[jamesjames]

HI GUYS, what is the best way to break into commercial work? I do have a handfull of commercial jobs that are regular, but would like to get many more.

Regards

James

[carlton care]

How did you get the ones you have  : : :

[craigp]

Most will use their office contract cleaner not a specialist, ime. They only want the cheapest price. The odd exception being cash rich prestigous companies (I have a few of these and they will pay well)

A few times turn down the request for a qoute for some commercial on industrial estates because I have been 95% sure they wont use me, but will happely waste my time!

Oh how to break in? become a large contract cleaner.

Craig

[clinton]

Why not concentrate on domestics :)Lots of work to be had there and payment staight away

[Jim_77]

Why not?  Reason: Eggs/basket

What you have to remember when approaching commercial customers:

> You're probably talking to the skivvy, who simply passes the pricing up to the decision maker

> Ask who the decision maker is, and address your quote to them if possible

> Never supply a quote on the spot, take your notes & measurements away and work on them at your desk, in your own time.  This way you're more likely to come up with the correct pricing.

> The pricing of your quote should be an incidental part, at the end.  You should include a letter hitting them with all the benefits you have to offer.

> Always find out exactly what they want from you, don't just presume you know.  Customers' needs differ.

> Approach from the angle of continuing care, rather than one-off jobs.  It's cheaper for them to pay you to maintain their carpets regularly rather than try to salvage them every 3 years, then give up and replace them.  Your pricing needs to reflect this.

> Don't expect a conversion rate as high as you get with domestic customers (presuming you can sell to domestic clients!)

> Lots of commercial-only carpet cleaners are employing people on a modest wage, so they can charge low prices.

> You're at a disadvantage as a one-man-band because you need to turn over a certain amount per hour, which will probably be a lot lower in commercial work than in domestic.

> You're at a disadvantage as a one-man-band because you can't do as much on your own and it gets very very tiring after the first 300m² when you still have 300 to go.

[lands]

For the most part, and in simple terms, you have to go and find it. Think about your character, your interests and what you have to offer thats different and combine the three. Work out who you want to to target based on this and then create a simple plan on how you think it best to go about it and MAKE SURE YOU SEE IT THROUGH. Bit cryptic I know but any more and you won't  get anything out of it.

Pete (would be life coach)

[Len Gribble]

Pete

Cryptic yes what’s your name Len?

See Jim has been there!

So you really want it? Utilise the people you know, you will be surprised I was today on another subject but given a name one foot in the door but could be one foot in the grave.

If to big I would have assumed you have already networked in your part of the world.

Wayne

Feed back so you renewed it NO! We had it properly cleaned so don’t place the order for a new TM

Len

[Ian Gourlay]

For the most part, and in simple terms, you have to go and find it. Think about your character, your interests and what you have to offer thats different and combine the three. Work out who you want to to target based on this and then create a simple plan on how you think it best to go about it and MAKE SURE YOU SEE IT THROUGH. Bit cryptic I know but any more and you won't  get anything out of it.

Pete (would be life coach)

You spent a lot of time with Dave

[lands]

Thats all my own Work Ian. Dave's would have been in a bit more detail.

[gwrightson]

Jim, got to disagree with two of you statments

>" You're at a disadvantage as a one-man-band because you need to turn over a certain amount per hour, which will probably be a lot lower in commercial work than in domestic.

> You're at a disadvantage as a one-man-band because you can't do as much on your own and it gets very very tiring after the first 300m² when you still have 300 to go. "

I find commercial far more profitable,
majority of jobs are of a much higher value and you are not driving around from a to b to attain the same amount of money, the carpets are normaly far easier to clean, and lets be honest most facilities managers and decision makers are not quite as particuler as the domestic custy.

this is what i have found anyway,  only on tuesday night £800 for office clean , and time for 2 hrs kip during the night    paid immeadiatly,
all resulting in the owner wanting his full house cleaned, 5 bathrooms 7 beds, lounges snooker room all hard flooring etc ect, and on top of all that he has asked me to quote for his patios, block paving been cleaned.   

the ironic thing is the initial quote was given to his manager who passed it on to the owner, who in turn contacted me and give me the go ahead, " oh and whilst you are cleaning the showroom, work out a price for the rest of the offices"   the price I quoted was for the showroom and offices   
i said     
So their was he thinking it was £800 for one area, when the price was for everthing

So really I do think that good money is earnt on commercial, not all admitadly but it is there!!!!!!!!

geoff

[Len Gribble]

Geoff

I love lock-ins Len

[Ian Rochester]

Be professional in your attitude, presentation, conversation, paperwork and machinery ............. and everything else.

Look as though the price you have come up with has been calculated to the nth degree, rather than just plucked out of the sky and doubled!!

[Mike Osbourne]

At the moment I get one commercial job a month from the web and my site doesn't mention commercial. Keep asking if it's via Yell, but so far it's jsut been Googled or a free directory.