When you operate a snow plowing business, the last thing you want to do is get surprised by a blizzard. With the snowy season upon us, it’s up to you to have a plan of action ready. Snow plowing can be a large portion of your income, so it’s critical to prepare now so you can be on the road when the snow falls. Read on for a roadmap to success with your snow plowing business.
Prepare for the Blizzard
With your eyes on the weather report, it can be easy to lose sight of the other important parts of making the most of an upcoming snowfall. Before the clouds loom overhead, make sure you’ve taken care of these important steps:
Maintenance
Your job is to clear the roads to keep them safe to drive. If your truck or a truck in your fleet isn’t properly maintained, it can become another hazard for motorists to avoid. There’s no excuse for poor maintenance when managing a snow plowing business.
Pay attention to the key parts of your vehicles to ensure a safe and efficient winter season:
- Engines
- Fuel
- Batteries
- Tires
You’ll also want to have an emergency kit packed and ready with every truck in your fleet. If a breakdown occurs, it’s best to be able to handle it yourself where possible. Even though it’s often out of your control, a breakdown at a bad time can impact your ability for repeat contracts.
Read more of our tips that detail winter vehicle maintenance for your truck.
Hiring
Is snow plowing season the busiest time of year for your business? Then you may need some additional help. Hiring seasonal employees can be an efficient way to expand your business when you need them most, without paying a team to sit around during your off-season.
Depending on your business, you may have a handful of resources available to you that can help you find the help you need. Make use of your website, professional contacts and current employees to find potential hires.
Remember that any employee working for you, even temporarily, is a reflection of your business. Don’t relax your hiring processes for seasonal workers! The earlier you start your hiring process, the more thoroughly you’ll be able to find the right talent.
Equipment
Suitable equipment for the jobs you plan to accept is paramount. If you think old plows and worn blades will impress professionals and earn you consistent business, you’re mistaken. During maintenance, do a thorough assessment of the equipment your trucks are using. Do they need to be upgraded or replaced?
It’s not a savvy business maneuver to use equipment until it breaks. An unexpected replacement during a job can cost you an entire night’s worth of work. Some things can’t be repaired – be ready with new equipment when you need it.
We can help you find the right snow removal equipment for your business. Contact Semi Service to meet with one of our snow removal equipment experts.
Know Your Market
Skills and equipment can only get you so far. You need customers – and that’s the hardest part of any business. Where do you find new customers, and how do you keep current ones?
Reach Out to Your Summer Clients
What does your business do when it’s too hot for snow? Regardless of your summer work, you have existing clients that know and trust you. Use them as a starting point. The groundwork is already done on establishing their business and it can help you ensure more work in the future from them.
Additionally, these repeat clients will be your best sources of referrals. Any service business depends on glowing reviews to grow. The more you interact with a business or family, the more likely they are to pass your information to their contacts too. Never underestimate the power of your customers to help your snow plowing business!
Map Your Region
You can’t grow without new business. But you can’t just accept every job and expect to profit. Every inch your vehicle drives between jobs is money wasted. Think about where you want to work and try to find clusters of property that think you can profit from:
- Do you know any residential areas where you can expand your current operation?
- Are your professional contacts able to help you land larger, commercial jobs?
- How can you best split your fleet to minimize wasted mileage?
All of these things are basic, but important. If you find yourself driving long distances between jobs, you may need to rethink your business strategy. You could also look into converting your vehicles to a more efficient fuel, like CNG.
Can You Sub-Contract or Be Sub-Contracted?
Sub-contracting is a necessary part of the job. Don’t forget this possibility during the height of the season. It can be the difference between achieving the income you want or having to tighten your belt for a few months.
Sub-contract to keep up with your competition
Over-scheduling happens. If it does, don’t panic. The key to making it work is not overworking your crew. If you need to sub-contract your schedule, it’s always an option. It can help you in a pinch and prevent you from disappointing your customers.
Over time, if you find yourself needing sub-contractors too frequently, take it as a sign that you may need to expand your permanent workforce. Just remember to take things slow and not over-hire.
Consider working for larger businesses if you’re having a slow season
Are you running a smaller operation or are you new to the area? Then consider the other side of the sub-contracting coin: taking jobs from bigger companies. Many seasonal businesses rely on sub-contractors as part of their business plan to complete their contracted work. There’s no reason you can’t take advantage of this if business is slow.
In addition to bringing you more income, it helps you establish facetime with customers in the area. You’ll learn the region and it can help you next season when temperatures drop again.
Planning for a Busy Snow Plowing Season?
Winter is here – if you have questions or are looking for a new plow, we can help! Colder weather is still ahead, so now is a great time to stop in and let our experts help you.
Contact us online or give us a call at (801) 895-4419 to get started today!
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