

I would correctively (Steam clean) clean those areas that need it. Possibly the entire area may need it the first cleaning.

After that I would maintain it with a 175 and bonnet, OP machine or Cimex using encap solutions. You be able to be more competitive on price, more productive in sq/ft and the "appearance" will still be managed at a high level. Steam cleaning only when those areas are overly soiled or no longer respond to encap.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Thanks to all for your input. I only have one chance to make this offer, so want to do it right. You have some good ideas.

How big of a building are we talking about?
What industry

 

[Fred G]

As a Janitorial business you will find that your pricing methods will work very well for yoir customers and keep us higher priced folks off your back. By providing a regular service that keeps carpets looking good you will be offering what we offer as commercial carpet cleaning specialist s. Good move for you. Charge based on how many Sq. Ft. you can clean per hour (depending on the method this will vary of cource) then it comes down to what you want to make per labor hour.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Good to see you again Fred, don't be a stranger.

You are a good example of a successful commercial vlm cleaner.