How to get commercial cleaning contracts for your cleaning company.
Office buildings, retail parks, schools and medical centres all need regular cleaning — and most contracts are won by the company that picks up the phone first. Here is how AI cold calling helps you reach every property manager and facilities company in your area.
Why commercial cleaning contracts are hard to find
Commercial cleaning is steady, well-paid work — but winning contracts is competitive. Most buildings already have a cleaner, and the decision-maker (a property manager, an FM company, or an office manager) is not actively searching for a replacement unless something goes wrong.
That means the best time to reach them is before they start looking. When their current provider misses a day, raises prices or loses staff, the cleaning company whose name is already on their desk gets the call. The problem is reaching enough decision-makers to be in that position often enough to grow.
Who awards cleaning contracts and how to find them
Your targets fall into several groups, each with a different buying process:
- Property management companies — they manage multiple buildings and award cleaning contracts on behalf of landlords. One relationship can open several sites.
- Facilities management firms — they subcontract cleaning for corporate clients. Getting on their approved supplier list means regular work.
- Office managers and building owners — smaller businesses where one person handles cleaning alongside everything else. They are often the easiest to reach and the fastest to decide.
- Schools, GP surgeries and care homes — public-sector and regulated sites with strict cleaning requirements. They often invite tenders, but a call can get you on the tender list.
- Retail chains and restaurant groups — multi-site operators that need consistent cleaning across branches.
Build your list from Companies House, commercial property directories, LinkedIn and Google Maps. The list-building guide covers sourcing contacts in detail.
Using AI cold calling to reach decision-makers
A cleaning company covering one city might have 200 to 400 potential clients — property managers, FM firms, office blocks, schools and surgeries. Phoning them all takes weeks of your time or a full-time salesperson. An AI calling agent can phone the whole list in a day.
Upload your contacts to FoxEra Calls, write or approve a short script, and let the AI agent (Cass, Alex or Andrea) call each prospect. The agent introduces your cleaning company, asks whether they are happy with their current provider or have any upcoming requirements, and logs the response with a full transcript and recording.
You review the results, pick out the prospects who are open to a quote, and follow up with a site visit and proposal.
Calls cost from 12p per connected minute with no subscription. New accounts start with £7 of free calling credit. See the pricing page for details.
Writing a script that opens doors
The goal of the first call is not to close a contract — it is to find out whether the prospect is open to hearing from you. Keep the script short and direct:
- Introduce yourself — your company name, what you do (commercial office cleaning, deep cleaning, washroom services) and your coverage area.
- Ask the right question — "Are you currently happy with your cleaning provider, or is it something you are reviewing?" This opens the door without being pushy.
- Offer a next step — "If it is helpful, I can send over our services list and arrange a free site walkthrough."
Tailor the script for each group. A call to an FM company should mention that you are looking to join their approved supplier list. A call to a school should mention DBS-checked staff and compliance. Review your call transcripts after the first campaign to refine the approach. See also the cold calling script guide.
Following up and converting quotes into contracts
Commercial cleaning contracts are rarely won on the first call. The prospect needs to see your proposal, compare it with what they are paying now, and sometimes wait until their current contract ends. The follow-up is where the deal is made.
After the AI agent has called your list, go through the transcripts and identify everyone who said "send me a quote", "our contract is up in March" or "we have been having some issues". Follow up personally with a tailored proposal and offer a free site visit.
Set up a regular follow-up campaign — every two or three months — to stay in their mind. Staff change, contracts expire, and the building manager who said "not right now" in January may need a new cleaner by April.
Automate the follow-up with a follow-up sequence and let the AI agent re-contact warm prospects on your schedule.
Managing your outreach from an AI assistant
If you use ChatGPT, Claude or another AI assistant, you can connect it to FoxEra Calls and run campaigns without logging into the dashboard. Your assistant adds leads, previews the cost, runs the campaign once you approve, and shows you the results.
This works well for cleaning business owners who spend their days on-site, not at a desk. Set up the campaign from your phone, approve it, and review the warm leads that evening.
The developer guide shows how to connect in three steps. For more on using AI for outbound sales, see AI cold calling for B2B sales and the cheapest way to get clients.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to call prospects with AI?
Calls cost from 12p per connected minute with no subscription. New accounts get £7 of free calling credit. A campaign of 200 prospects typically costs a few pounds.
Can the AI agent explain our cleaning services?
The agent follows your script and answers basic questions about your company. For detailed service discussions, site-specific requirements or quoting, the agent logs the conversation so you can follow up personally.
How do I get on an FM company's approved supplier list?
Add facilities management firms to a separate lead folder and write a script that mentions your accreditations, insurance and capacity. The AI agent calls each one and asks how to apply. You follow up with the paperwork they request.
Is cold calling legal for B2B cleaning sales?
Yes. Business-to-business cold calling is legal in the UK provided you comply with data protection rules and respect any request to be removed from your list. See the full guide on cold calling law in the UK.