Commercial accounts

Clean County

New Member
David, I don't know if I completely agree with what your saying. I understand that your business is strictly a commercial business so in your thinking getting a commercial account is not to difficult because that is the accounts you have. Well that makes sense because your expertise is in that area. But to think that the big guys are just as easy as the little guys then why are they big and the other guys are little? If I wanted to get the job of cleaning Dodger stadium and also the job of pw someone's house there is a whole different strategy in getting the two even though they have the same goal which is to be cleaned. The people who have the big businesses are not your tipical average person. They have goals and Ideas that they go after and you have better be extremely well prepared in all aspects of your business when dealing with the big boys. To me, and I deal with strictly residential at this time, I think it is easier to deal with Joe the homeowner because he knows what he wants and you dont have to go through a bunch of red tape to get the job.

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Dave Olson

New Member
Since we have been in business less than one tenth of one percent has been residential!

I think that "Red Tape" can come from any account, doesn't make any difference what type of work it might be.

We did a $20,000 job last fall for a local plant. The Red Tape involved. Engineer called, we looked at the work, sent him email proposal, he email back "Do it!". We completed the 4 day job 10 days later! We were paid in 30 days.

I could give you other examples but really if you want to do other than residential work, start contacting the folks that you would like to do business for! I cold called on our local Utility Company in 1986. We have been doing their equipment ever since!

Dave Olson



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Tidy Powerwash Service, Inc. P.O. Box 781, Catlin, Illinois 61817 Phone 217-427-5557, Fax 217-427-2632 We are a commercial cleaning contractor serving East-Central Illinois and West Central Indiana since 1984. http://www.tps-inc.com/preswash.htm
 

Ron Musgraves

Administrator
Staff member
Hey john,

I think Dave’s point is, if you don’t cold call how will you know about the red tape. Some have red tape some don’t.


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Ron Marshal Phoenix AZ
1-888-fleetwash
 

David Saulque

<b>PWN TEAM - Hood Moderator</b><br<b><font color=
I thought that I had made my point clear-one needs to practice & practice your sales calls and HEAR what the customer is saying. All of my account are commercial because of my trade. Small restaurants, large food service operations and one single residence. They all had to be sold and re-sold so that they will continue the service. This process is on going-you just change the faces. If you have a plan and willing to cold call anyone can get commercial accounts-ANYONE. To say one is harder than the other is ridiculous. If you can do one you can do the other.

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Ron Musgraves

Administrator
Staff member
edrock,

You raise a good point, although I’ve never had a problem like that I could imagine that would be a nightmare. Hey, I guess you have not read my post. If you become and approved vendor this process will become smoother.


Mcdonalds corporate not franchise operations will pay invoice on and approved vendor without the manager approval under a certain dollar amount. If you ever get caught submitting a false invoice deliberately you will be terminated and prosecuted.

1. Always put your vendor number on invoices with their store number and address. The address means nothing to them. They go by store number and your vendor number.
2. Send a copy of invoice directly to this addr. mcdonald corporate headquarters account payable the name of your representative. Some companies have reps. some you just get who ever they give you. Remember this is for mcdonalds corporate stores only. Each franchise operation will have different guidelines. The addr. For corp. is PO box 1721 oak brook IL 60522-1721 I fax a statement to my rep. she prefers that rather than dealing with the invoices. I would imagine that if you are doing work for the first time and they are setting you up as a new vendor it would take longer than normal. I love mcdonalds payment process, other operations such as tricon stinks. You need to jump through hoops to get paid. Each and every invoice needs not only be hand approved but stamped by the manager and approved by the district office. some invoices over certain dollar amounts need approval even higher up.
3. I personally in my contracts state we will obtain no signature for payment approval. Some out there may think that this is and impossible thing to do. I just tell my customers if we cant build a relationship of trust and respect then maybe we are not the company you should hire. Don’t get me wrong if they insist we will get signatures. Currently the signature I am required to get is low.
4. obtain a list of store number and manager names from head office. if you are a vendor they will send it.

remember this just because you do work for a company does not mean you are a vendor.
Most large companies have three different types of vendor requirements.

