With the heat of summer weather upon us, the last thing you’re likely thinking about is finding the best snow management services for your commercial property. While it’s true that summer is the season for lawn care and outdoor improvement rather than snow plowing, that doesn’t mean you can’t be proactive now. Finding a professional snow management company now can save you tons of time later and prevent delays in your business operations.
Here’s your guide to choosing the best snow management service…long before heavy snowfalls blow back into town again! We’ll also give you some warning signs you’re being “snowed:” aka tricked by a bad-news snow management company.
Speak With Your Current Company (If Applicable)
If you’ve already gone through the process of choosing a snow management company, finding a new one can feel like a hassle. However, it’s worth changing to a different snow plowing service if your current company is not truly up to the task — or if they’ve done substandard work in the past.
If you haven’t already asked your snow management company these five questions this spring, start asking them now. Legitimate, qualified commercial snow management companies should be able to answer with ease.
Sign You’re Getting “Snowed”: You shouldn’t be playing phone tag with a potential snow management company for days just because there aren’t piles of snow and ice on the roads. It’s a bad sign if no one is picking up the phone after you’ve called several times or tried to reach out to the company online.
Inquire About Qualifications, Services, and Pricing
Before doing anything else, ensure the company you’ll be hiring has liability insurance. This is non-negotiable; if anything should happen to your property during the snow management process, you’ll have no compensation for damage or dangers if the company neglects this essential step.
Next, think about your property’s specific snow management needs. Do you need the company to just remove snow, or do you want them to apply de-icer beforehand and remove ice that has built up? Eliminating slip and fall risks is important for commercial property owners and managers; communicate what you’re looking for to snow management professionals and ask if they can meet your needs. Don’t be afraid to turn down companies unfit for the job!
After inquiring about services, ask each snow management company about pricing. Do they have a set price per hour, charge a flat rate based on the property size, or use another method to calculate service cost?
Sign You’re Getting Snowed: The company you’re speaking with can’t give you a straight answer about having liability insurance — or worse, they don’t have liability insurance, don’t know what it is, or claim they “don’t need it.” This BIG red flag should make you run for the hills!
Compare Estimates
There are plenty of companies offering snow management in Philadelphia, and they’ll all give you different quotes for their services. Many companies offer free estimates, so take advantage of this as you try to find a snow management company that works best for your needs. However, don’t automatically go for the lowest-costing snow management service. It can be tempting to save a few dollars, but an inexperienced or underqualified company can end up doing damage to your commercial property that costs a hefty chunk of change to fix. Ensure that the team you decide on is both reasonably priced and competent with those snow plow blades.
Sign You’re Getting Snowed: Prices being communicated to you are inconsistent (i.e., you get different answers from different customer service reps on the phone, or contractors suddenly let you know they’re tacking on a few “extra fees”). By and large, the pricing structure should be clear and easy to understand.
Get References
What do other businesses in your area have to say about the company you’re considering? Check online reviews, ask other local business owners who they use, or request customer references directly from the snow management team. While you can’t expect to see solid 5-star reviews from each and every customer they’ve ever worked with, the company you choose should have a good reputation with plenty of satisfied customers ready to vouch for them.
Sign You’re Getting Snowed: The company gives every excuse under the sun but still can’t provide any references. Even companies that have only been around for a year or two can usually show off a few Google or Facebook reviews from happy clients, so a company with absolutely no references or reviews is a red flag. Also, be on the lookout for a lack of internet presence. While some old-fashioned contractors have yet to take their snow management business online, not having a website can indicate a company is brand-new and therefore inexperienced — or worse, they have something to hide.
It’s Never Too Early
As a business owner, you know there are very few instances when doing something for your business is considered “too early.” Hiring a snow management company is not among them! Since it’s never too early to start your search for a snow management team, don’t be discouraged from your search just because it’s summer. Keep searching until you find what you’re looking for.
Sign You’re Getting Snowed: The company seems surprised when you call during the summer or fall and tells you not to plan ahead so far in advance…or they advise you to call back later, and they’ll “get you on their list.” Planning ahead is everything when it comes to commercial snow management, and a company that doesn’t understand the importance of planning ahead has no business working with the unpredictable forces of Mother Nature.
Contact DMC Commercial Snow Management Today!
When you need snow management anywhere in or around Philadelphia, call DMC Commercial Snow Management! Our prompt, friendly, and fully insured professionals are ready to clear away any and all snow and ice to get your business up and running again. Reach out to us today, and we’ll help you plan for this year’s winter weather.
