Elite BSC: Recent Episodes
Jordan Tong
Should sales reps stay involved with customers after the deal is closed, or should there be a clean handoff to operations?
In this episode, I unpack a question that comes up often in sales workshops and peer discussions: how involved should sales be once a new account is won? I explain why blurring the line between sales and account management can slow growth, dilute focus, and ultimately hurt performance.
https://elitebsc.com
The janitorial industry is filled with immigrant workers. One could argue that they are the backbone of the industry. As owners and leaders, we have an obligation to think and lead clearly in this current cultural climate. How can we take care of our businesses, love our people, and lead well?
No matter the size of your janitorial company, your key operational leader is critical to your success. What does this role look like? Why is it so important? What qualities are we looking for in someone who could fill this role?
Opportunities are like rain. The wider your bucket, the more opportunities you can catch. But how do we increase our "luck surface area"? In this episode we dive into some of the habits, actions, and attitudes that increase our chances of succeeding.
https://elitebsc.com
Is luck something that randomly happens to people, or is it the product of specific actions? And if it is specific actions, how can we increase our "contact" with luck to have a corresponding increase in success?
https://elitebsc.com
It if your ratio of janitorial proposals to closed deals is super low, that can be a frustrating experience. Here are a few suggestions to improve your close ratio.
For more resources, check out https://elitebsc.com
In this episode, the following content is covered:
(1) A few of the ways I use ChatGPT for my professional and personal life
(2) A few ways to use ChatGPT and AI in your business
(3) Some dangers and/or cautions of AI use
https://elitebsc.com
In the early days of the company, leading means doing everything it takes to get the job done. Usually that means wearing all the hats. But as the team grows, your jobs as leader changes. You now have to lead and work through others to get the job done. Here are 6 keys to doing that effectively
In this podcast, we look at the five domains of emotional intelligence, what they are, and why they matter in your cleaning company. The springboard for this discussion is Daniel Goleman's HBR article "What Makes a Leader?"
For more resources, check out https://elitebsc.com
Here is a short speech I gave at the Elite BSC Janitorial Leadership Conference earlier this week. The goal of the speech was to cast a vision for the industry, and specifically for "Elite" janitorial companies.
For more resources, check out https://elitebsc.com
In 2019, we made our first acquisition. Here is a behind the scene look at that transaction.
For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
In this episode, I sit down with Jeff to talk about the role of the CEO—or what many call the visionary—in a growing company. I share my own story of stepping out of the day-to-day at Frantz, why I knew it was time to make that shift, and what I’ve focused on since making the transition. We also discuss how to stay engaged in areas you love, like sales or customer relationships, without stepping on your team’s toes. If you’re thinking about what’s next for your role or your company, this conversation might help you take the next step with clarity and confidence.
https://elitebsc.com
Medical facilities are often a untapped source of business for janitorial companies. It is a growing industry that shows no signs of slowing down. In this episode, Jeff Carmon and I explore the why and how to pursue medical facilities.
https://elitebsc.com/
Here is a link to download the whitepaper mentioned in the podcast: https://www.brightgo.com/guides-janitorial-margin-playbook
In this conversation, Jordan Tong and Gerald Fong discuss the journey of BrightGo, a technology company focused on the janitorial industry. Gerald shares his background in tech and how he transitioned to address the challenges faced by the janitorial sector. They explore the importance of data-driven decision-making, the significance of understanding margins, and the strategic choices businesses must make as they grow.
Elite BSC: https://elitebsc.com
BrightGo: https://www.brightgo.com/
I uploaded the wrong audio last time I published this episode. So here is the corrected version.
http://elitebsc.com
This is part 4 of a 4 part series on janitorial marketing.
Part 1 - Developing you Ideal Client Profile
Part 2 - Building a list using free and paid tools
Part 3 - Identifying decision makers and outsource status
Part 4 - Nurturing decision makers
For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
This is part 3 of a 4 part series on janitorial marketing.
