| Parking lot cleaning is a service that is required any | | | | property I'm targeting. In my experience people are |
| where there is a parking lot. But who exactly are you | | | | reluctant to give you the contact information for the |
| trying to reach when you go out, or pick up the | | | | property manager, but asking what company |
| phone? And, what kind of facilities are you trying to | | | | manages the property goes over a lot easier, and |
| target? | | | | you can still find who the actual property manager is. |
| The obvious one would be large retailers. These | | | | You can also Google a property management |
| companies are a bit difficult to work with because | | | | company, and by searching the site or calling, |
| they have strict guidelines that vendors must adhere | | | | determine who the property managers are. |
| to. Their contracts generally have requirements of 1 | | | | Finally there is such a thing as a parking lot |
| million and more in general liability insurance. Also they | | | | management company. These companies manage |
| like to work with vendors who have a large regional, | | | | large multistory garages on behalf of airports, |
| or national reach, for example all of northern | | | | municipalities, property owners, and business owners |
| California, a whole state, or a whole metropolitan | | | | associations. These kinds of parking facilities are |
| area. To target these facilities you will want to target | | | | generally near down town areas, near public |
| General Managers and Store Directors. Most | | | | transportation hubs, and near office parks. Parking lot |
| corporate retail and grocery chains have a | | | | management companies are responsible for managing |
| procurement department. A procurement department | | | | the daily operations of pay for parking garages, this |
| is a fancy way of saying "the department that | | | | includes sourcing vendors for parking lot sweeping |
| manages all the outside vendors." These departments | | | | and pressure washing. When targeting these kinds of |
| generally deal with outside janitorial service, outside | | | | facilities you want to go directly to the parking |
| repair, carpentry, electrician, paint, and plumbing | | | | garages you will target and ask two questions. If it is |
| services; anything required to maintain a building. You | | | | not apparent, ask what company manages the |
| would want to walk into a large retail or grocery | | | | parking garage, second ask who the regional |
| chain and ask the general manager, "do you manage | | | | manager responsible for the parking lot is. Parking lot |
| the parking lot sweeping service, do you have a | | | | managers are generally responsible for multiple |
| procurement department, or does the property | | | | parking garages, and you should keep that in mind |
| management company manage the service?" | | | | when speaking with them. You can also Google a |
| There are also strip malls, shopping centers, office | | | | parking lot management company, and call in asking |
| buildings, and office parks. These types of properties | | | | who the parking lot managers are. |
| often have different retail, grocery, or professional | | | | Finally there are some unique opportunities to target. |
| service businesses as tenants on the property. These | | | | You can target farmers markets, and flea markets. |
| kinds of facilities are generally managed by property | | | | These kinds of events generally have a management |
| management companies. And, when a property | | | | organization responsible for managing who sells what |
| management company is responsible for a property | | | | products at the flea or farmers market. Many |
| they assign property managers to manage the | | | | organizations responsible for specific markets belong |
| vendors used to maintain that property. When you're | | | | to networks that over see dozens of markets in the |
| targeting these kinds of properties you want to go | | | | region. Go to a market and ask a vendor who you |
| into a business on the property you are targeting, tell | | | | would talk to in order to get a booth at the market, |
| one of the business managers that you are trying to | | | | the person you are referred to is the person you |
| figure out what property management company is | | | | would offer the service to. You can also reach this |
| responsible for maintenance. Go into the business for | | | | person by Googling the flea market and determining |
| both retail properties and office properties. You will | | | | the organization responsible for the flea or farmers |
| want be very courteous and respectful when walking | | | | market. There is also after event clean up, for |
| into a professional service office, this type of | | | | example after a concert. To target these |
| company may never have visitors, and they may be | | | | opportunities you want to get in touch with the |
| quite surprised by your visit. Be sure to proceed as | | | | facilities manager at the event center. You would call |
| respectfully, and courteously as possible, explain why | | | | the event planning phone number for a particular |
| you are there and if they would take two minutes to | | | | stadium or event center, and you would explain the |
| help you out. Take note, I only ask for the name of | | | | service you offer and ask who you would talk to |
| the company, later I call the company and ask what | | | | regarding offering your service. They will generally |
| property manager is directly responsible for the | | | | refer you to the facilities manager. |