Cold Call

T

Tim Smith

Member
This is an example of a guideline that my Janitorial business sales department uses.

What do you think?



(Ask to speak to the office manage)



Hello, I’m __________ with SPRING CLEANING JANITORIAL SERVICE.
How are you doing?

:::Customer Response

I’m calling to make sure you received our mailer.

:::Customer Response

• Our services are very good & our prices are very competitive.
• Our current customers will be glad to give you a reference.

Like mention in the mailer – After one month of service – If your not happy – You don’t have to pay us – If your happy…& you will be – We can sign a contract….& we will credit you four free cleanings on your first invoice.

• Our contracts have a 30-Day written out clause.
• We are Bonded & Insured for your protection.

Can I schedule a time or come by and give a free estimate at no obligation to you?

:::Customer Response
 
Tim,
It wouldn't work for us. We have a somewhat different market (hoods), but if I were to say to one of our Oriental accounts "if you are not happy you don't have to pay us" the result would be certain - we would not be paid. Without remorse they would just find someone else - regardless of how good a job we did. That is their consistent business mentality.

Secondly, service contracts are unenforceable in the areas in which we operate. They are terminable at will, with or without cause - therefore we simply omit contracts completely. In any event, more often they hold you in more tightly than they do the client. In more than a decade of using this mode we have yet to get stiffed.

I don't tell 'em how good we are, just that if any problem we are no farther away than your phone. I sure wouldn't offer free servicings - we work too hard for that.

Obviously you are successful with your method - not suggesting change - just responding to your question.

Richard
 
Richard

Thanks for the response. I posted the cold call agenda as a model, not a cut and dry way of doing it. You are exactly right - something like hood cleaning, I wouldn't offer the free thing either. Its different with Janitorial Services - Office Managers would have to go through the hiring/bid process again & would be without services for a couple of days. We have signed appox. 30 something contracts with this offer - yet have we had someone say they are not happy and do not want our service or to pay us the 1st month. Theres always a first, but I'm willing to take that chance - my cleaning techs are that good. Within, that 1st month or any month after that - if there is a problem, we get on top of it asap. As of the 4 free cleanings - on average that's worth about $200.00 or so - I would pay that all day long to get an account that will pay me $13,000.00 or so.


We sign contracts on all account. As far as I know, they are enforceable, but I will check on that.

Thanks for your comments.
 
Personally, I would remove the word contract from the speil. Contract is a scare word. A contract is not really enforceable unless you want to spend 13,000 fighting for it. Your good work and your relationship with the company is as good as any contract.

When someone comes to me and wants a contract, it just doesn't fly. They come in, do a fantastic job, give some free stuff and then sign a contract. From that point on they just screw off. This is typical. If you screw off, you're done! No contract and no judge will tell you any different. The bottom line is do a good job and keep your customers happy. That's your contract.

People think they are guaranteed something with a contract. Look at the union contracts. Hell, look at Cleveland, they are the poorest big city in America and Cleveland relied on contracts. Now the high paying union jobs have left Cleveland. They all had contracts and so did the employees.... look at them now. The funny thing is the bumper stickers you see in the Cleveland Area, "PROUD TO UNION LOCAL XXX". Contracts are just a formality my friend and in todays society, contracts for services provided are only as good as the service itself.

That's my 2 cents.... by the way, I'm ANTI Union!
 
I agree with you, Justin, on the union thing, and the concept of keeping your job by keeping the customer/boss happy. If a person is doing a lousy job, a union shouldn't be able to step in and force the employer to keep that person, or even to give them a raise or more benefits. Rate of pay, continued employment, and benefits should be contingent on job performance. Make yourself valuable to your boss or your customers and the money, promotions, benefits, an continued work will follow.
 
Justin

I have no problem with the word "Contract" in my flyer. I'm a professional organization and I do not do long term business without a contract. A contract is not just an agreement that a business will hire my company and not be able to fire me. We give the business a 30-Day Out clause. All they have to do put in writing that they do not want our services and in 30 days we are gone. Same goes for us - if we do not want to provide services to a business anymore - we can do the same, and we have.

Back to my main point "A contract is not just an agreement that a business will hire my company and not be able to fire me." A contract offers liability protection and defines the task expected to be completed. Most disagreements are settle by reviewing the contract. Contracts are enforceable, per my attorney, but you are right, it would cost a lot to fight it in court. I would never fight a contract in court, unless it was a liability issue. If a business did not want my services, no problem, within 30 days, I can find my techs another business to clean. I basically want a contract for Liability protection, job description, and 30 day notice. I've found that once you have a good reputation, business owners will sign almost anything to get you in their doors. The handshake agreements are great, until something goes wrong. Money $$ makes people do bad things.

Justin -- I see your point on the unions.
 
Sure, I agree with you Tim. Using a contract as a definition of work to be described is a good thing. I guess if the purpose of the contract is to describe and outline services, then it's not so bad. ....I'll post more later.
 
Anybody else use contracts?

Has anyone else had success with cold calling? If not -- Why? If so -- Why?
 
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