Well David I’m writing a book, don’t worry I have and edit team. My writing skills are not my strongest attribute. Commercial accounts what a subject!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I believe that if I didn’t have commercial accounts I would be broke. Waiting for that next phone call to come in for that deck that someone gets cleaned once a year or maybe twice. I cant live on that. A steady line up of commercial accounts every month week & scheduled maintenance programs that I can count on to keep crews busy every day & night. Commercial accounts are hard to get? Maybe, commercial accounts hard to keep? Not really.


Ok competitors and comrades here's a 101 in commercial accounts.

1. As David said get a market and plan of attack.
2. You will have better success with corporate franchise operation rather than franchisee themselves. (Remember franchisee the money come from there pockets}
3. Get on vendor lists.
4. get on approved vendor list if possible. Then you will be on there internal phone books. This is a huge task; once you have hurdled this you are set. Think about it they don’t go to the yellow pages to pick strangers they go to their own directory of approved vendor. Vendor with contract pricing, they make a phone call and you come and clean. Why does anyone not mention this? Huge secret!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rookies are you having trouble getting in because they say they have some already. Prove you are better not cheaper.
5. payment- are you on their vendor list? This is a question they will ask. They cannot hire you unless they pay you cash if you’re not on the vendor list.
6. payment problem #2- managers have problems approving large invoice amounts. They will not offer you this info you need to ask. Remedy offer to make two invoices or even three if necessary.
7. When they tell you they have their own pressure washers they are talking about their approved vendors. Rarely will a corporate McDonalds do there own pressure washing. I hate to be controversial again but the only people that I have run into doing their own pressure washing where isolated incidents. When you’re on the approved vendor list the managers refer to you as part of there team. This is why some pressure washing companies believe they have their own units. Also the managers have been bombarded by solicitations and are tired of talking to pressure washing people. They often will use this tactic to blow you off for good. Some have bought into this as I read the previous post. I simply tell the manager that if they have and in house pressure washer he should be fired. Give me you r managers name and number so I can contact someone who I can show this too. All of a sudden they are interested that I can show them they are not getting anything for their money. Remember if pressure washings is truly out of their hands then they will give you the number. Believe me they are solely responsible for that location and know they will either throw you off the property or listen because they know you know they are full of . If I’ am soliciting a property I already assumed it was nasty. You may think my tactics are aggressive you are right. Remember I could buy the line we have and in house service. Then the customer would think I’m and idiot when I left, my way he will respect me even if he does not like it. He will say this guys no sucker maybe I will give him a break.

8. When you have hurdled all these obstacles you are ready to attack this corporation full swing. It is very important to break in with one location. Once you have this location ask that manager if you can use his name as a reference.
9. District manager- offers a seminar on pressure washing talking about the many methods and techniques. Corporations are big on presentations & educational material. Put together a packet to give each manager at this meeting. You might have a brief presentation for the district manager to see so you get his blessing. Remember these are steps to win the upper managements approval.
a. Chemicals used
b. Type of equipment you use.
c. Demonstrate your cleaning techniques.
d. Tell them what to look for when hiring a pressure washing company.
e. Tell them how you differ from your competitors.
f. Never talk bad about competitors to group. Talk only about your strengths.
g. Make eye contact and shake everyone’s hand.
h. Give them a mug, calendar, pen, pencils, pads, business card and brochure to every person in attendance.
10. Visit everyone you see about five times or until they throw you off the property. I recently sold and account that said Ron if you promise not to come see me I will hire you to clean my store. Of course they where joking. They said that they knew I was serious about what I was doing and they felt confident in my patients and persistency. Remember I pressure no one. I visit customer after my education process reminding them I stand ready to serve them.

Just notes as how valuable commercial account are.

Example of and account I’m going after in the next couple of weeks.

Restaurant weekly service

Locations 2 total

Estimated time weekly 4.0 hours

Gross revenue 19,500 annually.

I have been working on this account for two months and have visited the customer about eight times since they opened about a year ago. Last time I was in I pined the guy down to a meeting to discuss issues I have with the current service he is using. First thing that got his attention was pointing the damage the current company was doing to the sidewalks. Second showing him that they are not cleaning the areas they actually say they are. He has talked with them and conveyed that he was not happy with there response on the issues and informed me that he would be replacing them after the first of the year and to contact him then. If you had several commercial account like these you would not need many. Some of you might want to know how I know what he was paying. He gave and invoice from the other company and told me to bid on the job. I have yet talked figures with the customer. I will probably charge more money than the other company simply because I can refute that the job requires more time than he was spending and this is why the other company damaged his concrete.


As far as the book I’ am writing. Two heads are better than one and five are better than two. Listen to your customers they will tell you what they need. Although it is fun to sell some folks things they don’t need. I guess I like the kill, if you don’t enjoy selling get out of business and get a government job with good benefits and retirement.

Ps if my posts are to long for you don’t read them.


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Ron Marshal Phoenix AZ
1-888-fleetwash

[This message has been edited by Ron Marshal (edited January 02, 2001).]