Part 1 - Developing you Ideal Client Profile
Part 2 - Building a list using free and paid tools
Part 3 - Identifying decision makers and outsource status
Part 4 - Nurturing decision makers
For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
This is part 2 of a 4 part series on janitorial marketing.
Part 1 - Developing you Ideal Client Profile
Part 2 - Building a list using free and paid tools
Part 3 - Identifying decision makers and outsource status
Part 4 - Nurturing decision makers
For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
This is part 1 of a 4 part series on janitorial marketing.
Part 1 - Developing you Ideal Client Profile
Part 2 - Building a list using free and paid tools
Part 3 - Identifying decision makers and outsource status
Part 4 - Nurturing decision makers
For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
In the episode, Jeff Carmon explains how to estimate man hours needed when you are bidding a new job. There are a couple of different methodologies for doing this and he breaks them down for you.
For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
At my company, Frantz Building Services, we have a monthly leadership meeting that includes all department heads and regional managers. Part of this meeting includes a performance snapshot report of the company. I discuss the contents of this report in this episode.
If you are a small janitorial company, but want to grow, what is the best way to get there? Without question, larger accounts help move the needle. However, if you are a small cleaning company, landing larger accounts can be a challenge. In this episode, I offer few tips to increase your chances of success.
Come join our tribe of commercial janitorial companies
http://elitebsc.com
In order to properly train a dispersed workforce, you need consistency, good training content, accountability, and a means to distribute the training content. Here is an interview w/ CTU director Ben Hoak, examining how CTU is a solution to those needs.
http://elitebsc.com
http://cleantrainu.com
In this episode, we cover the type of janitorial marketing that has a proven track record of working.
http://elitebsc.com
Marketing in the commercial janitorial space isn't quite like marketing in other industries. As a result, some of the more popular approaches to marketing might not work in our industry. In this episode, we take a look at a few that don't work particularly well for the cleaning industry.
What is the one quality that is necessary for a leader, especially a leader in the janitorial industry? In this episode, that question will be answered drawing from the insights of Jim Collins, Patrick Lencioni, and Jesus.
http://elitebsc.com
How should you compensate key leaders in your janitorial company? Is there a way to do this that is fair yet generous, good for the leader but also good for the company?
For more resources: http://elitebsc.com
This episode is part 5 of a 5-part series on the five most important questions you can ask about your organization. In a book written by Peter Drucker, along with co-authors such as Jim Collins, Drucker walks us through key questions we must ask about our companies.
The fifth question is: What is our plan?
In this episode, we will unpack that question and discuss it's application to the janitorial industry.
elitebsc.com
This episode is part 4 of a 5-part series on the five most important questions you can ask about your organization. In a book written by Peter Drucker, along with co-authors such as Jim Collins, Drucker walks us through key questions we must ask about our companies.
The fourth question is: What are our results?
In this episode, we will unpack that question and discuss it's application to the janitorial industry.
elitebsc.com
This episode is part 3 of a 5-part series on the five most important questions you can ask about your organization. In a book written by Peter Drucker, along with co-authors such as Jim Collins, Drucker walks us through key questions we must ask about our companies.
The third question is: What does our customer value?
In this episode, we will unpack that question and discuss it's application to the janitorial industry.
elitebsc.com
This episode is part 2 of a 5-part series on the five most important questions you can ask about your organization. In a book written by Peter Drucker, along with co-authors such as Jim Collins, Drucker walks us through key questions we must ask about our companies.
The seconds question is: Who is our customer?
In this episode, we will unpack that question and discuss it's application to the janitorial industry.
elitebsc.com
This episode is part 1 of a 5-part series on the five most important questions you can ask about your organization. In a book written by Peter Drucker, along with co-authors such as Jim Collins, Drucker walks us through key questions we must ask about our companies.
The first questions is: What is our mission?
In this episode, we will unpack that question and discuss it's application to the janitorial industry.
elitebsc.com
Here are 7 best practices to help you achieve the vision of your janitorial company you hope for.
