Wal-Mart anyone else get the Letter?

Lee we can help you with getting them to call back, its your process.
Lee_Henderson said:
I dunno where your gettting those numbers from but i washed 3 houses last month and grossed over a grand.
I'm getting 180.00 to 240.00 per house wash. And the real estate developer i'm working for is buying, flipping & selling
10-14 houses per month and wants to get to 25 per month asap. That's the up side.
the down side is that i may work one week and have squat for 2 weeks. then they call again. I've got 5 on the board for this week.
My problem is finding fill work inbetween. And unlike other areas of the country i can work year round here. No Snow, so i'll gladly
forgo a white Christmas in order to have a GREEN one.

But i get what your saying commercial is the way to go...i think that the exception to that though is if you can get volume
in HW on a regular basis like i'm into now. I realize that @ some point that may come to an end rather abruptly, but for now it's paying the bills here @ HQ.

On the Wallmart aspect....my GF spent her entire working life with that company untill this year. So she has freinds that are in managment. One of them asked about me,
for his store and would have given us the work...but then there's that flaming hoop you have to jump through to get in the system. And sadly we're just not there yet.
So my Question is this: IS IT REALLY WORTH IT?

Addtionally, is it possible to backdoor your way into walmart work with a company like Eco? I did one gig for them last week on a Walgreens. Sure they will make money off the deal but if they are willing to pay my price then i'm willing to go that route in letting them skim off the top in order to get volume commcerial work. They are basically just ascting as a booking agency. There is the no compeate in their vendor pack, but i'm not signing that untill i hear from some members here that have worked for them before. In the 1st year everything is crucial, it's make or break, and i can't afford to let any work get by us. no matter how small. That being said i'll agree with Ron that your price is your price. And if they aren't willing to pay what you think your worth...then let them walk.

I bid a hotel here 3 months ago. i cut my neck 3 times on the price to get the work. they have never called back. So it's just not worth it IMO to cut your rate to try and get volume. in the end your out the income you could have made, and then the volume won't matter much at all.

My 2 cents.
Click to expand...
 
Well on that hotel ....it was kinda FUBAR. There is a asphalt paving copmpany out of Ind. that come down in the winter to work when
they are snowed out up north. And i did some equipment and trucks for them last winter. They stay atthe same hotel every year. Manager asked for a card
last time i was there. and eventually he called. They were wanting the parking lot washed down (asphalt) and all the concreate cleaned.
So i quoted 'em my rate and the job was around $1700.00. Upstairs and down. The GM never got back with me so i followed up 2 weeks later
and droped my price to 1200.00, but then they said well we want the exterior walls done too. That wasn't in the proposal i submitted but agreed to do throw that in as well.
So then you take 200.00 off the top for the weekend lift rental....i would only net a grand off a 3 grand job, which is probly what it should have been after they asked for the walls.

It's just not worth it in the end Ron imo. It's one of those chain motels where the fanchisee is from India or some where and you know how they are with money. My mother could pinch a penny untill it squeeled for mercy...but they tend to take that to a whole new level. They want a guy with 7k in equpiment to do a quality job and pay the same price they would pay for some schmuck with a $400 pressure washer from home depot would charge them. In the end i just don't think that one was worth it. Let 'em call home depot guy....i'm sure he'll do a quality job. ;-)

Which is why i don't do fleet wash. In the same time i can wash a truck working alone i can do an entire house. 1 Truck wash= $35.00. 1 House wash= 180 to 240. Why waste 1.5 hrs for next to nothing.
Washouts on trailers differnt story. I'll do those all day long for 35.00. takes about 15 mins.

That being said man, if you can show me how to get them to call back.....i'm all ears.
 
Big sales NO NO

"So i quoted 'em my rate and the job was around $1700.00. Upstairs and down. The GM never got back with me so i followed up 2 weeks later
and droped my price to 1200.00, but then they said well we want the exterior walls done too. That wasn't in the proposal i submitted but agreed to do throw that in as well."

You dropped your price with out them even asking you to? Price should only be discussed after EVERY objection has been exhausted and you are on your way out the door!

Lots of improvements to be made - Ron is right. .. your sales process needs a major over haul. Are you going to the Huntsville workshop....
 
If you can afford to drop your price that much with no other concessions I'd wonder if the biggest mistake is overpricing in the first place, or, on the other end of the spectrum, not having a complete handle on what your costs are to run the business.

This isn't a bad thing. We all have gone through it. We all learn by making mistakes or listening to the wisdom of others.

There is a stage where it is really tempting to take on jobs that, in reality, might have supertight margins or even be losers. That becomes less of a problem as you take on more accounts.

Forget about this one and hope they forget that you dropped your drawers right off the bat on the pricing.

Talk to some guys who have been in business for a long time and do similar work and get some feedback on your pricing. Make an evaluation of what it takes to do business and the margin you need to make and give 20 more similar accounts a number near your best price right off the bat.

Next thing you know you'll be turning down business.
 
DJ Carroll said:
Big sales NO NO

"So i quoted 'em my rate and the job was around $1700.00. Upstairs and down. The GM never got back with me so i followed up 2 weeks later
and droped my price to 1200.00, but then they said well we want the exterior walls done too. That wasn't in the proposal i submitted but agreed to do throw that in as well."

You dropped your price with out them even asking you to? Price should only be discussed after EVERY objection has been exhausted and you are on your way out the door!

Lots of improvements to be made - Ron is right. .. your sales process needs a major over haul. Are you going to the Huntsville workshop....
Click to expand...

Thanks guys. If you mean Huntsville, Al....i dunno DJ. First i've heard of it. But if it's Huntsville, Al and there isn't much of a charge for it it's a strong possiblity. I could really use the coaching. When is it?

@ Tony, yeah your right i know. i screwd the pooch. happens. And it is all just part of the learning proccess.
 
Ok i just found it. I'm not going to make Huntsville. To be honest, i just can't afford to go. It's that tight finacially. If it were just the matter of fuel cost to get there, i could swing it. But i don't have the money for the event fee. I know i can't afford to miss it, yet i can't use household funds which are already tapped to go. I dunno we'll see.
 
Can't take everything , pricing right once most decision makers will tell you is a must.

It's a trust issue, people want people they can trust.

Put yourself in there shoes , they want to tell you go do it and bill me. If trust is and issue they won't waste there time.


Text me anytime for question 480-522-5227
 
Lee,

Put it on a credit card. I was only going to be there for one day but looks like I will be flying in on Thursday and staying until Sunday - I would be more than happy to work on some things there with you.

If you truly can't afford it .... start where i did ..... go to youtube and type in Chuck Bauer . . .. Watch all of his videos.
 
Lee_Henderson said:
=
Which is why i don't do fleet wash. In the same time i can wash a truck working alone i can do an entire house. 1 Truck wash= $35.00. 1 House wash= 180 to 240. Why waste 1.5 hrs for next to nothing.
Washouts on trailers differnt story. I'll do those all day long for 35.00. takes about 15 mins.

That being said man, if you can show me how to get them to call back.....i'm all ears.
Click to expand...

35.00 for a truck, we can do that all day long. If you have a good truck wash process you can make good money. If it takes you 1.5 hrs for one truck, ur doing something wrong!
 
DJ Carroll said:
wow wow wow wow wee wow ..... What lee will learn at this event will pay for his admission 10x over ....
Click to expand...

DJ if your so certain loan him the money!!

Pay his way , I mean its a guarantee.


Text me anytime for question 480-522-5227
 
I dont think I have spent $200 on direct advertising since I have been in business. I just have a business model that does not have a need for a lot of advertising. Btw, that that includes money for trinkets and trash.
 
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