TinyTinas

Well we have been doing residential cleaning now for almost and year. We have been able to hire 3 almost fulltime employees. We have now started to get asked to id on commercial contracts, typically offices. We have bid on almost 30 so far and only landed 3. This seems very low to me. Today I got a call back from one of the quotes to let me know they went with someone else. During this conversation I was able to get her to answer a few questions for me. She told be that there was only $5/week difference between us and the winning bid. She said that the things she didn't like where that we did not walk around and take mesurements and that our proposal did not seem very professional or detailed enough. Now the measurement thing. Is this something that is typically done? The proposal letter I have put below and would appreciated any critisism you may have or suggestions for future quotes. Of course this letter is printed on letterhead.

Also one lsat thing. When submittingthe bid what sort of information do you ubmit with it. I also send a company letter(also below) detailing a bit about our company, references, brochure and a copy of our insurance certificate.

Any help in this process would be greatly appreciated.

Tina

annasue

I personally think the measuring thing was to look impressive. With the economy like it is and depending on the size of the place your price is kind of high, but then I can't see the office you bid on or the area you are in. I have my own very small business (not cleaning) and also have had a cleaning job in the past. The client was honest with you in telling you what they didn't like. Can you find a copy of the way someone else's proposal sheets look at? Did you make them on your computer or have a print shop do them for you? You didn't mention anything about cleaning the bathrooms, mirrors or windows. Your hours of work such as when the office closes at 5PM you'll come in to clean or as a night crew etc. Your first impression will usually make or break it in the business world.
Just a few things to think about. Learn from the experience and move on. Good Luck in the future and don't give up!!!

FacilitySupport

Hello Tina (or who ever is still around reading this dated post),

As this is an old post, I'm not going to answer in depth. But I did see two red flags that can cause problems for a Commercial Cleaning Contractor.

The first item I noticed was your intent to clean the electronic equipment (i.e. computers). Many people in this business still have the mental (and financial) scars from when the client called furious about how we screwed up their computers. Often times the cleaning company is the scapegoat for an overdue project or a mistake that has all of a sudden came up missing on a computer. If we make clear in the beginning that we don't touch electronic equipment, the liars need to find another scapegoat for their mistakes. In addition, explaining to a prospect that you are aware of your liability in this area is a sales plus.

The second item was the obvious lack of a documented service schedule (daily, nightly, weekly, bi-monthly etc.).

Your intent sounds strong and I'm sure you will do well. Good luck with your new efforts!

__________________
- Thomas Anthony
Facility Support Services, FSS Support Site
Years from now they won't remember what you did. They probably won't remember what you said either. They may not even remember your name. But I promise you... they will always remember exactly how you made them feel. - unknown