- Mission/vision/values
- 3-5 year strategic plans
- Annual strategic goals/objectives
- KPIs
- Right people/right seats
- Regular meeting cadence
- Scoreboard
Do you need to keep giving raises to cleaners to get them to stay? What about when the customer has not given a price increase?
While growing your business can be tough, not growing can have much greater consequences. If you aren't growing, you are likely dying.
Partnership meetings are a MUST for maintaining long-term relationships with clients. The janitorial company is often not thought of until there is a problem with the cleaning. Partnership meetings can help reshape that negative habit.
Bidding and estimating can feel daunting for newcomers in the janitorial industry. However, it doesn't have to stay that way. Here are a few things I've learned in my nearly 20 years of bidding and estimating.
Is there ever a time to turn down a cleaning account because it is too small? Is there ever a time to terminate a contract with a customer because they are too small?
There was once a time when nearly all schools, both public and private, handled all their cleaning needs with an in-house janitorial staff. However, that has been changing in the last 10 years. In this episode, we discuss how to go about pursuing educational facilities.
If you want to grow your cleaning company into a new geographic market, how should you go about making that happen. In this episode, we explore three possible options.
How do you compensate janitorial managers to push them toward high performance? Here are a few lessons we learned.
website: www.elitebsc.com
Family businesses abound in the janitorial industry. In fact, I'm not quite sure I've seen an industry filled with so many family businesses. Speaking from experience, family business can be the source of tremendous blessing and joy. But if not carefully managed, can be a source of dissension and frustration. In this podcast, I look at 4 principles you can practice to help produce better outcomes for your family business, both at work and at home.
Elite BSC: www.elitebsc.com
CleanTrainU: www.cleantrainu.com
It is easy to get lured into thinking new sales is the best way to get more profit in your cleaning business. There is no doubt that new sales are important. However, existing customers are often an untapped resources for growing your business.
Website: www.elitebsc.com
Here are 5 leadership lessons from the life of Winston Churchill, as highlighted at the end of Paul Johnson's book Churchill. The lessons are applicable to the life of any leader.
When we think about measuring performance in our cleaning companies, we often look at lagging indicators. How did we do in the past? However, we need some indicators - activities we measure - that will help predict how we will do in the future.
The reason people buy products and services is somewhat of a mystery. Sure, there are the obvious reasons that make someone choose one thing over another. But why do they choose the way they do? When you sell janitorial services, what exactly are the buyers looking for to help them make a decision? Is it only price?
If you want to build a company that has a thriving culture and team members who are bought in, you must have right beliefs about EVERY member of your team.
elitebsc.com
Some people in the cleaning industry are paying commission on jobs that they shouldn't be paying commission on. On the flip side, some companies aren't rewarding the right kinds of sales enough. How can you avoid these traps and develop the right comp plan for your sales person?
Here are 5 reasons why your janitorial company is not growing like you want....5 reasons you are selling more of the kinds of jobs that make you successful in the long run.
elitebsc.com
As a janitorial company grows, the org chart changes. But what should that evolution look like? Is there an end game?
elitebsc.com
In this episode, you will learn how customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and profitability are all related.
elitebsc.com
Coaching a team and leading a business have numerous parallels with one another. In this episode, we look at 6 such parallels in hopes of helping cleaning industry leaders lead well.
Janitorial service agreements are an important piece of every customer relationship. They protect your company, guard the relationship, and lower your company's risk profile. This episode outlines a few of the things you need to include in your service agreements.
For more resources, check out elitebsc.com
Everyone will eventually sell or pass on their business. How can you minimize risk and maximize value to make yourself ready when the day comes? For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
The managers and leaders you hire will make or break your cleaning company. In this episode, you will hear a talk delivered at a recent workshop on hiring field managers and key leaders. For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
Getting an additional 1%, 2%, or ever 3% on your bottom line can be a huge deal. While often overlooked, supply expense is one way to get some of those savings.
