Getting frustrated and discouranged

Dave B

Dave B

New member
So far, I'm 0-3 on commercial bids that approached me about service.

0-3

1) Strip Mall and Grocery Store Sidewalks (17,000 sq ft) - this one caught me by surprise when they called, because I wasn't expecting so a large potential contract having only started the business in July. Therefore, I had not done a lot of homework on bidding something this size. I decided to use the rate I charge my residential customers for driveways and sidewalks. I also threw in a number of "freebies" to sweeten the deal - cleaning spray off lower window panes, cleaning pillars, benches, etc. I reviewed the bid with the PM and he thought it was a very reasonable rate. His boss was out of town until the end of the week, but once she got back, he was going to submit it to her for her approval. A week went by and I hadn't heard anything, so I placed a follow up call. The PM stated that his boss had been busy getting caught up and had not had a chance to approve it and that he would get back to me in a day or two. Another week goes by, and I try to follow up again, but all I get is voicemail. This was a month ago.

2) City Half-Block Sidewalks (9,000 sq ft) - Some of you may remember my posting about cleaning acorn stains off sidewalks. This was that bid. Other than the acorns, this was a pretty straight forward and easy job. I quoted slightly less than what I had quoted on the above job, and included all the freebies. Again, the PM said he would have to get his boss to approve. Two days later, he informed me they were going with someone else. I tried to find out why (price? other reasons? Wanted to know what I could have done better), but he would not give me any information.

3) Golden Corral Entrance, Sidewalks, Front Parking, Dumpster Pad (about 7,000 sq ft plus dumpster pad) - This time I was determined to get the job. I tried to get some feedback from some of the members here that I trust, but this was last week when everyone was at Vegas, so everyone was tied up (this isn't a complaint, just a reality.) So, to make sure I got the job, I reduced my rates much lower than my previous bids for sidewalks/parking spots. I used info from a recent post by Ron on dumpster pad rates, and actually was about 25% below those. The front was a mess with gum. I'm guessing there was between 4-8 pieces of old gum per square foot. The dumpster pad also looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a long, long time. In fact, the GM told me his boss instructed him to get it cleaned quickly for inspection. Even though it was a mess, I was determined to give a good rate to land the job. I even had a hot water trailer lined up to rent. I went over the quote with the GM, and he said it was right where he had hoped it would be. As I was leaving, the AM showed up, so I took the time to meet him. They told me that they would review the quote together and get back with me in a day or two. That was a week ago. When I try to follow up, I get voicemail with no return calls.

I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. With residential, my customers are happy, they are pleased with the rates, I establish a good report, and I have had several referrals and repeat business. With commercial bids, I get nothing. I don't know if commercial expects rates much lower than residential does, or if I'm just failing at selling myself.

Honestly, I was counting on getting one or two of those bids. If I am going to be successful in this business, I've got to start getting some of this business soon. Residential is nice, but it's too sporadic and one-offs. I can't build a reliable cash flow that way, and I can't grow my business off of it.
 
Welcome to Commercial.

It will come and when it does monthly checks are great. Have literally 50 bids out between grocery stores, centers, and whatever. Usually hear back in sometimes days and many times several months. Its difficult to create a new service for some clients and even harder to get a client to let go of even a terrible service contractor. Many times the client is gun-shy with service providers in general after getting bad service and and tend to think damn if I do damn if I don't attitude, and just keep the terrible service provider. Went through this just the other day- did a demo, customer loved it, price good, gave several references of clients within blocks and still gave the old "Let me think about it- or I have to give my current guy 30day" then when does the new perspective client give the 30 day and maybe start in 3-4 months.

Its a grind! I started 8 yrs ago with the same hopes and dreams as yourself and now have a 7 figure business. This came through hard work and honestly a lot of luck. My biggest wins were public works and city jobs. The numbers are tight but they put monthly money in your pocket and if you do a lot of the work yourself at the beginning, even working 18hr days it will pay off. Be diverse at first- wash windows, blow the parking lot nightly, pressure wash the eaves- become the commercial clients best friend. We all started off doing stuff that now we wished we never would of or now made that little side thing into a monthly profitable business. I never washed exterior windows and now have a couple guys doing it full time- who would of thunk.

I still work in the field a least once a week and have numerous employee's- its not easy and will come if you keep pushing.

I'm writing this because after reading many of your pieces, you seem committed and truly a guy with a go-get-it attitude. It took year after year of breaking my balls and doors being opened and many slammed in my face, but it came, I made damn sure of it. Go to a round-table and keeping getting input from this forum. Without this forum, I would have not been as successful as I am today. Where else can you find out so many tricks and literally stuff that takes 10yrs to figure out right at your finger tips.

Good Luck- think of it this way if you get one of the 3 that's .333 batting avg. You will and would be an All-Star with those numbers
 
All I can tell you man, is do not give up.

Sometimes my ratios are 1/5... Sometimes better, Sometimes worse... and it's ok Dave. Not everyone can be your customer. If you put out 100 bids and you have 20 bids that book you, then you're A-OK.

The key is to not get discouraged from the first few as you learn to bid them, continously create new leads, and ultimately, learn for what the customer REALLY wants. With time, you'll realize that if you're selling EVERYBODY, it's because your price is too low. If you're not selling everybody, it's because your price is too high, or you haven't conveyed the value your price point holds.

