Alberto owns and operates All Power Sweeping Inc., a commercial parking lot sweeper in Moreno Valley, California.
He uses the ServiceActivator platform to run his business efficiently and monitor his employees. He also contributes to the community by contracting work from other members.
Here is his start-up story
What motivated you to get into this business?
A relative who owned a parking lot sweeping business asked me to cover for three days while he went on vacation. I agreed, and he took me out for training. I immediately loved the job and decided I wanted to do this business.
What were some of the biggest challenges to start your sweeping business, and how did you overcome them?
I lived in Las Vegas then and sold used cars at a local dealership. My sweeping business service area was in Southern California, so I commuted for a few months until I could relocate my family.
It was also challenging to raise money to buy a truck. My brother-in-law partnered with me to raise some of the money we needed for the insurance deposits, truck down payment, tools, and operating expenses until we began getting paid.
Another big challenge was working for a few months until the checks started to come in since commercial customers don’t pay for 30 to 60 days.
My wife was not working then and had been a stay-at-home Mom for many years. She got a job to help us pay our extra start-up bills until we started seeing payments. It took about five months to stabilize and pay all the bills before we started seeing a profit.
What did you do right along the way?
Hiring a great helper and holding a high standard has been one of the best things I did. I worked seven days a week for two years to build this business. I hired many people during that time, but nobody met the standard I wanted. I was discouraged, but I persisted until I found my current employee. He has helped me take time off and understands the quality I want.
I have also purchased a backup truck to allow us to pull one truck out of service and stay on schedule. I do not want to miss any jobs and play catch-up, and even though it is an additional cost, it gives me peace of mind that the work can continue even if a truck goes down.
Would you have done anything differently when starting your maintenance business?
Nothing. I am happy with all the choices I made along the way because they have brought me to where I am now. I love my job and the satisfaction I get from it every day. Yes, it is hard work, but I love it.
Where are you taking your business next?
I am ready to bring on more work and hire another employee. I have a great system in place and am prepared to expand.
Would you recommend starting a service business?
Yes, I recommend starting a service business. I love it when my customers praise my excellent service. It makes me feel appreciated.
Has ServiceActivator helped you positively in your business?
Yes. This has a more accurate check-in system than other tracking systems I have used. As soon as I drive into the job, I hear the ServiceActivator app chime on my phone, letting me know the Work Order has checked me in.
I have more control over my business in general. I can quickly check on my employees from my phone to see their progress, check their notes and photos, or reassign work orders from the field. I also like the automatic rescheduling feature, which saves us time and ensures we don’t miss any jobs.
How much of your work comes through the ServiceActivator platform?
More than 90% of my work comes through my ServiceActivator connections. It is much easier since the jobs flow into my portal, and all the work orders generate automatically. As long as I complete them, my customer is invoiced automatically. It couldn’t be simpler.
We hope this interview with Alberto V. from All Power Sweeping has inspired and provided valuable insights to those considering a similar path.
What is ServiceActivator?
ServiceActivator is business management software with a social aspect. Our community of professional service contractors uses the platform to operate their businesses more efficiently and expand by connecting with other contractors.
Why Connect?
- Use Case (subcontracting jobs outside my area): I have a customer with properties located too far outside my regular service area, but they want to work with me. I can connect with another ServiceActivator member, like Alberto, to service the property as a subcontractor.
- Use Case (service types I can’t perform): If a customer wants a service I don’t have the equipment or expertise to perform, I can use ServiceActivator to easily connect with a qualified subcontractor who can perform the service for me.
Our comprehensive platform establishes a benchmark for our contractors, enabling them to deliver outstanding service and communication. Efficiently manage your business and network with others for expansion.
Let ServiceActivator help streamline and grow your business. Sign up today to streamline and grow your commercial maintenance business.