# Small Business



## All_Clear

Anyone targeting just small business... 

How about Dr's offices, dentist, gas stations, random small business's that sort of account?
Small fast food places, subway, burger king, wendy's... etc.

If you do give a brief description of the type of places, how often you service (since they may not be high litter areas) and what equipment you use.

I know some of these type places may not be considered small where you live but in a town like this i call it a small lot, compared to wal-mart, home depot...etc.

Just trying to get an idea of the variety of accounts possible and how often these types are serviced.

Trying to think alittle outside the box on this as far as potential accounts go...


Thanks
All_Clear


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## All_Clear

I'm looking to gather this info to do a local study. I'm 99% sure this isn't offered to most small/medium lots here. (I've only seen walmart being done)

So i am looking to get an idea of how others run this service in their area for these type of accounts, that way when i go in and talk with each place I don't sound to crazy  

I figure I'll introduce myself and business.... Ask them if they currently have this service or if they would be interested if this service were to be offered. I don't have equipment yet and i can't afford to make the mistake of not doing a local study and hoping for the best.

Any tips would be great!
One major questions would be... What do you think has sealed the deal when offering this service... obviously they need trash picked up but what makes you worth hiring over them sending one of their min. wage employees do it?


Thanks
Nathan


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## murray83

i think your on the right track.

ask the manager if he likes the service hes getting now if he's having it,what he'd do differently,what he thinks is a decent price if hes not having it done currently ask him why not then sell yourself and make yourself known.

what are you thinking of buying if your research pans out? like a bobcat/sweeper combo? or a little bigger?

another thing to ponder is maybe if your open to it is includeing line painting as well,and sell yourself as a package. hopefully sweeten the deal for your customer you already plow its win win for you and them....they get their lot services under one roof and you can keep busy year round plow,sweep,stripe.

i think myself your smart for staying away from larger big box stores being you'd have to deal with maintaince companys and waiting maybe longer for your money.

maybe someone like Dwan can chime in,he has more experience on this subject than anyone i know.


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## All_Clear

murray83 said:


> what are you thinking of buying if your research pans out? like a bobcat/sweeper combo? or a little bigger?


Actually to start i am thinking smaller... As i said i know of no one in town doing this, I've looked to see.

Probably something like a commercial billy goat. Bought outright. I don't want to have another loan/payment to make. If it pans out then the billy goat should work fine for the size lots i am looking at. Alot of the lots i am looking at have a striper already. But i figure if you corner the market and are the only guy offering the service, you should be set... for awhile. It's to hard to compete with these guys that mow commercial for nothing here. So i want to go after something that's not currently offered or over saturated.

Thanks for the reply
All Clear


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## hickslawns

I haven't had any luck with restaurants. They just send the employees out to do it. THey might be more interested in pressure washing the gum or spill milkshakes I suppose. Hot water pressure washer would be needed and probably cost more than the billy goat. The chain drug stores seem to go for sweeping but you need an inside line. MOst seem to go with 2-3 property maintenance groups. Contact property maint companies if you want. Just be prepared to jump thru hoops, and risk not getting paid timely or sometimes not at all. Banks are not big sweeper customers around here, but they seem to like the idea of once every quarter or a couple times per year. Hope this helps.


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## All_Clear

Yeah i understand that some of these place I'm talking about wont be as often as high traffic/high litter areas... but to help fill out a full schedule i figure they are worth a shot.

Thanks
All Clear


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## home rescue

I have 4 bank lots here, trying to get 1 more of the branches. Have been at this one year now. Parker vac 35 is what i use, i think it figures 30,000 square ft per hour. Anyway just signed snow contract today with a warehouse and the guy wants me to sweep the inside of the building 3500square ft, lets just say its around the 100.00 per sweep. Not bad for a machine that was around 1500.00. I think the banks just take alot of talking to, they have to budget everything, I get to sweep the banks every 2 weeks.


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