Just curious about how to go about getting names of owners and managers for storefront cleanings. I hate calling and asking for the manager and for the ones I stop into I would really like to know a name to ask for when I pop by. I’ve tried calling some places, asking for the manage and writing their name down when they answer and then just give them a compliment about some random service I got there without telling them really who I am. Then I have a name when I pop in a few hours later to inquire about their need for a window cleaner. But that is kind of a pain in the ass. How do you get the names of people you are courting for service? Or do you not even worry about it at all and just stop in, ask for the manager, and ask if they are in the market for a window cleaner with your pitch? I’m just looking for a better way!
Thanks
Josh
Thats the best way to do it. You just got to get out there and walk the beat.
Just to in and ask. If you close 1 in 5 or 1 in 10, but you’re spending all that time researching who to talk to, you’ll waste a lot of time.
“Hi, I’m from You Can’t See Me Window Cleaning and I was just wondering who I would talk to about giving you a free estimate on window cleaning?”
Bam, your in.
If they’re out: “Would it be okay if I left him an estimate? It’s a free estimate and it’ll give him/her something to look at when he/she gets back”
We already have somebody: “Would you like a comparison quote? I might be able to provide your business with a better value.” Don’t go for “cheaper” go for “value.” I don’t ever want to get in a bidding war.
You would have to go through corporate: “Great, do you have the number of the maintenance person at headquarters?”
Then on your way out: “Oh, by the way, I also do houses!”
[MENTION=5616]Jared[/MENTION]Al perfect approach. I like it. Thanks
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Oh, and most of your new accounts WILL come from call backs. Call them back after a few days and see if they had a chance to look at your estimate.
+1 Great advice!
Jesse
Atlas Services - Exterior Cleaning Specialists
North Carolina
@cleaviewky. This is Gold right here^^.
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Is it too late to nominate this for that top ten forum posts to read? Cuz I just figured out two things I was doing wrong. Thanks [MENTION=12729]JaredAI[/MENTION].
Oh yeah, I just thought of something… what service do you put on your bid? Monthly and twice a month?
It depends.
Commercial or industrial, I’ll usually write every 4 or 8 weeks - they don’t get a lot of foot traffic so windows aren’t that important. These are great to have because they’re not going to nitpick you over every window.
Restaurant then I write every week or two. Lot of traffic, lot of fingerprints, so they’re really concerned about appearance and windows are critical.
Storefront, every 2 or 4 weeks. Moderate traffic, windows are important but not critical.
Projects like big buildings, they’ll usually tell you what they’re interested. Probably quarterly.
But I always write the same things (handwritten):
[I]Front windows (be specific about what you’re going to clean) - inside and out $$
- wipe sills
- remove cobwebs
- every 2 or 4 weeks.
Option: outside only $.[/I]
I like giving the outside only option as long as it’s still within my minimum. Some customers would want in/out one time then out only next time. It might help with the close ratio.
Do you have estimate sheets or are you using something like Proposal?
I’m sort of old school in that I use 2 part carbonless copies. I posted my estimate sheet in the members area for people to download. Top part goes to the customer, yellow part comes with me so I have something to reference when I call them back. Get yourself a 31 day accordion file and put the estimate 2 or 3 days down from the day you give it. Then call them back and follow up. Most of your work will come via call backs.
I should probably use something like Proposal, but when it comes to route work, it’s all about numbers. Go in, give an estimate, get out (or start cleaning if they want it done right now). So I sort of think Proposal is a little overkill for stuff like route. However, if I’m bidding a chain of 17 stores, yeah, Proposal is definitely the way to go.
Route work is all about repeat business and I’m on it like clock work. The sweet spot I think is every 2 weeks. Most storefronts and a lot of restaurants will do this. 4 weeks is also good. 6 weeks is okay, but it’ll float around inside your route. I’d almost rather have an 8 week instead of 6.
Weekly can be a grind. Be careful how many weeklys you take because they can be difficult to manage.
Oh, here’s a tip: sell them on 4 weeks instead of monthly. You’ll get 13 cleanings instead of 12. I tell them that every 4 weeks is more consistent in that you have short months or long months so monthly is sort of inconsistent. Whereas every 4 weeks is consistent and you’ll get a better value that way. Also, the 4 weeks lines up your routes. Your 2, 4, and 8 week jobs will line up whereas monthly needs to float around so you have to line it up with the route it’s in.
