Winter puts lots of stress on facility managers to keep their properties clear and safe during a snowfall. Yes… snow is beautiful and sometimes fun like when we build a snowman or go sledding. But then there is the reality, snow is a real liability for commercial property owners. You need a plan for managing snow and ice removal. Without snow and ice removal, property owners can deal with slip and fall lawsuits, vehicle accidents and lost revenue. You must figure snow and ice removal into the annual maintenance budget of your property. With some planning and selecting the right snow and ice management partner you can be prepared this winter to deal with whatever Mother Nature sends us. Here are some factors to consider when hiring snow and ice management providers, including what to know about contracts.
4 Reasons Your Businesses Should Remove Snow and Ice
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Legal liability and risk management – Businesses can face costly lawsuits if someone slips and falls on their property due to uncleared snow or ice. Many jurisdictions have laws requiring property owners to maintain safe premises.
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Customer and employee safety – Preventing injuries protects both customers and employees from harm, reducing workplace accidents and potential workers’ compensation claims.
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Accessibility and business continuity – Cleared pathways ensure everyone, including those with disabilities, can access your business. Removing snow prevents weather-related closures and revenue loss.
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Professional appearance and reputation – Snow and ice accumulation creates a neglected appearance that can damage customer perception and brand image, suggesting a lack of care and professionalism.
Does Your Snow Contractor have Insurance
There are several types of insurance, any company operating snow removal needs to be adequately covered in case of a slip and fall claim! It is illegal to do work without insurance. Owners of small snowplowing companies who operate out of their home usually do not have adequate coverage in their regular homeowner’s policy. This coverage can be increased by adding a “rider”, but usually a home-based business policy will be necessary .Ask the Question.
Understand the Snow and Ice Removal Contract
There are 3 types of Snow removal contracts for Commercial Properties:
- Pay Per Push-Pay Per Event – These snow removal contracts charge you only when a snow event happens and your property is cleared. Pricing is usually based on the depth of snow accumulation. The choice mostly comes down to budgeting. Do you want to pay a fixed price, or per push?
- Seasonal Contracts – These snow removal contracts include a fixed price per month for snow services, and the contracts are active during the five winter months for about 3 years. Multiyear contracts give clients the best value. Over the period of a few years the snow events per year average out. A seasonal contract is ideal for budget conscious clients.
- Time and Materials Contracts -The property manager is in a pretty sweet spot with this type of contract. They’ve got someone they can rely on to service the property if it snows, and they only have to pay for what the contractor does during an actual event, not what he or she has to purchase in advance and maintain throughout the winter to be prepared for action. However property managers and owners typically don’t prefer time and materials (T&M) agreements because they don’t provide firm budget numbers they like to stick to. Plus, the contractor has no incentive to service the property in a timely manner. Some would say it’s actually to the contractors benefit to take their time servicing the property so they can increase the bill.
Is Your Snow Removal Contractor Dedicated to Commercial Snow and Ice Removal
When deciding on a partner to manage snow and ice at your facility, remember to find out who will actually provide the services. Many companies rely on subcontractors that are not fully committed to their organization. We have a dedicated team that is on call around the clock. Many of our staff work year round, full time and are experienced at handling winter weather.
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We Provide Commercial Landscaping and Snow Removal Services
First Green Landscaping is a locally owned and leading provider of lawn care and landscape maintenance services to homes and businesses in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. We provide superior customer service and strive to build long term business relationships with our clients.
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About First Green Commercial Landscaping
First Green Commercial Landscaping is a locally owned leading provider of lawn care and landscaping services in the Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky area. We provide superior customer service and strive to build long term business relationships with our clients.
- Lawn Care
- Landscape Maintenance
- Snow Removal
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