With a race-to-the-bottom mentality and fierce competition, many companies have been known to bid well under the cost of actually cleaning a space, just to ensure they would win a contract. Then figure out how to make it work financially afterward.
Now that the world has a newfound respect for sanitation, deep-cleaning, and ensuring the right supplies are being used, the process of bidding in the janitorial industry is changing shape. And in many ways, for the better.
Swept Founder Michael Brown had a chance to chat with CEO/Founder of Rozalado Services, Ricky Regalado, about bidding in a post-COVID world. The result was an honest, informative and eye-opening look at where the commercial cleaning business will be when the world opens back up, and beyond.
A bid is just a number. Ultimately it’s everything around that number, your protocol, your process, the added value you bring, the plethora of services you offer, this is where we’ll see most of the major changes.
There’s a lot that will change, but the number 1 thing that I am seeing across the industry is the scope of work a janitorial company is offering. And clients want to know more details. What kind of protocols are you adhering to, what kind of chemicals are you using, how often are you cleaning (number of touch-points)? There is a high chance once this pandemic ends, you’ll be cleaning things daily and not weekly. All of this is going to affect the cost your company absorbs, which will affect the number that sits on your bid.
Absolutely, this is a daily talking point right now. There is going to be a strong leaning toward more cleaning, more disinfecting, but at the end of the day, for a lot of people, it is still going to come down to budget. I strongly feel the days of spraying and wiping are over.
However, you are still going to find potential clients who say: I don’t have the budget for this. This is where you need to be clever and find out where you can compromise without sacrificing the essential protocols of a post-COVID world.
Exactly, this is definitely a turning-point and one that I honestly think there is no going back from. But not in a bad way, this is going to save lives in the long run. And giving people valuable peace of mind when the world re-opens.
There is definitely a lot to be done, and I believe there is an efficient, digital approach. Like any good solution, its best to start with a list:
Honestly, right now I think transparency is the thing that is going to be making a huge difference in the bidding process. We are seeing unprecedented interest in processes, supplies, and procedures. So take advantage of that, anticipate your clients’ desire to know, and come prepared to talk about these things in detail. Heck, prepare to demo some of the chemicals and products you’ll be using and explain the value in using them.
The more your prospect knows, the more they are going to start feeling a sense of trust in you and your ability to fulfill their needs. And this is a big step to getting a leg up on the competition.
There’s more…so much more. We discussed this and a lot more in our webinar, so if you want to get in-depth, then feel free to watch the replay, and be sure to take notes. We even learned a thing or two (or 5) from Mr. Rozalado.
And as a final bit of valuable information, Ricky and the fine folks at Rozalado Services, thanks to some hard work on the part of the team at ROUTE, brought a COVID-Janitorial Bidding Guide (in PDF form) for us to offer to anyone who wants it. We can’t even begin to describe how detailed this document is, but if you are concerned about how your janitorial company needs to adapt the way it does bidding once things start to open up again, this document is an invaluable read. Grab it right here:
And if you want some more basic ground rules around bidding in general, please enjoy Swept’s own Guide to Bidding.
We’ve always known cleaners were undervalued heros, and finally, the rest of the world is seeing how important the work they do truly is. We want to continue to enable you and your teams to stay safe and keep our communities safe.
It is a time where it may be difficult to separate fact from fiction, but we all need to be dedicated, diligent, and believe that things will be changing in a positive direction soon.
In reaction to the global issue, the expected levels of sanitation have been raised across the board, and we’re guessing that these levels will stay elevated for years to come. The best move is to adjust to the changes now and to put long-term plans into place to make these practices your “new normal”. Again, we’ll be here throughout this journey to support you. We’ll also be making important changes in order to stay current, adapt easily, and be in a position to help. We have your back!
Swept is dedicated to highlighting stories that keep everyone in the janitorial industry as up to date on world events and in-the-know as possible. Having started as a commercial cleaning company ourselves, our hearts go well beyond the janitorial software we offer. Learn more about Swept’s cleaning company software here. And to keep up on all the trends in the janitorial services industry, subscribe to our blog!
Curious what actions your janitorial company can make toward adapting to this fast-changing market? How to improve your communication and message in times of hardship like this, and finding the right service to provide to meet the pain-points currently in high demand? We’ve got the right place to start your search right here!