Cleaning-Success.com

Cleaning Customers Want "Cheap Prices" - Why Shouldn't I Give It To Them?

With everyone cutting back to save money since the economy went south, cleaning companies are feeling the pinch!  Many of us have lost customers because they went out looking for a cleaning service that offers cheaper prices. So why shouldn't you give in and offer cheaper prices? Well actually, you CAN! In know that's not what you were expecting me to say, so read on...

What many cleaning business owners do is cut prices to help out the customer, but they stop there. What is wrong with this? The money has to come out of someone's pocket and of course that pocket belongs to the cleaning business owner - not the customer! They've just slashed their profit by cutting prices.

What can you do? When you offer to cut prices to help out your customer, you will also cut out or back off on the frequency of certain services. So when you negotiate with your customer, say "sure, I can work with you to reduce the price! Here's what I can do..." And then give them alternatives on services you provide. 

For example, if you're a commercial cleaning company, you could cut back on trash removal frequency -- instead of 5 days a week, collect the trash 2 or 3 times a week. Or you could vacuum the entryways, public areas and main traffic lanes daily, but cut back on vacuuming employee areas that the public doesn't see, or other areas that don't receive much traffic.

If you're a residential cleaning company you could go from weekly cleaning to bi-monthly cleaning. Or you could alternate a regular maintenance cleaning with a light cleaning where you don't dust everything and cut out certain rooms in the home that aren't often used.

Just because customers want "cheap prices" doesn't mean you need to sacrifice your own profits to give them what they want. Think creatively with your specifications lists and work with your customer to make it a win-win situation for all!

What have YOU done to offer your customers "cheap" prices? Post you comments by clicking on the Comments link below.

Tips for Marketing Your Cleaning Business at a Trade Show

One way to market your cleaning business is to have a booth at a trade show. Many communities have trade shows such as the Home & Garden show or the Chamber of Commerce trade show. Consider this as a way to meet new people and gather a prospect list.

A member of MyHouseCleaningBiz.com participates in several trade shows every year and offers the following advice for those with residential cleaning businesses:

1) Give away free cleaning. However, don't give away completely free cleaning. What we've done is give away 2-3 hours of free cleaning ... this is a $60-$90 value (or more, depending on your rates) for the winner. We give away at least 2 of these cleanings each time. You may want to place a restriction on the prize (gift certificate) by asking the winner to schedule the clean during a slow time (for us June-Sept) and not to use it for the first clean (specify fourth, fifth, etc.) This giveaway also allows you to ask for attendees' name, phone number, and email so you can build a database for a newsletter. You can also follow-up with each entry because these leads can offer an opportunity for business.

2) You might want to give away several small baskets of green cleaning supplies to "push your green cleaning." There are many local "green" events these days, and eco-friendly or earth-friendly cleaning goes hand-in-hand with healthy homes, healthy environments, and the adoption of healthier and more sustainable cleaning practices. Don't forget to include your business card. A green cleaning tips flyer/pamphlet is also a nice addition to your baskets.

3) You can print up a sign for your table: Book 8 weekly or bi-weekly cleans, get $100. This deal has worked very well for us at trade shows. Most cleans will range from $100 - $175, so by the time you give back the $100, you've made between $800-$1400 ... you're giving around $12.50/clean, no more than 30 free minutes for each of the 8 cleans. And, you are (hopefully) charging an hourly rate for the first clean to add even more towards your profit.

We find it's relevant to ask trade show/festival attendees to complete either an entry form for giveaways or a sign-up sheet for your email newsletter. Leads are the key at a trade show.

Have YOU ever participated in a trade show or local community event? Please share your tips by clicking on the Comments link below.

How to Keep a Positive Mental Attitude

When you own a cleaning business, it can be challenging at times to keep a positive mental attitude. We've all been there; you come into the office in the morning and feel like you're being bombarded with problems -- someone's office didn't get cleaned last night, customers calling with complaints, an employee quit without notice, etc, etc. It's at times like these that we wonder how some people always seem to keep a positive attitude, even in the face of adversity.

