I am all for doing these complexes. I did 3 last year, but didn't get any this year. The hurdle I keep running into is the objection of "We do it in house" No matter how hard I try to explain that thier staff is most likely not able to do the same scope of work that we are, I still can't show them how I can save them Money by using an outsider. I believe the complexes I did get last year were luck. Most I've talked to aren't jerks or anything like that. They just want reliable and dependable and professional but at a beer money price.
Are you playing the numbers game? Meaning, talking to 100 PM's and only working for 10. Or are you working for 50 and relying on a small profit but in quantity?
I really would like to better understand wht I can't seem to close many of these. I think most will say that I am too high.
Hi Mike
Its somewhat a #'s thing.
As for Inhouse people doing the work on complexes, you can tell the ones that do it in house. I hear from a maintence man they do everything in house I mention to them I can do it better & quicker, but I don't really try to sell hard to them. Either the HOA or the maint. chief is cheap so I dont waste my time to educate them. In time they MIGHT realize they arent doing a good job or they're killing themselves and not doing a good job.
Also if I see a real dirty, moldy complex I dont try real hard to find who the PM is or I don't try to target the real dirty properties at all. I figure if they dont keep a property up, they are cheap also. If these people dont take pride in their own homes , they are probably not going to want to pay, thats why it looks like crap
Now PM's can be very untrusting of contractors, because at least around here many unfortunately most contractors arent reliable at all. As one owner of a PM company I know says " Jeff you are the only vendor I have that I can trust" she told me no one ever shows up and does the job right , This PM company is very large. I'd just figure most would want a good relationship with a PM company of this size, but there a lot of bums I guess
Building trust & a good relationship is what has worked for me. I target PM's all the time and it can take time. I've been calling writing, faxing some companies for 3 years with out ever getting a call back, but just this year I've gotten 2 PM companies to finally call and use us on several large & small projects. Many PM's will start you off on small jobs, say a pool area or clubhouse. I guess they just want to see if you'll show up and do a decent job. But thats your foot in the door
Now with all that said, pricing, getting the jobs & keeping the jobs is a tricky thing at times. I'll try to explain in detail what works for me.
Get ready for a long rambling post LOL
I target every PM company i can find, I check the Yellow Pages, The web and I ask at properties who the PM company is. I make a list with addresses and #'s and I start calling , writing, faxing. In the biginning I was nervous doing cold calls so i would call & ask for a certain PM's voice mail and I'd leave a short message. Just something like " Hello I'm Jeff of JL ---- ------ I'm own local PWing company and I'd like to offer my services. We offer quality work great rates & On time service. Please give us a call, my # is -------- and thank you" I still make voicemail calls all the time, its quick & easy and it gets my name in front of them and IT WORKS
Pricing -
You ask why you arent getting many of these type project? You probably are the higher bidder. If the properties are getting cleaned and you arent doing them someone is! When you bid a job and dont get it do what I do, First I call within 24 hrs of submitting the bid to make sure they got my bid, then I'll tell them thanks and please call us for any other properties they need cleaned. Now if you dont get the job another follow up call you can ask the PM who got it and what was the winning bid price. Then you start to learn what your competition is charging.
TIME OUT smoke break
Mike I'll get back to this later . The babies crying time to go be dad. I like to share my experiences so get ready for a small novel when I get back later
Jeff