Contracts

hello

What kind of contracts do I use for powerwashing and fleetwashing..6 months, 1 year, etc.. do I need a lawyer to wright them up, or is there a form I can get, and fill in the blanks for differnt clients.

thanks for the Help
E-Rock

Hello E-rock,

Sorry for the long post, but here goes.

Are you just starting out? If so, you may want to go with a short term or no contract while you learn. Once you prove yourself to the customer, you will be in a better position to lock them in for extended period of time. This also works in your favor. As you gain experience and figure out the money you need to be profitable, you are not under any long term commitment honoring a "bad" contract. Things come up that you just don't think about when you first start.

You may also find that you don't enjoy your chosen segment of powerwashing (for example, fleet washing) If you are under contract, i would think you would have to suffer, doing work that you don't like, until the contract lapses. Short term lets you learn every aspect of what you are doing and decide if this is where you want to focus your business.

We have a couple of fleet accounts that we have done for 3 years without a contract. We have not dropped the ball and given them a reason to look at anyone else, so they continue to use us.

I hope you get more input from those here who use contracts. Might help to post a little more info in your profile. People start to open up when they know where your from, how long in business, and stuff like that.

Shawn

shawn
Thanks for the info. I am glad to here you don't need contracts for every job. I am new to the fleet washing biz. I have mostly been detaling and powerwashing for the last three years. I am buying all the equipment I need for a envirmental fleetwashing business next week, and going to jump right in and see if I can swim. So if you have any helpfull hint my ears or open.

thanks
Eric "E-Rock"

E-Rock

Every person you do business with should have a written agreement with, 1 month or for a year. If you need reasons let me kno, protect thy BUTT. MY hundred cents.

Charlie

Charlie,

Yes, please post the reasons. We could all benefit from this.

Shawn

With out a contract you are setting yourself up for not getting paid, without a contract you are precieved as a fly by night outfit.

Charlie

You are right Charlie, without a contract we have a risk of not being paid, however, that would only happen once. Also, I certainly wouldn't want our customers to perceive us as "fly by night". (That was a general statement, right?)

I have some questions. (Maybe I need to start using contracts for these customers.)

When you write up the contract, can you put a clause in there that allows you to stop work if the customer does not pay within the payment terms of the agreement?

Does your contract bind you to keep preforming the work while you sort out payment for prior work?

Do you want a short contract in case you need to raise the prices? or long term to lock the customer in?

Can you post a sample contract? or a link to one?
Thanks

Best thing to do meet with a lawyer and have him draft one up.

Charlie

There is another important aspect to for getting contracts, selling your business.

Many of us think about the day when we will be making “X” amount of dollars. What good is making the money we have worked hard for if we must continue to work because the company has little value? Think ahead like planning the dream vacation. We cannot predict the future but we can prepare for it.

I can also assure you it is much easier to establish a line of credit with the bank when you can prove “account stability.”