Yes, some people are just naturally positive, but most of us have to work at it. And yes, you CAN keep a positive mental attitude when you learn to shift your thinking. Here are some tips:

• Surround yourself with positive people. That includes family, friends, colleagues and the people you hire.
• Stay away from negative people and negative situations. If the news bothers you, turn it off.
• Read positive books and listen to positive or inspirational CD's when traveling between jobs or when relaxing at home.
• When you talk to people, consciously talk in a positive way. Say, "yes, I can" instead of "no, I can't".
• Believe that you can achieve your goals. If you don't believe it or if you let the negative people around you convince you that you can't, it will never happen.
• Consciously work at keeping a positive mental attitude every day. Yes, you will have negative things still happen, but don't dwell on it. Take care of the problem and move on to more positive things.
• Keep in mind that when you show others your positive attitude, you can change their attitude - it's catchy just like a negative attitude is catchy.
• Start each day by reading for 10 or 20 minutes from a positive, inspirational book and let it carry you through the day. It will become habit forming.

What do YOU do to keep a positive mental attitude? Post your reply by clicking on the Comments link below.

How Do You Deal With Cleaning Clients Who Always Ask For More?

Most of the time we love our clients. After all, they're the ones paying our bills! But once in a while we get a client who always seems to ask for more. "Can you water the plants for me? Can you wipe down my lawn furniture when you come to clean? Can you take that pile of boxes out to the trash?"

Sure, you can do ALL of those things! But the question is, will you be paid for your extra time and effort? In many cases it's a simple, one-time request that will take five minutes -- no problem. But some clients may ask for cleaning that will take substantial time and possibly specialized equipment such as a carpet spotting extractor. In these cases, you must make sure your customer understands that this is outside the scope of your cleaning specifications and they will be charged for the additional service.

In a commercial cleaning situation, be sure you have a signed agreement that outlines your cleaning specifications. Also include prices for additional services such as carpet spotting, carpet cleaning and window washing. You should also include an hourly rate that you will use for any other services requested that are not covered in the agreement. That way you can say to the client, "Yes, I can do that for you. Per our agreement, it will be $30 per hour for that service."

For the residential customer who asks for additional services, say something like, “I'm so sorry, I don't usually have time left over for extra requests, so I'm not able to do that today. But I'm happy to accommodate you in the future with just a little advance notice.  If you'd like, I can schedule an extra 30 minutes next time for this task and I'd be happy quote a price for you." 

This is a nice way to get the message across to the client that they will have to pay for always asking for more service.  They'll get the message and will either ask you to quote a price or they'll stop asking for additional "free" services!

How do YOU deal with clients who always ask for more? Post your comments by clicking on the Comments link below.

Presentation Topic Ideas

If you belong to a networking group, you're often given the opportunity to do a 15 or 20 minute presentation about your business. In most cases, your fellow networkers will be bored with hearing about your business. Instead, think about discussing a more interesting topic. Here are some ideas from our friend Debbie Sardone, The Maid Coach:

Talk about things that people will remember.  Talk about things that OTHERS care about.  Talk about things that help to establish YOU as the industry expert, the "go to person" in town when it comes to cleaning!

* Speed Cleaning Pro Tips (The secret to cleaning up in half the time!)
* Tools of the Trade (10 Must-haves in your cleaning caddy--what the professionals use!)
* How To Choose A Cleaning Service (There's more than meets the eye--who's touching YOUR things?)
* Stop Wasting Time & Money On Worthless Gadgets (Professional tips on buying the best cleaning tools)
* Who's Touching Your Stuff? (a serious look at employee screening)

You see, you don't have to talk directly about what YOUR company is doing.  You just need to be knowledgeable about things that interest others.  Things like "what's the best vacuum for my house?"  "do feather dusters really work?" "what is microfiber?". 

