A little frustrated

J

jwightman

New member
OK so I have gone out to search for pm's in my local market. Most of them are not local so I need to call them. Fine but the answer that I am getting alot is "let me take down your information and if we need someone we will call you" however I don't have time to sit around and wait for them to call me, I need work now!!!!! As for corporate chains (AKA drug stores) I am being told by the receptionist or what ever she is to send information about my company to them and they will call me when they need some in my area. My question is how do I convey to them that the present company is not doing as good of a job as could be done?:confused::mad: I understand that nothing happens over night and I also being new in this bussiness am very eager to get to work. Any comments??? Thanks, I am just venting.
 
Do A Search !! Lots of info about what your looking for is right at your fingertips.
 
John, how long have you been in business? Just wondering.

The answer to some of your questions are #1 Most drug stores (CVS, Walgreens etc...) require you to send in an Info package on your business (At least around here) and as they said "Call When We Need You" Thats just the way it is.

#2.... You never point out someone else's bad work (Could be stepping on the wrong toes) Don't worry they will figure it out in time (be ready when they do).

Do you do residential work?

It takes years to establish a business, the turtle wins every time!!!!

Welcome and Good Luck!!!!
 
Guy Blackmon said:
John, how long have you been in business? Just wondering.

The answer to some of your questions are #1 Most drug stores (CVS, Walgreens etc...) require you to send in an Info package on your business (At least around here) and as they said "Call When We Need You" Thats just the way it is.

#2.... You never point out someone else's bad work (Could be stepping on the wrong toes) Don't worry they will figure it out in time (be ready when they do).

Do you do residential work?

It takes years to establish a business, the turtle wins every time!!!!

Welcome and Good Luck!!!!
Click to expand...


Just started 3 months ago in pressure washing. However have a residential window cleaning company. Since the market tanked last year I thought it would be a good idea to go straight commercial and do pressure washing.
#2 I would never point out bad work or talk negatively about a another company to a pm or store mgr.
#3 Yes I do residential but tired of getting my legs cut by some undocmented worker in my area (we have alot of them). For some it is all about the dollar amount. one thing to keep in mind is that for the most part window cleaning is not rocket science nor does it take alot of start up cash. Thus I want to seperate myself from a industry that takes only a couple hundred dollars to start up and go to one that is apprciated for the good hard work that is involved.
 
Russ Spence said:
4 words ..... "FILL OUT VENDOR PACKS"!

You must be a vendor and most will require a minimum of 1 million liability with 2 million aggregate plus a 2 million umberlla, 1mil/mil/mil workers comp and 1mil liability on your company trucks and references.
Click to expand...

Is a 2/4 policy good enough?
 
Russ Spence said:
4 words ..... "FILL OUT VENDOR PACKS"!

You must be a vendor and most will require a minimum of 1 million liability with 2 million aggregate plus a 2 million umberlla, 1mil/mil/mil workers comp and 1mil liability on your company trucks and references.
Click to expand...

PMs most likely will not like if you annoy them too much. Residential is quite different than commercial as far as marketing. Make sure you have a perfect paperwork to comply with their requirements. We carry 2mln liability and just did the workers comp which requires a payroll in the company. Most contractors work only on 1099 as sub contractors. Big companies don't care if you are exempt from workers comp as an owner, they want to see it in your file. The very very bottom you will need to pay to have an workers comp would cost you around $7-8k per year. I dont know if PW-only is the same game as Power Sweeping and Maintenance, but that's what we went through. Also a recommendation letter from other PMs and a list with completed commercial jobs or current contracts is a huge advantage when you bid. Make sure you meet the decision maker, not some supervisor or clerk in the store :), they like to think and act like they are on the top of the game, but they just waste your time.
 
jwightman said:
Is a 2/4 policy good enough?
Click to expand...
????? over 3/4 of ours require a 1mil/2 million with an umbrella ( which more than doubles the cost of the liability. The workers comp depends on your gross recipts.

In most cases this will be the case as well as adding them as additional insured as well as list the loss per project per occurance, in other words no cap on the liability.

We dont do much residential, we are about 95% commercial so I have found that this is true in at least 1/3 of the 50 states, since we do work in that many, the others I cant speak for.
 
John, where do you think the other Pressure Washers went when the Housing market tanked??? Same place you're trying to go!!!

What you're experiencing (Low Price Shopping and Lowballers) is what everyone is dealing with.

You are in a unique position, you window wash. Pressure Washing and window washing are being combined more and more. Say you get a call for window washing, up-sell Pressure washing. Sell a Pressure Washing job, up-sell window washing. Its Win Win!!! This was a subject that was touched on in Myrtle Beach.

Point is, if you're a one man show, with 1 pressure washer, stay with residential, there's more money in it.

If you're having a problem selling residential, you need to find out WHY!!! What makes your Business stand out from all the rest? Whats your target market? Whats the demographic in that area? What kind of marketing are you using for residential? What does your Business vehicle look like? Is it Professionally Lettered? What does your pressure washing rig look like?

John, I mean no disrespect, but 9 times out of 10, if you're having a problem with residential, it's not the market, Lowballers or whatever, it's the salesman.
 
Russ could you explain the aggregate and umberlla part....I have the one million liability but wasn't ask about the the other two( aggregate and Umberlla........



Russ Spence said:
4 words ..... "FILL OUT VENDOR PACKS"!

You must be a vendor and most will require a minimum of 1 million liability with 2 million aggregate plus a 2 million umberlla, 1mil/mil/mil workers comp and 1mil liability on your company trucks and references.
Click to expand...
 
If you need work now residential is probably it unless you stumble upon a PM that has an immediate need. We have picked up commercial work that we called on over a year ago. The unsolicited proposals that we learned about from Ron worked for us for some quick work too.

Insurance requirements for commercial are pretty much the same here as Russ stated.

I have a friend that is still doing very well in residential window washing. He has to deal with legal and illegal lowballers too. Maybe a good look at your window washing marketing may be in order.

Realtors have been a good source for us for residential PW.
 
The general aggregate limit on a CGL insurance policy is a total amount that will be paid during any one policy period. This means that coverage will pay for every claim, loss and lawsuit that involves a policyholder, until the aggregate limit for the policy has been reached for the current policy term. However, the general aggregate limit can be reinstated in certain circumstances.


Umbrella insurance refers to a liability insurance policy that protects the assets and future income of the policyholder above and beyond the standard limits set on their primary policies
 
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