You’re absolutely right… the in/out and out only is exactly how I sold a bi weekly job a couple of months back. It made that one job a $115 twice monthly stop. I’m definitely going to try that option in the future.
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Jared: What you’re saying is what they teach at FiSH.
Jared you definitely know your storefront. Great post!
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Jared, do you have some kind of past experience working for Fish? Everything you just described basically sums up the Fish Window Cleaning “secrets” to cold calling.
I did own a franchise, but I won’t say which one. 
Some people might know or guess, others won’t care. I lost a ton of money in a franchise, they didn’t care whether I lived or died, so I’ve made it my mission to try and help other business owners that might need encouragement. We’re all insecure, frustrated, discouraged, or homicidal at points, so WCR is a great place to chat and get our heads on straight. Some franchises work great for some people in some markets, but I’ll even do my best to help the not so successful franchisees, because sometimes nobody else cares that you’re drowning.
Now, I’m just on a mission to build my own window cleaning empire without paying weekly fees (branding, technology, website, etc etc etc) and royalties for stuff that didn’t affect my business in the least. I just paid a ton of money to find the one niche in life that I truly enjoy and to discover that I can totally do this on my own.
There isn’t a secret formula for getting customers. My script is based on walking into hundreds of locations, saying the same thing or mixing it up to see what works, getting rejected a ton of times, getting instant customers a bunch of times, and calling back hundreds of estimates. I was in a small territory so even if they said “no,” they see me again in 6 months. So you might want to keep a few notes on your copy about the “no” so you can remember them next time you’re in there.
The way I look at it is when it comes to bidding route, just look at it as if you’re going to go out and make 10, 30, 50 new friends that day. They’re business owners like you, they need window cleaning, and it might as well be you.
There are just a few things to keep in mind:
- They’re there to run their business. Don’t bug them. Get to the point. Some people do start a conversation, but it depends on how you want to approach it. “Something smells good in there, what is it?.. free estimate for window cleaning?” or “Tell me about this… free estimate for window cleaning?”
I don’t really do that unless I’m going to buy something or I’m shopping while I’m out cold calling. I look at cold calling as if I were the customer. How do you feel when you’re working and someone starts to ask what sort of soap you use?
But if you’re in a restaurant or in a shop buying something, might as well talk to them about their windows. It means more if you’re THEIR customer.
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They need our service. They might pay an employee to clean the windows, but are they covered if that person falls off a ladder or hurts a customer? We have insurance for that sort of stuff and training for ladders.
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They’re not necessarily looking for the lowest price. Price is a factor, but so is predicable and repeatable service. They need to depend on you to do the job as often as they want you to. That’s why I give them options for scheduling, different people might want different things. I had a little clothing shop that wanted it done weekly because she was high end.
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A professional image is a must unless you want to fight over the lowest priced service.
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I listen and care about my customers. Oh, corporate is coming for a visit? Sure, I’ll be here at 6 in the morning to get your glass cleaned up. Need an emergency clean? Sure, I’ll be there tomorrow. Would you like me to touch up those mirrors? I can add that service if you need it.
I also don’t resort to tricks when making call backs. I’ve got the contact name written on the estimate, i ask for them, then ask them if they had a chance to look over the estimate. My calls last less than 45 seconds most of the time unless they want to go with me and want to discuss scheduling.
Jared, about what percentage of your storefront/commercial estimates would you say are eventually converted into customers? When I was an operations manager at Fish, we didn’t track these numbers for our salesman but we probably should have looking back on it.
I’ve never really tracked it either. I just have a vague feeling about it. My gut says maybe 1 in 10 will sign up instantly but you can probably close 1 in 5 with call backs. But I just think it varies so much that it would be really hard to tell.
For example, I’m not sure how bidding one store and then getting the other 10 stores factors in.
I’m also not sure how one store initially said no, but then called back 4 months later after she got permission from the owner.
My only advice is to celebrate the instant ones, persevere on the call backs, expect a lot of no’s & maybe’s, but just keep plugging away. It’s easy to get frustrated, it’s tempting to lower your prices, but keep going and you’ll make it. Every time I lowered my prices or tried to make a deal, I regretted it.
Jared all your post within this thread are right on the money. Thanks for sharing this information with everyone.
You nailed it…
Fantastic use of homophones!
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How did I know you’d be the one to catch that? Nice use of the word “homophone” since it’s not something we normally pull out in conversation.
But you do know that some people will now think you need to attend reeducation camp right?
