August 2022 - Sauers Snow & Ice Management

So you put your snow and ice maintenance out to bid and the contractors have submitted their snow removal proposals to you. What happens next? Do you just skip down to the price? Do you have a rubric to guide your evaluation of the submitting companies, the services offered, or the pricing structure?

Not all companies are the same, and neither are their services. Asking the right questions can really help. When it comes time to evaluate the submitted snow proposals, consider these questions.

Most Important Questions to Answer

Are the proposals from comparable snow removal companies?  Is one a “Mom and Pop” dabbler in snow and the other a “Professional” organization that is 100% Snow Focused?
Did each of your bidders listen to your needs and expectations? Or did they just email over their pricing?
Does each proposal include a detailed site-map with identified service areas and snow pile locations?
Does the scope-of-work lay out detailed expectations for before, during, and after each snow event?
Did they offer alternative pricing options to consider?
What is their reputation? Have you called each of their references to hear how their clients like working with them?
Do you have a clear understanding of what to expect next once you award one of the bidders? Will you be assigned a dedicated Account Manager as your point of contact throughout the Winter? Will you receive an introduction to their operations team?
Will you receive a pre-season walk through with your Account Manager to confirm your expectations before first snow event?
Will they connect you to a client portal for visibility of work logs on the company software program?

If you answered “No” to any of these, will you receive the snow and ice service that will meet your needs and protect your property? Experience has taught us that a worry-free winter is about more than just the price. Wouldn’t it make sense to connect with a contractor who answers “Yes”?

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At Sauers Snow and Ice Management we provide two ice management options: Anti-icing and Deicing. Do you know the difference between the two?

Deicing is the application of deicing products to surfaces to melt existing snow and ice after an event.

Anti-icing is the application of products to surfaces like parking lots before a storm. Anti-icing helps prevent snow and ice from bonding to the pavement. You’ll often find department of transportation crews spraying brine solution along major highways. This is the same process; however, rather than for major roadways, it’s performed on your property.

Anti-icing is a lot like spraying a non-stick cooking spray on a frying pan. The spray prevents food from sticking to the bottom of your pan, creating an easier-to-clean pan. When we use anti-icing treatments on your parking lot, we are really preventing snow and ice from sticking to the pavement. This makes it a lot easier to clean up after a winter storm. Do you enjoy scraping burned-on food at the bottom of your pan? How about scraping ice off your sidewalks? It’s the same concept. Use anti-icing treatments to prevent hard work after a winter storm.

There are lots of reasons to choose between Anti-icing and Deicing. So while you’re looking at your winter property management plans, we hope this helps you.

Learn more about the services that we provide!

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Let’s Talk Snow.

When we talk to Commercial Property Managers, we typically hear the following challenges...

Frustrated trying to budget/forecast snow removal expenses
Disappointed by poor service from their current snow contractor
Worried about the chaos that snow causes in their day—every time it snows
Sometimes all 3!

Are you experiencing any of the above challenges at your site?

Share some info with us and we’ll connect with you to schedule a 15-minute call to learn more about your needs!

Unfortunately, Sauers only services Commercial Properties and will not be a good fit for your site.