Commercial Accounts

[Beverly]

If your drop off service includes commercial accounts, how did you
obtain them-- cold calling? referrals? flyers? internet/emails????

[Andy]

I have the biggest ad in the yellow pages under laundry service and coin laundry. In the ad I say we do all types of laundry and say " let us quote your job blah blah blah..." and list types, towels, linens, sleeping bags, nursing homes, hospitals, hotel...
I then visited all of the local hotels suggesting we do their guest laundry (one day service) they all jumped on board. We charge by the piece for this service ( socks $1/pair, t-shirt $1.50 each, dress shirt washed & pressed $4 each). These hotels talk to each other, I have hotels calling me from 15 miles away wanting us to do their guest laundry. Each of the six hotels we cover generate from $150 to $1200 per month each. I provide the tickets with preprinted prices on each one. I have found you can generate more business by placing a ticket in each room in plain view.

[Andy]

Someone emailed me asking for a copy of our hotel laundry ticket. I have lost your address and don't recall your name. Please email me back or post a message here.

[jbruhn]

I would love a copy....as a beginner I am like a sponge soaking in all the EXCELLENT information on this website! THanks for all the great info!
johbruhn@plateautel.net

[Kitty]

I don't seek commercial accounts, but we have several. Two or three churches, a very large prestigious hotel (we do the comforter, spreads and blankets of condos and rooms twice per year) The churchs bring towels, mopheads janitor items. We do all the parks and recs jerseys and uniforms. Caddy towel for a couple of golf courses....

We do a Daves Dirty Dozen washcard for our coi-op customers. Wash 12 times and your thirteenth wash is free. We retain the card for the customer and they ask the attendant to sign the card during each visit. We implemented it by personally telling each customer about the "new" promo and I put large colorful posters inside the store. We have given away 1000's in free washes. This is a another awesome customer retention program.

[Andy]

I have posted a scan of my hotel laundry ticket (3-part) at the link below. Click on the expand button on the bottom right corner of the image to get a better look at it. If you have trouble let me know.


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Hotel Ticket

Hotel Ticket
Please click here... (http://www.coinwash.com/temp/Hotel_Ticket.pdf)

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[brucefla]

Thanks much for the scan Andy! I'm also seeking some bread and butter commercial accounts.

I have a ton of hotels as I am not far from the beaches.....

Also am seeking some nice restaurant, etc... (SQUARE ITEMS), as I'm not a good folder, HAHA. My plans are to have Charlotte do the residential customers 8-4 (she does well in tips from the regulars), and I to do the commercials at night from 4-9.

I ordered some wire bag holders to give to my small commercial accounts.... Targets that I see as viable (assuming they dont have their own machines in-house) include:

Small restaurants
Spa's/massage parlors
Catering services
Hair/Nails

I am hoping to steal "crumbs" from services like American Linen...

I have heard that they raised their prices.....

Anyone know what the going rate for comemrcial accounts is?

Currently I charge .79/lb for individuals and .69/lb for commercial

I was thinking of putting a commisioned salesman on the road and kicking him .10/lb for establishing and servicing (pickup and delivery) of the accounts.....

thanks for the input!

Bruce