I had a love-hate relationship with the good, old “We’re taking bids…” phone call. Yep! I wanted the work but when I heard the word “bid” I was sure the prospect was also getting a commercial proposal from my cut-throat competitors!
NOTE: You’ll be amazed how many times your commercial job is bluffing and really is only getting one price… from YOU!)
So let’s ban forever the phrase ‘commercial job’! (As in ‘one-time-only’!) Instead, always…
Focus on converting any “bid” into a regular commercial account!
Here’s how to do it…
1. Interview your prospect. During your walk-through with your contact use our SFS Commercial Carpet Analysis (CCA) form on a clip board. (Download my CCA form for free HERE.) Subtly drop phrases such as “cleaning zones” and “maintenance programs” into the conversation.
2. Calculate your ‘break-even’ price cleaning all the carpets. Remember? TSQ ÷ PPH x GPH= Your minimum price! (CLICK HERE to learn how to use this formula.) Include the extra time to restore this trashed carpet with your first cleaning.
3. Add in for a nice, cushy profit on a one-time-only job! Looks high? Don’t fret.
4. Analyze which areas need more frequent cleaning using your CCA data. (Entries, high traffic hallways, break areas, etc.) Determine the best cleaning frequency (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly?) and your production time required per visit. Highlight these areas on a copy of their fire egress map. (See the example.)
5. Now look for lower use areas. Follow the same method from above. Use a different color highlighter on the same drawing. (Clean the entire building at least once per year.)
6. Here is your secret sauce! Add up ALL your production time for ALL the proposed cleanings for the next 12 months and then multiply the total hours needed per year times how much money you need to gross per hour! This total yearly gross will be a huge amount but fear not because you will now…
7. Divide and conquer! Simply divide your yearly amount by 12 months! When your prospect sees this low “Open Access” per month commercial proposal they’ll often say, “I like this regular maintenance option”! (Commercial accounts LOVE one fixed amount per month!)
NOTE: Follow this process even if your contact initially says “We just need a bid on a one time cleaning”. After all, your contact may not even KNOW you offer a regular maintenance program! You should offer multiple service levels including your (much) higher one-time “resurrection cleaning”.
OK, soldier, instead of waiting for the phone to ring “git yerself out there” with my Dedicated Sales Morning commitment. And make your Service Agreements “easy to sign”!
Steve