If you wait for winter to come around before you start looking for commercial snow removal companies, you will be hard-pressed to find one that actually has your business as its best interest (they get booked quickly). Instead, you will be left with some “Chuck in a truck” that goes from one strip mall to the next, removing snow, and that’s it. Any preventative maintenance or repairs to pre-existing damage will be ignored, as they often lack the know-how to perform such work. This is bad news for commercial properties, as a pothole in the pavement, faded parking lot striping, and deep cracks in the sidewalk have been known to cause injury to customers. Savvy companies, on the other hand, contact a reputable commercial snow removal company in the summertime that has the skills and capabilities to perform all types of exterior grounds maintenance well before winter with a contract in place for the upcoming colder months well in advance.
This article is intended to help store managers and business owners learn how to identify the best commercial snow removal services that will have their best interest at heart, and that will provide a safe, welcoming experience for customers.
1. Top Snow Removal Companies Perform Snow and Ice Removal Services
Make sure the snow removal company you contract with performs both snow and ice removal. Unfortunately, a large number of commercial grounds companies will remove snow and leave ice patches thus causing liabilities for companies where cars in parking lots slide into one another (or worse yet, into a person), or create opportunities for people to slip and seriously hurt themselves. Ice-related parking lot slip and falls result in hundreds of lawsuits every year. Look for a commercial grounds company that performs both snow and ice removal and therefore a safe environment conducive for business growth.
2. The Commercial Snow Removal Company Performs Concrete Crack Repair
Freezing cold conditions, coupled with standard wear and tear to concrete, will eventually cause cracks to form. And if left ignored, fine hairline cracks can expand, deepen, and not only create an eyesore but create an uneven surface people can trip over. When you contract a commercial snow removal service provider, make sure they are also trained to perform concrete crack repair services, as these two needs often go hand-in-hand.
3. They can Perform Catch Basin Repair
This may not seem like a need, but in reality, damaged catch basins that don’t get repaired before winter can cause severe problems. When the cistern located at the point where the street gutter discharges into the sewer and that’s designed to catch and retain matter is damaged, water can collect, disperse into public walkway areas, or into parking lots, and freeze over thus creating a major hazard. Then when the weather turns and snow begins to melt, you could potentially deal with a flooded parking lot–something that would deter customers like the plague. Make sure your commercial snow removal company has the ability to do catch basin repair work if needed.
