John began his business with 360clean in July 2010 offering janitorial services in the Atlanta, GA market and surrounding areas. As a top producer, John serves as a leader bringing great collaborative efforts and success strategies to his fellow 360clean franchise owners. Read on to learn about how his relationship-first approach brought him to a recent full circle experience.
John Thomas writes…
About 13 years ago, I took on a deep cleaning job for a new assistant property manager. It was a $55 job, and everything that could go wrong did— I bleached my 360clean shirt, blew an electrical socket, and even had my backpack vacuum stolen that same day.
Fast forward to today, and we’re now the lead sponsors at a national conference for that same client’s leadership team. That assistant property manager is now the Vice President of his company, and that company provides us with over $300,000 annually.
During the conference, I had the opportunity to speak on stage, raffled off some gift cards, and just 30 minutes later, a property manager approached me wanting to start a new property with us next week. No bidding, no haggling.
The moral of the story? Pricing and contract volume are important, but building relationships is even more critical. I remember feeling like that first contract was undervalued, but had I not taken that chance and focused on the relationship rather than just the money, we wouldn’t be here today.
Not every contract will be a big money maker, but I encourage you to look deeper and assess the lifetime value of your clients. Build the relationship, deliver exceptional value, and take the time to understand what your clients need to be successful. Tailor your interactions to help them get ahead, and you might just find that these relationships lead to your next big opportunity.
The lesson? Building relationships matters.
✔ Value the relationship: Don’t let the pursuit of short-term gains overshadow the long-term potential of a client relationship.
✔ Deliver exceptional value: Exceed expectations, go the extra mile, and show your clients that you’re invested in their success.
✔ Understand their needs: Take the time to truly understand your clients’ challenges and goals. Tailor your services to help them achieve more.
