For All The Janitors....

[TheCleaningDude]

That's a dang good post, thank you!

Quick question:

You mentioned flat microfiber mops for speed mopping. I just happened to order some for this very reason.

What's your process when using these mops?

Thanks again!

If I understand Dave's post correctly, he's using the same basic premise that I have. That being that production rates matter.

For instance, I don't base any of my numbers off of my competition since my own business (costs/overhead/desired profits, etc.) is not the same as their business. I do, however, often use their production rates or industry standard production rates when bidding.

For instance, suppose you have your hourly rate worked out and you know, generally, how long any other company near you (or their employees) would be projected to spend on that account. Suppose again that the projected time is 3.5 hours per service and that your rate is $27/hr. That would bring the per-visit revenue to $94.50.

That's already a decent revenue, especially if you do the work yourself. But then suppose you cut your cleaning time (without sacrificing quality!!) to 2.5 hours per visit. Now your rate has gone to $37.80/hr.

Every time you start a building, the first few times you clean it will take longer because not are you catching up all the junk-work the company before you did, but you're also working out the flow of the building and the most efficient way to move through it. Add to that good equipment (backpack vacs and microfiber flat mops are great tools for janitorial) and little things like great chemicals and 50-foot vacuum cords rather than 30-foot cords (it makes a difference!) and you'll start to dramatically cut your time. I have a phone with Beats Audio and lots of favorite music, along with Bose headphones - this also helps!

But make no mistake, cutting your time without sacrificing quality is more than good equipment/chemicals and learning the flow of the building. When I go into one of my buildings, I work my tail off to keep my rates up. I'm not moving slow or piddling around like an employee would - I'm there on a mission, you know?

Also, companies around here (and, really, mostly throughout the industry) have it written into the scope that high and low dusting are done (usually) quarterly or semi-annually. Part of the reason I've been able to command prices higher than my competitors is that my clients know that they'll never look at a cob web for 45 days, just waiting on the next scheduled high or low dusting. And they won't see dust collecting on/around air vents until the next scheduled high dusting. I've told them it's done as needed - that if we begin to see dust/cob webs in those areas, we don't wait until the end of the quarter - we get it right then.

This is very appealing to them and it's super easy for me because I've got the buildings broken down into zones. Each visit, I check a zone for high/low dusting needs while doing my regular routine. It takes less than a minute (quite literally) to high/low dust a typical office with a brush attachment on my backpack vac or a telescopic duster while doing the normal routine (without making extra trips to the area - very important).

As a thought, I was talking with a client last week and asked how everything looked (as I often do.) She said everything was great, thought for a moment as she scanned the corners of her office and the overhead air vents, and said, "yeah, everything looks great. I haven't noticed any cob webs or anything." So I asked her when was the last time she saw a cobweb anywhere in the building. She laughed and said, "that's easy. Before you started!"

The point of all this is this: give a great service and you'll get great prices even when others are out there stabbing each other in the back and cutting their own throats with low-ball prices. Occasionally ask questions that will make your client consider the great service they're getting from you and you'll never worry about visits from the sales force of competitors. And always keep in mind that giving a consistently better service than your competitors is easy and actually takes less time if you zone your buildings, spreading the workload out on a rotational basis.

Do this and you'll have your dot-connected systems that Dave spoke of and be getting a consistently higher per-hour rate like he is. It's so freaking easy that it's pathetic that your competitors don't do it - and they won't.

Also, as Dave mentioned, having the janitorial leads to carpet, tile, windows or whatever else you want to do there. It's also a great way to market residential services since, after a time, your client will let you leave brochures/flyers in breakrooms or in the lobbies.