Businesses in the Denver area can benefit immensely from hiring professional winter services to handle their snow and ice removal needs. Having another company take care of your property’s snow and ice removal gives you peace of mind when bad weather approaches, and ensures that your property and customers will stay safe. With so many winter service companies around, it can be hard to decide the best fit for your business or property. Don’t worry, we’re here to help.
Here are some things to keep in mind while searching for the best winter services for your business:
How to Choose the Right Winter Services for Your Property
Winter Services and Equipment
The first step is to find a company that offers the winter services you need.
Companies should visit your property to give it a good walk-through. This will allow them to develop a winter risk management plan that identifies exactly what your business or property needs. Make sure to ask them questions about the services they provide and the equipment they have available.
Some questions to ask are:
- What winter services do they provide?
- What equipment do they use to clear parking lots and roadways?
- What equipment do they use to clear snow and ice from sidewalks and entrances?
- What measures do they take, and what products do they use, to prevent or control ice build-up (anti-icing and/or de-icing)?
- Can they remove snow off-site (aka snow hauling) or will they need to store it somewhere on your property?
Time and Efficiency
One of the most important factors of a good snow and ice removal company is how quickly they can get out to your property when it snows. The sooner they can respond, the less chance you have of snow and ice accumulating and putting people at risk of slip-and-falls or other injuries.
If a company has a large list of clients or not enough snowplows to go around, then they may not be able to get to your property quickly or clear snow effectively. Ask the company about their average turnaround time to ensure they will be able to tend to your property promptly.
Communication
Good communication is incredibly important for winter service companies. Keeping the client informed through phone calls, texts, or emails will make sure that the client knows what’s going on and how everything is progressing. Open communication can improve your customer experience, our staff here at SMS is committed to our customers and developing this relationship. Communication helps decimate information like: when the company will get to your property, what time they start plowing, what time they finish, and any other information will put your mind at ease knowing things are being taken care of.
Open communication will also improve the safety of your property. As you grow, the landscape changes sometimes for properties. Having good communication to let the snow clearing teams know of any changes that will affect the winter risk management plan will keep them prepared to maintain your property with that personal touch too.
Safety
A professional winter service company will have the equipment, training, and know-how to get the job done safely and effectively. Safety should be the #1 priority of any winter service company, so make sure that you find a company that values safety above everything else. One of the easy indicators of this expertise is checking a snow contractor’s certifications. There are a few like Accredited Snow Contractors Association (ASCA), Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA), and SN9001:2016 quality standards are a good indicator of a quality snow contractor.
These certifications provide a professional standard and training that sets snow contractors apart from each other. Safety is a top priority to ensure the property minimizes its liability, this includes the safety while teams are clearing snow too. Making sure that you, your employees/tenants, customers, and the winter service contractors themselves stay safe will reduce the risk of injury and liability through Colorado winters.
Payment Types
In addition to different companies quoting different prices for their services, they may also offer different payment types. Some common payment structures include:
- Pay-Per-Push (aka Pay-Per-Event)
- Seasonal Contract (2-3 Year Agreement)
- Full-Service Seasonal Contract (aka Year-Round)
NOTE: The Better Business Bureau recommends to “split the payments” and to not work with any contractor that expects payment for the whole season up-front, or who only deals in cash, as this may be a sign of a scam.
Insurance
Just like you need insurance for your property, winter service companies need insurance too.
Most professional companies will have insurance to cover them in case of accident or injury, but some private contractors just hook up a plow to their truck and hit the road with no extra coverage. Verify that your winter service provider has the proper insurance so that everyone is covered and you don’t end up footing the bill if something happens. Contractor insurance is a sign of a legitimate snow removal company, you want teams that will take care of your property like you do.
Whether you own a big or small business or commercial property, hiring a professional winter service company like Snow Management Services will make sure that all your bases are covered.
For more than 25 years, we have been the go-to winter risk management and snow removal company in Denver, and we have the equipment, experience, and know-how to get the job done right. To see how SMS can keep your property snow-free and safe for everyone, give us a call at (303) 750-8867 today or contact us online.