Also people like to hear the professional training secrets of moving quickly around a room to accomplish the job in less time--I held a 10 Minute Speech on Speed Cleaning for my BNI group once.  I donned the apron, the tennis shoes, I spread out all of my gadgets and taught them to clean from top to bottom and left to right.  They loved it!  Tell them about companies that don't do background checks on employees and give a mini seminar about the security standards you have!   There are dozens of these mini topics.

In other words you demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in indirect ways using topics that are related to cleaning, but not directly about the dirt you remove.  Topics they actually are interested in.

Have fun, don't see it as a chore to come up with topics.  There are dozens of them.

Evaluating New Cleaning Employees

A cleaning business owner asked:

When an employee is over their first 90 days and you evaluate them to give them a pay increase and you feel like they deserve a pay increase, can you tell them that if they start slacking off that you will decrease their pay back to the starting wage?

Our Reply:

You should have a policy for everything you do including pay raises. It's not a good idea to go up and down on pay because they're performing good one week and poorly the next. You open yourself up for all kinds of problems - "well my mother is in the hospital and I couldn't concentrate on work that week"...you get the idea. If it ever came up for dispute with state unemployment for example, they'd want to see all your documentation and policies.

The best thing you can do is document everything. If they're slacking, document it and have them sign it. Tell them the consequences of continuing in this manner. If it happens again, document it - have a 3 strike policy - written documentations, possible probation and termination. They need to know there are consequences - and the consequences can't be taking away their pay - ultimately it's losing their job.

Should You Use Subcontractors to Expand Your Cleaning Business?

One of the best ways to expand your cleaning business is to offer more services to your existing customers. But what do you do if you don't know how to perform the service? For the most part, you have two options: 1) educate yourself by taking classes or asking your supplier to train you on how to us the equipment, or 2) subcontract the work.

Learning how to perform the service is the most profitable way to go, although you will have up front expenses for training and equipment. Subcontracting might be the way to go at first because you won't have to spend any additional money. Plus you can act as the middle man and make a small profit for yourself, while keeping the customer happy. But subcontracting can work against you if you're not careful.

My friend Sharon Cowan of Maid for Success offered this advice to a cleaning business owner who was considering subcontracting some floor care services:

"Keep in mind that ultimately your company name is the one on the line. If the subcontractor creates issues with the client, it is you and your company that gets the heat. Your reputation and future business could depend on the quality and work that the sub does. In the early years, I subbed out all my hard surface floor work. The sub was a legitimate business, but after a short time I realized I could make a lot more money learning and doing the work with my own employees. To use subs for all of your work might take you out of the race for pricing your work competitively because you are adding a middle man. I would also be vary cautious about this."

I also highly recommend making an investment in your company by learning how to perform additional services like floor care, and then buying the equipment you need. The equipment will generally pay for itself with just two or three jobs. You'll quickly notice a positive difference in your bottom line as well!

Have you expanded your cleaning business services? Are you doing them yourself or subcontracting? Post your comments by clicking on the Comments link below.

Do You Make These Sales Mistakes When Selling Cleaning Services?

Do you get ill at the thought of having to go out and "sell" your cleaning services? How do you prepare? Or maybe I should ask...DO you prepare?

Here are some common sales mistakes people make when selling their cleaning services.

1. Winging It. Some people think that since they've been doing this for a while they don't need to prepare. On the flip side, some new cleaning business owners don't prepare because they figure their passion for the business will carry them through. But failing to prepare isn't going to fly with busy decision makers.

2. Diarrhea of the Mouth. Do you do most of the talking? If so, you're missing an opportunity to connect with your prospect. Let them do most of the talking and show an interest in what they have to say.

3. No Knowledge of the Prospect. If you haven't done your research on your prospect, they'll figure it out right away. When they do, you'll be quickly dismissed.

4. Going On About Your Service. People don't care how great your cleaning service is. They only care about their own problems. Unless you address their problems, they'll tune you right out.

5. Whoa! Slow Down! Don't push too hard. If you try to rush the sale or throw too much information at your prospect they may get overwhelmed and pull back.