Next time, ask them something as simple as this. "What are you looking for out of a power washing company?" and what you're really wanting for them to tell you is, in big bold letters.. "HEY, THIS IS HOW YOU'RE GOING TO SELL ME!" through their pain points.

Your job as a power washer is to create simplified solutions for the end user.

Ask questions. Be sharp. Be the authority.

That is all.
 
Last edited:
Commercial is a different (but way better) ball game. I have had bids go MONTHS without a peep, return phone call, email at all then "when can you schedule, I dropped the ball on this one" Stick with it - the one $10,000 job that takes two days is way better than running around chasing 40 residential jobs for $250.00 a piece. Do both until you can survive on commercial alone.
 
Dave, you'll be fine. Keep plugging away. Here's the important thing now. If you want these people as customers, continue building a relationship. Continue to visit and communicate w them. Make it so they WANT to use you. Not that they CHOOSE to use you.


Doug Rucker
Clean and Green Solutions
Pressure Washing Roof Cleaning School
Call or Text 281.883.8470
 
Jeff Robison said:
Commercial is a different (but way better) ball game. I have had bids go MONTHS without a peep, return phone call, email at all then "when can you schedule, I dropped the ball on this one" Stick with it - the one $10,000 job that takes two days is way better than running around chasing 40 residential jobs for $250.00 a piece. Do both until you can survive on commercial alone.
Click to expand...

Bingo


Ron Musgraves
www.uamcc.org
 
Every time I get the measuring wheel out to measure square footage I almost always end up loosing the bid. When I figure out everything in my head and a calculator real quick then I can land 3 or 4 out of 10 commercial bids.

If I don't have time to go look at the property I request pictures and base the price off of them, I know some may not agree with doing bids this way but I always bid a little higher than I normally would seeing it in person. This way I have a little wiggle room.
 
Vince Wood said:
Every time I get the measuring wheel out to measure square footage I almost always end up loosing the bid. When I figure out everything in my head and a calculator real quick then I can land 3 or 4 out of 10 commercial bids.

If I don't have time to go look at the property I request pictures and base the price off of them, I know some may not agree with doing bids this way but I always bid a little higher than I normally would seeing it in person. This way I have a little wiggle room.
Click to expand...

I agree! I have not used a measuring wheel in a long time.
 
Dave B said:
So far, I'm 0-3 on commercial bids that approached me about service.

0-3

1) Strip Mall and Grocery Store Sidewalks (17,000 sq ft) - this one caught me by surprise when they called, because I wasn't expecting so a large potential contract having only started the business in July. Therefore, I had not done a lot of homework on bidding something this size. I decided to use the rate I charge my residential customers for driveways and sidewalks. I also threw in a number of "freebies" to sweeten the deal - cleaning spray off lower window panes, cleaning pillars, benches, etc. I reviewed the bid with the PM and he thought it was a very reasonable rate. His boss was out of town until the end of the week, but once she got back, he was going to submit it to her for her approval. A week went by and I hadn't heard anything, so I placed a follow up call. The PM stated that his boss had been busy getting caught up and had not had a chance to approve it and that he would get back to me in a day or two. Another week goes by, and I try to follow up again, but all I get is voicemail. This was a month ago.

2) City Half-Block Sidewalks (9,000 sq ft) - Some of you may remember my posting about cleaning acorn stains off sidewalks. This was that bid. Other than the acorns, this was a pretty straight forward and easy job. I quoted slightly less than what I had quoted on the above job, and included all the freebies. Again, the PM said he would have to get his boss to approve. Two days later, he informed me they were going with someone else. I tried to find out why (price? other reasons? Wanted to know what I could have done better), but he would not give me any information.

3) Golden Corral Entrance, Sidewalks, Front Parking, Dumpster Pad (about 7,000 sq ft plus dumpster pad) - This time I was determined to get the job. I tried to get some feedback from some of the members here that I trust, but this was last week when everyone was at Vegas, so everyone was tied up (this isn't a complaint, just a reality.) So, to make sure I got the job, I reduced my rates much lower than my previous bids for sidewalks/parking spots. I used info from a recent post by Ron on dumpster pad rates, and actually was about 25% below those. The front was a mess with gum. I'm guessing there was between 4-8 pieces of old gum per square foot. The dumpster pad also looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a long, long time. In fact, the GM told me his boss instructed him to get it cleaned quickly for inspection. Even though it was a mess, I was determined to give a good rate to land the job. I even had a hot water trailer lined up to rent. I went over the quote with the GM, and he said it was right where he had hoped it would be. As I was leaving, the AM showed up, so I took the time to meet him. They told me that they would review the quote together and get back with me in a day or two. That was a week ago. When I try to follow up, I get voicemail with no return calls.

I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. With residential, my customers are happy, they are pleased with the rates, I establish a good report, and I have had several referrals and repeat business. With commercial bids, I get nothing. I don't know if commercial expects rates much lower than residential does, or if I'm just failing at selling myself.

Honestly, I was counting on getting one or two of those bids. If I am going to be successful in this business, I've got to start getting some of this business soon. Residential is nice, but it's too sporadic and one-offs. I can't build a reliable cash flow that way, and I can't grow my business off of it.
Click to expand...

There are two ways to handle this,

1, I feel you pain but Dont stress it brotha all will come in time. keep on keeping on and all will be good.

2, waaa waaaa waaaa, I aint hearing it. Get up, put down the purse, get going and beat them doors down.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top