For you guys that clean retail stores...do you usually clean them BEFORE they open (9 - 10 am) or after they close (10pm +)?

Reason I ask is i'm gonna contact the mgr of a big name bookstore that just opened 3 weeks ago in my town and try to get them on a maintenance plan...The lady who runs the coffee shop in there pointed out that there are already stains on the carpet from people walking around with coffee...I thinks its a good opportunity to go in there now before someone else does!

Thanks

Joe

BTW any advice how to land something like this would be appreciated - I would love to get contracts for a few stores; i'm under the assumption that if you get one, chances are you might get the other sister stores within a certain juristiction, is that common?

Closing time. Once in a rare instance we'd do a store in the morning. But generally it's always after hours.

A good demo and a good price will go a long way toward landing these kinds of accounts. Assure them that they will deal with a real person who CARES about their stores (YOU). The problem with retail in the last decade and a half is that most of the companies are forced by their corporate offices to deal with low-balling MMM's. If they ever get into a position to have "personal" service, they'll jump on it. As far as pricing goes, most of the large retailers are accustomed to paying .07 per sq ft. Like it or not, that's the number they're expecting. Fortunately for you, you can afford to make a handsome profit cleaning at those numbers with Releasit and a Cimex








Rick Gelinas
rick@excellent-supply.com

Thanks Rick, one more question - when you are measuring out a bookstore, do you normally measure wall to wall then estimate how much space is taken up in bookshelves (BTW, the shelves in this store are affixed to the floor, not movable), or do you walk around with a roller measure and measure each aisle individually?

As always,thanks for your input, Rick!

Joe

At those LOW rates measure wall to wall. You could discount a few feet off the top. But honestly, it'll take you longer to work around all the displays, shelves, racks, etc than if the room was empty. So there's no legitimate reason why they should get a big reduction for shelf space. Maybe a little. But don't be too generous.






Rick Gelinas
rick@excellent-supply.com

Last week we finished the largest account we have done 42,000 + SF lastb year I bid @ .08 this year I bid @.10 SF but was able to do some work for them prior to the bid. Some of the work was ongoing reoccuring stains sold them on my OP and Cimex and stains quit reoccuring they also like the fact of library quiet, no hoses,no open doors. I would offer a demo and ask them to watch. I want to prasie my Cimex here we ran it for 99% of the cleaning for 3, 10hour shifts with only one mishap that I caused but was minor.

We clean them during business hours for the most part Monday - Thursday , I do start the first one just before the open when the opening person gets there.

Doing the cleaning this way I am able to do more stores in one day

We used to clean Payless Shoe Stores during business hours. We would clean 3 - 4 stores a day including driving. The stores were filthy and it was a challenge to work with customers walking around on the carpet. We employed various low moisture cleaning methods to try to keep them clean. And of course, they wanted it done cheapo - which didn't add to our joy. What a pain in the butt!!! I don't miss doing that account.







Rick Gelinas
rick@excellent-supply.com

Well,obviously they always want to "PayLess" for cleaning! LOL

Rick agree with you that some places are not worth the hassles for lots of reasons

We do not do Payless and from what I have seen of their stores I do not want them, we were offered them once but MMM and EWWW


I have found that after 3 pm the stores get to crowded and not worth going to. WE are getting 10 cents sq ft for the stores unless it is a hike then I charge more for them.

If I have my choice I rather go in before hours to clean, it sets up my day better, due to me doing residential as well