Getting an accurate estimate of work hours is the primary way to ensure your bids are competitive and profitable. But how can you ensure that estimating correctly? Is there an easier, more accurate way?
Mark and Stephen Patton have built an exceptional company in an area of the country overlooked by most. This interview gives you a peek behind the curtain of what they have built.
For more resources check out: http://elitebsc.com
To boost profits, we often think about cutting costs. But sometimes, the best revenue comes from increasing revenue at existing accounts.
http://elitebsc.com
Sometimes, in the whirlwind of day-to-day business in the cleaning industry, we can lose sight of why we do what we do. Is the grind worth it? Is there a bigger picture to be seen for the business owner?
http://elitebsc.com
Every cleaning business wants to grow their company. Some want to get from $500k to $1M annually. Others want to make the leap from $2M to $5M. But if you find yourself stuck, unable to grow, consider if one of these reasons is keeping you from growing.
Danny Frayre has been a member of the Elite BSC group for a few years and quickly became a friend. In this podcast interview, you will get a behind-the-scenes peek at a young man who will do great things in the commercial industry.
For more resources, check out: http://elitebsc.com
Every janitorial company must start with small accounts. This is normal. But if you want to reach new plateaus - maybe $3M or $5M or $10M - you need larger accounts. However, at the same time, you should stop pursuing small account. This episode makes the case for that philosophy.
For more resources, visit http://elitebsc.com
Not all janitorial contracts are beneficial to your company. But how do you know when to turn one down? In this episode, 5 factors are discussed that could lead you to say "NO" to certain cleaning jobs.
For more information, please visit: http://elitebsc.com
For people who can otherwise be very rational and objective, we often approach interviews with a bit of hocus pokus. In this episode, we will look at SEVEN different mistakes janitorial business owners make in the manager interviewing process.
For more resources, visit http://elitebsc.com
In the cleaning industry, we often fail to treat our workers with the value and dignity they deserve. This is not just an ethical problem; it could also impact company culture, retention, and even profits.
http://elitebsc.com
Cold calling can be stressful, and while there are a few weird people who enjoy it, most of us don't like it. But in the commercial janitorial industry, you must be able to cold call to gather information. In this podcast, I offer a simple method for cold calling that will take some of the stress away. It will also set you up for warmer calls in the future. And perhaps most importantly, it will fill your pipeline with opportunities.
For more info visit http://elitebsc.com
Once you have developed an Ideal Client Profile, how do take that criteria and build a prospect list? In this episode, we will examine 5 methods for finding commercial cleaning prospects, all while sitting at your desk.
Every janitorial company wants to grow, sell more accounts, and increase revenue. But where do you start? Do you just pick up the phone and start calling? No! The first step in the sales/marketing process is to identify and clarify your ideal client profile.
For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
Frantz Building Services was founded in 1985 as a small town commercial janitorial contractor. Between 1985 and 2007, the company grew to approximately $1.5 million in revenue. Since 2007, Frantz has grown to $20+ million in annual revenue. This episode is the story of that growth, including the mistakes made and lessons learned.
For more resources, check out http://elitebsc.com
In this episode, possibly a controversial one, Jordan examines the underlying views that shape the way we think of our cleaners.
The BSCAI is the leading association for commercial janitorial contractors. They recently hosted their annual Executive Management Conference in Miami. I review the highlights from that conference in this podcast.
www.elitebusinesscoaching.net
In this episode, you will learn why safety is important and how you can implement a simple and effective safety program at your janitorial company.
If you want to drive your team toward the results you all want, you need the right compensation plans in place.
Learn more at www.elitebusinesscoaching.net
Learn how people, processes, and an effective sales strategy can help you achieve the growth you desire.
Learn more at www.elitebusinesscoaching.net
Hear the story of a KY-based janitorial company started by a poor Army Sergeant and German immigrant and how this company grew to over 400 employees and serving companies in 4 states.
Learn more at www.elitebusinesscoaching.net