The short answer
A national account is one master agreement across a multi-market portfolio: consistent scope and standards, line-item pricing per building, one point of contact, and local crews in each market.
The building blocks
| Element | What to put in place |
|---|---|
| Master agreement | One set of terms, scope structure and standards |
| Pricing | Line items per building and service, so each budget stands alone |
| Point of contact | One person with authority to fix problems in any market |
| Local execution | Crews in each market who know the buildings |
| Workforce model | The same in every market; ask who does the work outside headquarters |
| Compliance | One insurance and safety review, with certificates per property as needed |
| Growth | Rates and onboarding steps for adding buildings |
Questions to ask a national vendor
- Which markets do your own crews serve?
- Who does the work where you have no branch?
- How do you keep standards consistent across markets?
- Who is my point of contact, and what can they decide?
- How quickly can you add a building?
Where national accounts fail
- A single total with no per-building pricing
- Coverage outside the vendor's footprint quietly subcontracted
- No local accountability
How S&K runs portfolios
S&K coordinates multi-site portfolios under one contract and one point of contact, with the same standards in every location, delivered by local S&K W2 crews. See multi-site and franchise programs and our locations.
Score every bidder with the vendor qualification scorecard, or read the full Vendor Selection, Compliance, and Procurement guide. To qualify S&K, ask for our certificates of insurance and safety documentation, or request a quote.
