As summer days grow shorter, property owners must start preparing for the snowy months ahead. Finding and hiring a reliable commercial snow removal company is vital to make sure your property remains safe and accessible year-round. However, choosing the right company to work with can be challenging, especially if you're unsure what questions to ask. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a list of questions and why the answers matter.
1. How will you communicate with me?
This is an important question when you plan to work with a company long-term. Ensuring that you have a designated point of contact who understands when and how to communicate with you helps maintain effective communication and builds better long-term relationships.
2. What is your experience in servicing sites like mine?
Not every site has the same requirements or expectations. Making sure your contractor understands your needs and has experience with similar types of sites can be critical to ongoing success.
3. What type of equipment do you use?
The type and condition of a company's equipment can have a significant impact on the efficiency and quality of the services they provide. Ask about the company's equipment fleet and make sure they use reliable and well-maintained machinery.
4. Do you offer snow hauling and removal services?
Ask any potential commercial snow removal company about their hauling and removal services. Some properties may need this service to maintain their parking space or walkways, such as shopping strips or parking garages.
5. Where will you put the snow if it is not moved off-site?
In urban areas, knowing where the snow is going is important, especially if it is not being hauled away. If you plan to use designated areas for snow storage, ask how that information will be spread to the crew and who should be informed if plans change.
6. What is included in your base pricing and what may be an out-of-contract cost?
While many proposals for commercial property maintenance and snow removal may look the same, chances are there are more differences than you expect. Ensuring that you are fully aware of what services will be charged at an additional rate helps avoid surprise costs later in the season, and keeps you within budget.
7. What type of service contracts do you offer?
Understanding the company's service contracts is critical to match their offerings with your needs. Take the time to go over contract lengths, renewal terms, and any flexibility they offer in modifying services throughout the season.
8. What is the protocol for property damage?
Accidents happen to everyone, so it's important to know the company's protocol for handling property damage caused by snow management operations. Ask about their insurance coverage and how they address liabilities.
9. How often do you plow properties during a single snow event?
Some snow events might only require a single run-though, while others require more frequent services. Ask about the company's response time and their criteria for multiple trips to properly handle your commercial property maintenance.
10. Do you have references I can contact?
Requesting references lets you evaluate the snow removal company's track record with their customers. In addition to requesting references, research them online. Many companies have options to leave public reviews on Google or social media, which can provide insight into their strengths and weaknesses.
Cenova is a customer-focused provider of Exterior Site Services, including Snow and Ice Management, Landscape Maintenance, Landscape Enhancement, and Parking Lot Maintenance Services. To learn more about our snow removal services or to speak with one of Cenova’s experts about any of our offerings, contact us today at 877-334-2348 or by emailing us at cenova@cenovainc.com.
