Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Learning the Business
3. Understanding Production Rate
4. Importance of Service Schedules
5. Asking the Right Questions
6. Conducting Facility Tours
7. Measuring Cleanable Space
8. Determining Hourly Rate
9. Calculating Total Cleaning Time
10. Bidding Accounts Effectively
Article
Introduction
🌟 Welcome to this guide on bidding commercial cleaning jobs to help grow your business! Setting the right price is crucial, as it can either attract or scare away potential customers. In this article, we will share valuable tips and insights that Octoclean has acquired over its 30 years of experience in the industry. By following these guidelines, you will learn how to bid for commercial cleaning services the right way.
Learning the Business
🤔 If you're new to the cleaning business, it's essential to gain a solid understanding of the industry before regularly bidding on accounts. Simply relying on an app to determine your bidding strategy won't suffice. The key lies in knowing your production rate, understanding how long it takes to clean various areas, such as toilets, sinks, floors, and carpets. While you can find bidding apps and resources online, it's more effective to test your own time and strive for highly efficient cleaning with no complaints. This ensures that the quality of work remains consistent even when employees take over.
Understanding Production Rate
📈 Many cleaning companies fail when the core owners step away from the job, and employees struggle to reproduce the same level of work. To avoid this pitfall, it's crucial to learn how to run your business on a daily basis. One way to achieve this is by establishing service schedules for different types of facilities. These schedules act as the foundation for effectively servicing customers. Without them, you may face constant reminders from clients about unfulfilled promises or misunderstandings. Tight service schedules eliminate confusion and provide clarity to both you and your customers.
Asking the Right Questions
❓ When meeting with potential clients, it's important to ask a lot of questions rather than trying to sell yourself. By doing so, you can identify the specific problems or issues the client is facing and determine if your services can solve them. It's crucial to ensure that the services you offer align with the problems your clients need solving. Avoid trying to figure this out on the job; instead, gather all the necessary information during your initial meeting. This approach saves time, prevents misunderstandings, and allows you to tailor your proposal accordingly.
Conducting Facility Tours
🚶♂️ Once you've established a potential client's needs, it's time to tour their facility. Armed with a notepad, pen, and laser measuring tool, you'll meticulously go through every square inch of cleanable space. Measure the square footage of offices, conference rooms, and common areas, noting the flooring surface in each. In restrooms, consider the number of sinks, toilets, urinals, and stalls. This detailed information plays a significant role in the bidding process, helping you arrive at an accurate final number for your proposal.
Measuring Cleanable Space
📏 Accurate measurements are crucial when determining the time required to clean a facility. By combining your building inventory with your knowledge of how long it takes to clean each area, you can calculate the total cleaning time. This step is essential for accurately bidding on accounts. Knowing the exact time required allows you to plan your resources effectively and ensure that you're not overcommitting or underdelivering.
Determining Hourly Rate
💰 To arrive at a fair and profitable hourly rate, you need to consider various factors. Start by researching the going minimum wage in your area, as this will give you an idea of what other companies are paying their employees. Next, determine your overhead costs and desired profit margin. Typically, companies allocate between 30% and 35% for overhead and profit. By factoring in these numbers, you can calculate an hourly rate that covers your expenses while ensuring a healthy profit.
Calculating Total Cleaning Time
⏰ Armed with your building information and hourly rate, you can now calculate the total hours you'll spend in a facility each day. Multiply this number by the requested number of cleaning days per week, and then multiply the result by 52 weeks. Finally, divide this by 12 months to obtain the monthly recurring charge (MRC). This figure allows you to offer high, medium, and low prices based on different hourly rates, catering to various scenarios and client expectations.
Bidding Accounts Effectively
💼 Bidding accounts effectively requires a combination of experience, knowledge, and adaptability. As you continue to work on your business and improve your efficiency, you'll gain a better understanding of how fast you can complete tasks and train others. This knowledge will help you refine your bidding process and make accurate proposals that meet client expectations. Remember, consistency and quality are key to building a successful cleaning business.
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🌟 **Highlights:**
- Learning the business before bidding accounts
- Understanding your production rate
- Importance of service schedules
- Asking the right questions to identify client needs
- Conducting thorough facility tours and measurements
- Determining a fair and profitable hourly rate
- Calculating total cleaning time for accurate bids
- Offering high, medium, and low prices based on hourly rates
- Continuous improvement and adaptability in bidding process
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Frequently Asked Questions
❓ **Q:** How can I ensure consistent quality when employees take over the cleaning tasks?
- **A:** It's crucial to establish highly efficient cleaning practices with no complaints before handing over tasks to employees. This ensures that the quality of work remains consistent even when the core owners are not directly involved.
❓ **Q:** What is the significance of service schedules in the bidding process?
- **A:** Service schedules provide a clear framework for effectively servicing customers. They eliminate confusion and misunderstandings, ensuring that both you and your clients are on the same page regarding the services to be provided.
❓ **Q:** How can I determine the right hourly rate for my cleaning services?
- **A:** Research the going minimum wage in your area and factor in your overhead costs and desired profit margin. By considering these factors, you can calculate an hourly rate that covers your expenses while ensuring a healthy profit.
❓ **Q:** How do I calculate the total cleaning time for accurate bids?
- **A:** Multiply the total hours spent in a facility per day by the number of cleaning days per week. Then, multiply this result by 52 weeks and divide by 12 months to obtain the monthly recurring charge (MRC).
❓ **Q:** What are some key factors to consider when bidding accounts effectively?
- **A:** It's essential to continuously work on your business, improve efficiency, and learn how fast you can complete tasks. Additionally, adaptability and understanding client expectations are crucial for making accurate bids and maintaining customer satisfaction.
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🌐 Resources:
- [Octoclean](https://www.octoclean.com) - Learn more about Octoclean's expertise in the cleaning industry.
- [AI Chatbot](https://www.voc.ai/product/ai-chatbot) - Introducing an AI chatbot that can reduce the workload on customer services.
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With this comprehensive guide, you now have the knowledge and insights to bid for commercial cleaning jobs effectively. Remember to adapt these strategies to your specific business needs and continue learning and improving along the way. Good luck in growing your cleaning business!