If any of these sound familiar, you might want to take a step back and think about the mistakes you may be making. But don't let it get you down; rather, use this as an opportunity to practice and improve your selling skills.

What you need to know about the Swine Flu

Here is some information that I received from Stephen Ashkin. If you'd like to receive his newsletter you can sign up here: http://destinationgreen.com/index.html

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What you need to know about the Swine Flu

WASHINGTON, April 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Sunday it has declared a public health emergency in a bid to stop the spread of a swine flu virus.

Richard Besser, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said his agency has confirmed 20 non-fatal cases of swine flu within the Unites States, including eight cases found among New York City high school students. The other cases were detected in Ohio, Kansas, Texas and seven in California. Besser indicated that the U.S. cases were identical to the swine flu that has been hitting Mexico, where 81 deaths were deemed "likely linked" to the new strain of the virus with more than 1,300 reported ill.

The following are some “tips” for limiting your risk of catching the swine flu which comes from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and frequently asked questions from WebMD that may help you and your customers in dealing with this issue. We would encourage you to discuss the issue with your customers and help them encourage their building occupants to wash their hands and to consider additional cleaning.

If you work for a manufacturer or facility service provider, help your customers with hand care signage for the restroom, provide customers with articles for their internal news letters such as the “tips” below, provide small posters and other materials to encourage hand washing. Also, this is a time when they should consider placing waterless hand sanitizer stations in their buildings (NOTE: this is to be used in addition to washing with soap and water, not in lieu of it). At a minimum they should place units where occupants congregate such as in the elevator lobby, break rooms, etc., because they are more likely to actually use it! And even discuss with your customers placing a unit on occupants' desks.

Our industry represents cleaning professionals, so let's help our customers with these issues.

Steve

CDC Tips for Limiting Risk

Here are the CDC's tips for limiting your risk of catching the swine flu virus:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread that way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is swine flu?
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.

Are there human infections with swine flu in the U.S.?
In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. Other U.S. states have reported cases of swine flu infection in humans and cases have been reported internationally as well. An updated case count of confirmed swine flu infections in the United States is kept at www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.

Is this swine flu virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

How does swine flu spread?
Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How can someone with the flu infect someone else?
Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

What should I do to keep from getting the flu?
First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?
People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

How long can viruses live outside the body?
We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?
If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water. or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. we recommend that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

What should I do if I get sick?
If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

How serious is swine flu infection?
Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.

Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork?
No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked

More on Cleaning "Bid" vs Cleaning "Proposal"

We recently posted an article called Do You Offer Cleaning Bids or Cleaning Proposals?

This is a sore spot for a member of The Janitorial Store. He had this to say about Bid vs Proposal:

At one of my accounts there is a 24 yr old studying computer "stuff" as I call it because it is a world I'm not familiar with. Anyway he approached me and said hey, I'll get this certificate soon and that certification, etc etc. But what he said next really irked me. "So if you know anybody who needs their computer fixed, I'll do it for 1/2 of what Best Buy or Circuit City or the others do it for - spread the word."

I asked simply, "Why?"

"Why do you feel that you should get 50% of the same job that somebody else will do at twice your price? Are you only half as qualified? Is your work half as good? Are you desperate? Are you just looking to make some quick money?"

He looked at me like "what an a-hole." I said "Hey, I'm trying to help you. Better you hear this from me now than be miserable doing all kinds of work at half the pay.

I explained that it's great when you start out and you're not sure about things to get a job at any price, do good work and have something to show for it but as you grow you will get trapped into being "the guy who's cheap"

In my business, I make proposals. I hand them a 10-12 page proposal, yet I see a lot of my competition giving one-sentence bids. I call it "bidding in my inner circle" as the word bid is dominating, but I act as if I'm the only one for the job, I work the numbers as such and I don't care if I'm way over or way under as long as I get my price.

In one of my accounts, I clean the president's office. I like this motto he has pinned up in his office - "build relationships, not low bids"

What are your thoughts? Are you willing to slash your price in half and turn in "bids" just to get the work? Click on the Comments link below.