5 success tips on how to get an office cleaning contract

If you’re an owner of a cleaning company, you understand that engaging in office cleaning (or commercial cleaning in general) is one of the most effective ways to find a stable source of revenue. As offices rely on professional cleaners all the time, you should look into the ways to reach out to businessmen or office building administrators and attempt scoring your first office cleaning contract. Obtaining commercial clients is sometimes even more challenging than getting hired by residential ones, though. However, as soon as you score your first contract and start cooperating with reputable businesses, you’ll find making more profitable deals, attracting new commercial customers and generating more substantial income a lot easier.

1. Obtain permits required to provide commercial cleaning services

If you haven’t done any office cleaning work yet, the first thing you need to do before seeking any contracts is to obtain business permits and conduct all arrangements to be able to provide office cleaning services legally. Otherwise, no companies will agree to sign a contract with you. Improving the quality of your services and hiring employees who have previous office cleaning experience may be essential as well.

2. Start a marketing campaign

Even if you’ve been providing residential house cleaning services for a while, you need to improve your business visibility and make sure that your company gets recognized as one of the most reliable providers of commercial cleaning services as well. As it’s a completely different market, you need to develop a special marketing approach and discover advertising channels that ensure better results when it comes to influencing commercial customers and winning over their attention. For instance, people who use office cleaning services pay a lot of attention to the quality of services and the brand of the company who provides them. That’s why in addition to creating a strong online presence, promoting your company through conventional advertising channels, you need to pay attention to such things as finding your own office space in the downtown area, branding your business vehicle, getting a branded uniform for your employees, enrolling them in professional training programs aimed at improving office cleaning techniques, cooperating with other companies whose clients may be interested in office cleaning services, etc. Create a compelling profile for your cleaning company and post it on different contractor referral platforms and listing websites, so that the prospective customers are able to check your qualifications, previous experiences and pricing policies during the first screening (a.k.a. background check).

3. Find quality leads

When looking for office cleaning contracts, explore different businesses operating in your local area and make a list of potential clients. Determine those who constantly rely on professional cleaners by looking through office cleaning requests online and in local newspaper ads, choose the ones that meet your criteria (the size of the office and the frequency of cleanings), develop a business offer that’s too hard to deny and send it to them via direct mail. Follow up your proposal with a business call to remind about your company and arrange a meeting. After being contacted, prepare to give a compelling presentation, and you’ll get that office cleaning contract.

4. Expand your business network to obtain new cleaning contracts

As a businessman, you need to attend different local events and expand your business connection to get exposed to people, who may potentially provide you with leads, refer your cleaning business to property managers or even become your customers. Neighborhood meetings, celebratory and charity events, business openings, exhibitions and business forums are the things you need to get involved in. Connect with other businessmen who operate in the related niche to offer cross-advertising cooperation. Moving companies, remodeling contractors, commercial window cleaning companies are the ones you need to reach out to for that matter.

5. Contact property managers

Property managers and real estate agents are those who may help you get an office cleaning contract, as they may refer people who rent offices and look for cleaners to your business. They like to provide their customers with as much support as they can, which means that they have a list of reliable providers of different services their clients may potentially ask for. You may have to pay a fee to be included in that list or pay a certain percent of revenue once you score an office cleaning company with a business that found you through that property manager. Additionally, try to arrange a meeting with managers of different office buildings, as most businesses who rent office rooms sign office cleaning contract with the company the manager of the entire building recommends. If you manage to sign a contract with the entire office complex, you’ll acquire a great course of revenue. However, you need to make sure that your company is able to satisfy cleaning needs of that building for sure. Otherwise, you risk discrediting your business and losing a contract.