1. Temporary cash vendor. You have done work occasionally.
2. A regular vendor. This means they have some info such as your tax id and maybe have tagged you first name in a database. If and when they update they may purge your info from their system and make you fill it out again at a later date. They will send you a letter that they are updating their files. When in reality they threw you off because they where cleaning house.
3. Approved vendor. This is when you have filled out all paper work in triplicate giving all financial and personal info about your company. This is where you are establishing a common trust and legitimacy about your business to either purchasing agents and or area maintenance personnel. Predetermined pricing will be required. This protects them at later time so the vendor does not over charge them. This usually means someone important knows you personally.




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Ron Marshal Phoenix AZ
1-888-fleetwash

Oldie but a goodie
 

Ron Musgraves

Administrator
Staff member
WE AGREE WITH THE OTER POST HERE,COMMEREICAL ACCOUNTS ARE GREAT, BUT USUALLY VERY HARD TO GET,AND IT WILL SURPRISE MOST HOW TIGHT THEY ARE WITH THERE MONEY, AND IF IT EASY TO GET WATCH OUT,THERE WANTING ALOT FOR TOO LITTLE,AND IF THEY HAVNT, BEEN CLEANED IN YEARS, THEY WANT IT DONE FOR VERY LITTLE,AND IF YOU DO FIND A GOOD ONE YOU BETTER BE NOT ONLY THE BEST, BUT VERY COMPETIVE,THERES ALWAYS WILL BE SOMEONE ELSE WANTING THAT ACCOUNT, WE HAVE A FEW AND DONT WORRY BECAUSE WE RUN 2- MACHINES AND OUR MONEY STAYS IN OUR HOUSE,BUT THAT IS THE EXCEPTION, OTHERWISE YOU WORRY. JUST OUR THOUGHTS, BEST OF LUCK. JIM&SHIRLEY

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I remember Jim and Shirley, what's up?
 

Clean County

New Member
Good "old" post. I think I landed my first commercial accounts around the time I started this thread. I had aprox 17 BestBuy stores that I ended up doing for a couple of yrs but then I lost them by being underbid by more then 50%. I did learn a ton from these bulletin boards back then and still do today[rwb]
 

Ron Musgraves

Administrator
Staff member
Good "old" post. I think I landed my first commercial accounts around the time I started this thread. I had aprox 17 BestBuy stores that I ended up doing for a couple of yrs but then I lost them by being underbid by more then 50%. I did learn a ton from these bulletin boards back then and still do today[rwb]

You likely didn't loose them to under bidder.
 

Clean County

New Member
You likely didn't loose them to under bidder.

Actually the property management company that I still deal with today lost all 500 Bestbuy stores then because the person who had the account took all her clients to her new company and BestBuy was one of them. I use to get $180/Store/monthly then which took about 1.5hrs on average to complete by myself and the new company gave them to other contractors for around $90. Of course for a few more times this lady still gave me the full price to clean them when corporate came around... But the Monthly's were gone from me forever because I would't lower my price especially in half no less.
 

Ron Musgraves

Administrator
Staff member
Actually the property management company that I still deal with today lost all 500 Bestbuy stores then because the person who had the account took all her clients to her new company and BestBuy was one of them. I use to get $180/Store/monthly then which took about 1.5hrs on average to complete by myself and the new company gave them to other contractors for around $90. Of course for a few more times this lady still gave me the full price to clean them when corporate came around... But the Monthly's were gone from me forever because I would't lower my price especially in half no less.

I would wash a best buy for 145 monthly
 

Ron Musgraves

Administrator
Staff member
So the real failure was not keeping relation with her beyond this job & shoring a new one with the person who took hers.
 

Clean County

New Member
Nope. She got canned for unethical reasons and supposedly the company she was working at was going to be sued by the company she left because of her stealing these accounts. As for me we still do monthly accounts for the original PM company who's worldwide.

As for that lady that stole these accounts she did call me a couple of more times in tears because of her legal mess she got herself into. Unfortunately there was nothing I could do for her. "Live by the sword then die by the sword"
 

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