Starting a cleaning business isn’t enough. It is only successful when you can attract or create awareness about its existence and services rendered. That way, you can get cleaning contracts.
This, right here is what our focus is; how to get cleaning contracts.
You’re likely reading this now because you want to find useful tips on how to go about finding contracts.
How to Get Commercial Cleaning Contracts With Banks
Apart from providing financial services, banks also rely on other services to run smoothly.
Cleaning is one of them.
Applying for such cleaning contracts follows a set of requirements. Meeting these requirements makes the bank consider your application.
However, you must know that several other cleaning services will be bidding for the same contract as you. So, you must be in your A-game if you must be considered.
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Conduct Your Background Checks
This seems vague right? Not when there’s an explanation. When hiring staff for your cleaning service, lots of people apply to these jobs.
While reviewing such applications and interviewing them, you might like to pay close attention to their past, especially as it has to do with criminal records.
Banks are most critical of this area due to the nature of their operations. A bank will be wary of giving your cleaning service a contractual nod without background checks. As such, you must expect this process.
It is necessary and beneficial for both parties (bank and cleaning business).
If you are particular about applying or bidding for bank cleaning contracts, then this area should be of utmost importance.
Not conducting background checks might cost you a bank cleaning contract at the last minute. So, why risk it? Try sorting this out by finding out if any of your employees have a criminal history.
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Referral Counts
To get a bank cleaning contract, you’ll need to have a strong referral. Strong referral as used in this sense simply has to do with showing proof that you’ve handled clients or cleaning contracts around sensitive environments. This is easy if you’ve done a bank cleaning contract before as you only need to ask for a reference.
In the absence of a referral from a bank client, getting one from a client working within a sensitive environment will suffice.
The bottom line is, banks feel more comfortable giving you a cleaning contract when you present a referral from a reliable client. It testifies to the character and quality of your cleaning service.
How to Get Cleaning Contracts with Schools
When it comes to schools, a lot of litter or trash is generated. This is a great place to submit a proposal for a cleaning job. However, knowing how to win such contracts is of the essence.
The following will be of significant help in securing school cleaning contracts;
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Find Open Applications
One of the common ways to get school cleaning contracts is by searching for open applications. Now, this may seem quite tedious but it doesn’t have to be so. There are directories where you can find these without having to wander.
One of such directories is Ziprecruiter. This is an online directory where you can find all open school cleaning contracts.
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Submit A Comprehensive Bid
When bidding for a school cleaning contract, your application should be as comprehensive as possible. In other words, your application should be able to let the client know the advantages you provide over competing businesses. This is crucial in determining who gets the nod.
However, before submitting your proposal, there should be a full understanding of the service required. This enables you to provide details about how to provide such a cleaning service. Certain bid requirements may be selective.
For example, a school cleaning contract may have a preference for veteran-owned school cleaning businesses.
You wouldn’t want to waste your time if you aren’t a veteran as there are many more to consider. On the other hand, this might be the perfect opportunity if you meet this requirement.
How to Get Office Cleaning Contracts
Offices will run more efficiently without having to worry about taking care of their dirt problems. As such, most offices outsource their cleaning needs to companies.
You’ll have to have to follow a set of guidelines to be considered for such contracts.
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Referrals
As a cleaning business, you are likely to have had several clients. Such satisfied clients will be beneficial to your getting future cleaning contracts. You only need to ask by encouraging them to promote your services.
It is easy for an office to get you a cleaning contract from a referral than having none.
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Networking
Being able to network with businesses and professionals gives you an edge when bidding for an office cleaning contract.
One way to take advantage of this is by finding or partnering with social and charitable organizations as well as participating in local business events. Such events improve your standing and help raise awareness of your cleaning business.
When acquaintances get to know about your business, there’s the tendency for your bid or proposal to be preferred over others.
Best Ways to Get Cleaning Contracts
We have mentioned a few ways on how to get cleaning contracts for offices, schools, and banks. However, these are just a few as so many other strategies can be deployed.
Most of the strategies apply for different types of cleaning contracts and we will list some of them here.
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Advertise Your Cleaning Business
The impact resulting from advertising a cleaning business is so crucial to its success. Luckily there are lots of ways to achieve this. Advertising simply has to do with getting the word out. It is about soliciting for patronage.
In soliciting for patronage, potential clients need to know if your cleaning service offers them a deal they can’t overlook.
It’s no news that lots of cleaning services exist. Each of these makes claims that may or may not be true. It isn’t your business to know if such claims are true. You only need to pitch your business to be convincing enough to attract patronage.
The use of traditional mediums of advertisement is one of the most common ways. Traditional media for the advertisement includes print and electronic media.
While such mediums of advertisement are still effective, other ways can be exploited as well. Some of them include printing of fliers, banners or billboards about your business.
Others are the use of online platforms such as having a website and opening social media accounts for your business.
Through such accounts, ads are targeted online audiences. You can achieve a lot if you know just what to do.
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Invest In A Reputable Cleaning Franchise
Major and successful cleaning franchises should be considered. Why? Because these have built a trusted brand name. Clients are more confident to enter into a contract with such cleaning franchises than with less established, and less known cleaning services.
Being its franchisee, cleaning contracts are more likely to come your way.
You only need to leverage the brand name created to get cleaning contracts. A cleaning franchise is much easier to operate than having to build one from the start.
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Leverage On the Reach And Power of The Internet
The internet is a great marketing tool that can help you get cleaning contracts. Your website holds the key. It is your online address where visitors (potential clients) should find the most basic information about your services.
In addition to that, your website should have your contact details where you can be easily reached.
Take advantage of the positive things your satisfied clients have to say. By posting such testimonies and reviews on your site, your visitors are likely to be more confident about your quality of service. This can prompt them to ask for a contract.
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Interface With Real Estate Agents And Property Managers
Real estate is a big business. This industry offers huge opportunities for cleaning businesses. You only need to work closely with this group of persons. Property managers and real estate agents are likely to know when and if there’s a cleaning need.
By discussing and introducing your cleaning business to them, you are likely to be contacted for a contract when the need arises.
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Make Your Bids or Proposals Stand Out
Remember that lots of other cleaning businesses are applying for the same contract as you. As such, you’ll need to find an edge over these competitors. You want to give the client reasons to patronize your cleaning business. While trying to do this, you shouldn’t short sell yourself.
In other words, there should be a balance between competitive pricing and profitability.
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Follow-Ups Are Necessary
Follow-ups are essential to getting cleaning contracts. It isn’t enough to apply for one and disappear. It also doesn’t matter if you lose such a contract. Getting to know why you lost the contract can help you prepare adequately for future contracts. There’s always a lesson or two to be learned.
Follow-ups will increase your visibility and chances to be considered. While doing this, you should avoid constituting a nuisance. In other words, follow-ups shouldn’t be too frequent.
These are helpful ways to get a cleaning contract. When such contracts are advertised, the client simply wants to get the best deal. This would include quality and affordability. The best way to get such a contract is to position your business to meet your client’s needs.