[BCSteel]

I think I heard that having one big name account on the billing list can improve the value and desire for other big companys to pick up your services. After looking around for awhile, I have found several regional headquarters for some big name companys that would fall into my service area.

Currently I am a solo operator servicing mid to high end strata (hoa) complexes. All of my current work comes from requests from the managment companys of the properties. My question is how do I get my foot in the door with these high profile accounts? None of the managment companys that I currently deal with have any dealings with the target properties.

Most of my new target properties have, to me, sub par maintenance being performed right now. The target props fall within the size frame of my business ie. they are not huge. Unfortunatly for me I dont have any good before and after pics of the props that I have transformed in the past.

Any advice on how to get in?

[Bill Schwab]

First, as a standard rule of thumb, you don't want any account that takes up more than 10% of your gross totals. The issues comes when some whack and hack undercuts you and the bean counters inside see the savings with little to no regard for how the outside looks.

Should you loose an account that say took 1/4 of your reciepts, you can easily run the risk of failure when the revenue stopps comming, and, it would be unlikely you could make it up in the season you lost it.

And the next thing is this. If the properties could look better, it just might prove out my theory. The bean counters inside controlling the vendors. Ask yourself if the job would be profitable for you to do it the way you want to see the property appear.

[BCSteel]

Originally posted by Bill Schwab
[b]First, as a standard rule of thumb, you don't want any account that takes up more than 10% of your gross totals. The issues comes when some whack and hack undercuts you and the bean counters inside see the savings with little to no regard for how the outside looks.

Should you loose an account that say took 1/4 of your reciepts, you can easily run the risk of failure when the revenue stopps comming, and, it would be unlikely you could make it up in the season you lost it.

I already learned that one the hard way thats why I said , "The target props fall within the size frame of my business ie. they are not huge."

And the next thing is this. If the properties could look better, it just might prove out my theory. The bean counters inside controlling the vendors. Ask yourself if the job would be profitable for you to do it the way you want to see the property appear.

IMO there is a lack of high end maintenance companys in my service area. I routinly net 2x my competition while still remaining competativly priced, even so far as under bidding them. The only ones giving the quality work are using 21" mowers and hand weeding everything. The big boys just cant yet grasp the idea of efficency and quality at the same time. I need to make my inroads now into the high end industrial market while it is there for the easy picking.