Apartments and Entrances.

I was wondering if some of you professionals that have been in the game for a while can give me some advice on getting maintenance contracts on apartments and entrances to sub-divisions? Thank you for your help.

 

Be/look very professional.
Apartments, speak with manager on duty, you may be referred to a property manager or company that handles those affairs.

Sub-division entrances, ask some of the home owners for info about their Home Owners Association, who to contact, etc.

Be prepared in either to submit a written proposal/bid after you have walked the property and been told exactly what services they want to be included. Get very detailed about it. Do not take their word on physical size of property, walk it with a time-it-will-take-to-do eye, take notes, don't leave to memory.

Don't just mail in the paperwork.
If at all possible, when all is prepared, ask for a brief meeting with the person(s) that make the decisions. They could be located out of town for commercial properties.

 

We have 3 accounts we mow that are in a sub division. Lately we noticed that the quality of the mowing of the entrance and other common areas has really gotten bad. Clumps, overgrown edging. Well, I mailed out letters to all the property owners offering our mowing services at a special rate. I also found out who ran the property and went and met with her. I told her who I was and that I was interested in bidding on next year's lawn services. I told her that we have been mowing certain addresses in the sub-division. (She could see for herself the work we do). Anyway, she is happy with the bid I submitted and it looks like we may have picked up this very nice account for next year. If you can get your foot in the door and figure out who is running the place, you can go from there.

 

Thank you for your replies. It is really appreciated.

 

What i do is just drive around in the off season or when i am working on a yard look for places. Then i look in the phone book and give them a call when its a new season. But when you call be very professional. Picked up 2 this year that way.