Sample Cleanings Can Help Close Big Contracts

Trying to close big commercial pressure washing contracts can be stressful.  There is a lot of work that goes into a job before you ever unroll your hoses. Sometimes it may not seem worth the effort, but put yourself in your customer’s shoes for a minute. They are about to spend thousands of dollars! They have to think about potential safety hazards that may occur while you are on site, as well as possible disruptions in their business. When it’s all done they want to know that all of the hassle will be worthwhile.

You might be asked to do a sample cleaning before the client approves the bid to make sure you can get the job done. Here are some ideas to consider when doing a sample cleaning:

Don’t think of it is a free cleaning:

You are not expected to do the whole job, just a small portion. It takes extra time to drive to the location, set up and do a sample cleaning, but once the client sees the result, they will be ready to sign the bid. Try to clean in a not-so-obvious place so that the rest of the dirt is not glaring to your client’s customers.

If the client seems nervous, offer a sample cleaning:

Commercial cleaning projects can be expensive and a client might be nervous about giving the go-ahead. Offer a demo as a way to show off how great the building, roof, etc. will look once you are done. You are more likely to get the job with a demo because it makes the result clear in the client’s mind. They also get a chance to work with you and see your awesome customer service.

Don’t take longer than 30 minutes:

You should not take more than a half hour from set up, spraying the cleaning chemical, rinsing and packing up. Even if the client is watching you work, be quick and efficient about the sample cleaning. Sometimes the client will not see the result until a day or more anyway.

Follow up:

Be sure to ask the client when they plan to see your work and then follow up that day or the next to make sure they did. Once they express how happy they are, ask when they want to schedule the full job. If you gave that sample cleaning your best, the job will most certainly be yours.