As a business owner, snow and ice removal in Plymouth benefits your business by providing safe access during the harsh winter months. Contracting with professionals who will provide effective snow and ice removal in a timely manner serves to reduce the chances of injuries on slippery surfaces. Proving safe access to your customers and protecting the well-being of employees are essential considerations for business owners.
Many businesses decide to skimp on this step as a way of saving money, only to find that a professional service is often more cost-efficient than having employees do the job. Professionals have the right tools and equipment to do it quickly and safely. Be proactive about snow and ice removal. Do not wait until a customer or employee is injured to contact a professional snow and ice removal company.
As a business owner, you know that time is money. Delayed openings can result in lost business, and customers may go to another business that is easier to access. When hiring a snow and ice removal company, you assure your business can open on-time while providing safe access for your customers and employees.
Professional snow and ice removal services will normally have de-icing agents to help prevent re-freezing. These agents add safety, as you do not have to worry about icy places re-freezing quickly. When a storm is continuing to drop freezing precipitation or snow, de-icing agents mean more time before snow or ice re-accumulates.
The cost-benefit of professional snow and ice removal
Though it might seem counter intuitive to outsource something you could do yourself, there are other considerations in a cost analysis of professional removal. To effectively remove snow and ice, you need the proper tools for the job. These include:
- A snowblower
- Several shovels or even a plow depending on the size of the area you need to keep safe
- An abundant supply of salt or ice melt
- The storage capacity to keep these items year-round
- Regular maintenance is required on equipment such as snow blowers
Contracting with a snow and ice removal company means you do not need to do the work yourself, nor do you have to have and store the equipment.
Choosing the right company
In areas where snow and ice are a regular part of winter, there are usually multiple companies to choose from for professional removal. There are steps you can take, and questions to ask that will help ensure you find the best company for your needs.
Read reviews carefully. As a business owner, you know that one or two negative reviews are inevitable, but what do most clients say about the business? You can also contact other business owners in your area to ask for recommendations for the professionals they use.
Ask questions, and make sure you understand the proposed contract before you sign. Asking the right questions assures you won’t have any unexpected surprises when the first winter precipitation hits. Questions to ask include:
- What equipment do they use?
- How do they calculate their costs?
- Do they guarantee a response during winter weather, and what are the exceptions?
- What sized properties do they most commonly handle?
- Exactly what will be included with the service? Make sure that the standard service includes removing snow and ice from all walkways and sidewalks leading to your business, and that they do not charge extra for de-icing agents.
- How do they prioritize customers in the aftermath of extreme winter weather events? You want to know if they will get to your business as soon as the weather allows, or if it could be some time before they get to your business because of how they prioritize customers.
