Winters in Greater Chicago often bring a wide range of weather conditions. One day might see a light dusting of snow, while the next could bring several inches of snow plus a thick layer of ice.
Controlling ice buildup and snowfall on your commercial property becomes a key part of your management tasks. Whether you oversee an educational institution, industrial site, healthcare facility, retail center, office park, or homeowners’ association, maintaining a neat appearance and, most importantly, ensuring visitor safety are essential.
Nobody wants to face liability issues from slips and falls on ice or snow, nor do they want falling branches from accumulated snow and ice damaging buildings or vehicles. Just as you hire experts for security or landscaping, it’s wise to contract commercial snow removal services in Greater Chicago to reduce liability and improve safety at your site.
Let’s discuss some advice on choosing commercial snow removal services so you can save time and money and make a confident choice.
Top Priorities to Look For When Hiring Snow Removal Companies
During a light winter in Greater Chicago, you might have minimal worries about snow and ice on your commercial facility.
When are we ever guaranteed light winters? Unpredictable weather is common in Greater Chicago and can cause significant issues for your property. How will workers reach your office park after an overnight storm? How will essential staff or healthcare workers safely access buildings or hospitals when parking lots and sidewalks are icy?
Delays are unacceptable, and shutting down your business because of winter storms is not an option.
As snow and ice accumulate, it's crucial to trust a commercial snow removal partner that can respond promptly and keep your operations safe and continuous.
Unsure how to select the right company for your needs? Consider these key qualities when choosing commercial snow removal services in Greater Chicago.
Commercial Snow Removal Experience and Knowledge
Sure, anyone can jump into a truck with a snowplow attachment and push some snow around your commercial site. But this doesn’t ensure the job is done right, considering your property’s needs and your role as a facility manager to ensure the best management and safety for everyone moving about your site on a daily basis.
Choosing commercial snow removal services with educated personnel who know snow and ice management best practices can make a big difference in how your winter progresses.
Every snow and ice storm in Greater Chicago is unique, and your service provider will employ different techniques and strategies to complete the job efficiently.
For example, snow removal companies that prioritize high customer service by offering regular employee training, including weather updates and safety reminders, tend to have better quality control.
Be sure to ask the company you hire about its training programs.
Commercial Snow Removal Capacity
Since snow removal is considered an emergency service, like police, fire, and emergency medical professionals, it must be performed with urgency. While snow removal companies aren’t arresting criminals, putting out fires, or providing life-saving care, they are removing a weather element that can bring about safety issues and concerns.
To do this work effectively and efficiently, your snow and ice removal professional can’t take on too much work, or else they won’t be able to service your commercial property in a timely fashion. This can cause delays for your business.
Make sure your commercial snow removal professional has the time to prioritize your site.
Use Specialized Equipment & Resources
If you operate or manage a large commercial site in Greater Chicago, you likely need larger equipment to handle heavy snow and ice. This means skid-steers, loaders, and sidewalk snow removal machines. You also need larger amounts of salt and deicing products.
You must find snow removal companies that have enough equipment and resources to service a property of your scope and size.
In addition, during extreme storms or massive snow and ice events, if one of their pieces of equipment shuts down, do they have enough backups or mechanics on hand to maintain and replace equipment swiftly, minimizing downtime and keeping your property open and operating?
Finding the answers to these questions can ensure you are going about choosing a commercial snow removal company the right way.
Adequate Communication and Responsiveness
When you’re a facility manager juggling multiple areas of your commercial property, you want to know you can count on snow removal companies for service.
Keeping you in the loop gives you confidence that you know what’s going on and that work is getting done.
Because your property has many moving pieces, as well as many people who care about access, you want to hire a commercial snow removal company that knows how to work with and respond to inquiries from people on your site, as well as keep in touch with you about this feedback and any suggested next steps and budget impacts.
Having the same crew members working on your site can also help them learn about your property specifics and build strong working relationships, ensuring they remember your top concerns.
Hire the Right Snow Removal Company For Your Needs
Choosing commercial snow removal services is not always an easy decision for a property manager. Your property may have unique priorities, and the weather is never the same from year to year. On top of that, you just want to make sure your needs and budget align.
And you certainly don’t want to be caught off guard in the middle of a bad Greater Chicago winter.
As you look for the best commercial snow contractor for you, remember to ask potential service providers many questions so you can assess their experience and quality of work. You want to build a partnership for winter services to ensure you are never surprised or left in the lurch when a snowstorm hits.
If you still find yourself having a hard time choosing a snow and ice management company that will fit your property’s needs, give KD Landscape a call. We know that finding a service professional you trust can be challenging.
We have experienced many different Greater Chicago winters and can help you navigate this unpredictable season, ensuring your commercial site remains open and safe.
Want to learn more about how KD Landscape can help you manage snow and ice on your Greater Chicago commercial property? Get started today with a free quote. We’ll review your options together so you can feel confident and make a great choice.
