Plan Your Snow Removal Early

The Summer months and times during early fall can be an enjoyable period; however, before you know it, time starts to fly by, and the first snow of winter is here before you know it. Setting up and finalizing the right snow removal contract for a commercial property can take around three months, which is why it’s so important to plan your snow removal contract or service as early as you can. Plus, you might save a bunch of cash in the process!

There can be a lot of variables when choosing the right snow removal contract for your commercial property, which is why there’s all the more reason to plan it early, so you don’t get any unforeseen costs from planning it too late.

The snow removal provider is the task that will take you the longest in terms of planning and finalizing the contract and service. The process of finding the right snow removal partner for a larger commercial property can easily take more than three months to complete. Most snow removal companies can only take on a certain volume of clients and sites. If you want to partner with the best companies, you will need to engage in the process early.

Once you narrow down the candidates, you will need to take them through the vetting process before selecting and implementing an onboarding plan.

If you’re wondering, how do you narrow down the candidates? Here are a few basic questions you should ask of all the potential snow removal partners:

How long have you been in the snow removal business? 

Are you a member of the Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA) or Accredited Snow Contractors Association (ASCA)?

How many contracts do you and your teams manage yearly?

What type of properties do you manage? Retail, HOA communities, Apartment/Condo complexes, Office buildings?

How would you manage our snow removal? What would be your communication plan before, during, and after a storm or significant weather event? 

Does your company perform a preseason site inspection?

Selecting Your Snow Removal Partner

Firstly, short-list the snow removal companies you would consider to be candidates for partnership. Narrow your search down to the top three companies that stand out from the rest. These are the organizations you will want to ask to submit a formal proposal and move further down the line to closing a potential deal.

If you currently have a snow removal partner, make sure the proposals include a transition plan and a timeline for the transition. The proposal should include detailed pricing for the different services you wish to have fulfilled. Typical contracts include snow removal from parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks. Check the terms of the agreement as there are various ways contracts can be priced, such as fixed contract, per inch, or per push.

CUSTOM SNOW REMOVAL SERVICES

Making your final selection can be simple. That perfect candidate may rise to the top and could be significantly better than the rest of them. If a couple of companies have similar capabilities, strengths, and pricing, then another round of interviews and negotiating may be necessary. A comparative analysis is always useful, and it can help you, as a commercial customer, decide what the core needs of this operation are. This process can help make the decision much clearer.

You’ll want to give your new snow partner ample time to inspect your property before the first snowfall to fine-tune their operations. So, make sure not to delay because this process takes time, and there will most likely be notable losses if a snow removal contract isn’t planned early, such as getting a poor provider, hidden costs, or having to miss out on the service that fitted your needs the best.

Next Steps

Communication between you and your snow removal partner is vital and requires consistency and transparency. Be sure to keep each other informed when issues arise and what improvements could be developed at that current time.  You will want this data for when you go through the process next year, whether to vet a new partner or strengthen the partnership with the one you have chosen already.

BOOK COMMERCIAL SNOW REMOVAL

Before you know it, just as you start to feel summer introducing itself again, you’re going to need to start the process over again; however, it will be miles easier if the company you currently have a contract with renews the partnership. If you have documented the pros and cons to a good standard, you will be able to tweak your contract’s scope and services or negotiate a better one to serve your needs and those of your clients.