When cleaning services are seeking to win the business of a prospective client, it is usually necessary to prepare and submit a janitorial bid for the job. There are a number of elements that go into the creation of a comprehensive janitorial bid. Making sure to include all those elements will greatly increase the chances of landing the assignment. Here are some examples of what is involved with the proper preparation and submission of a bid for janitorial services.
One of the key elements in putting together an effective janitorial bid is to have a solid knowledge of what the customer needs in the way of professional cleaning services. While some of the elements, such as emptying trash, dusting, and vacuuming, are likely to be part of any cleaning job, you also want to address any special needs of the client. For example, does the client need special cleaning agents used due to allergies or other issues? Taking the time to explore these little details will convey how seriously you take the job, since you are not approaching the assignment with a cookie-cutter mentality.
Your janitorial bid is also likely to be more successful if you offer a few extra touches that are not found with a basic janitorial contract. Perhaps you can also include cleaning of the air vents once a quarter, or throw in steam cleaning for the carpets a few times each year. The extras can be bundled into the standard monthly fee or be offered as extras at a discounted rate. Even if the client does not want those services, knowing you offer them will help to set you apart from the pack.
In some cases, a prospective client will have very specific questions about how various aspects of the cleaning will take place. In fact, you may find yourself with a very detailed request for the bid that will require some time to create. This is not unusual, especially with high profile clients such as office buildings or corporations that operate multiple facilities. With janitorial bidding of this type, you may want to make sure that spending the time on preparing this special bid is worth the effort.
If the job has the potential to be lucrative in terms of monthly income as well as duration, you may find that taking the time to prepare a special proposal is a great investment of your resources. However, if the client is a small one that generates very little revenue but has all the markings of being high maintenance, it may be better for your janitorial business to seek other clients and allow another service the pleasure of serving that particular client.
With any janitorial bid, make sure that the data is accurate, covers all the needs of the client, and will not prevent you from honoring your commitments to your existing clientele. Always submit the bid on time and in whatever manner the customer requests, be it via email, a formal proposal, or hand delivered. Punctuality and the ability to follow instructions will often play as important a role in landing the business as offering a good price for the services.
