“The devil’s in the details.” Too often we have conversations with property owners and managers who tell us how their snow service expectations didn’t match the reality of the services they received. Don’t let this happen to you!

There are lots of reasons that the expectation might be different from the reality. However, if you take the time to fully prepare, you will experience a better outcome this winter.

Sometimes, the original RFP process didn’t dig deep enough to reveal the details of what’s expected. After 20 years in the snow industry, one thing we know to be true: The more thought and detail you provide upfront, the less you will stress when it snows.

What details to discuss? Here are just a few:

  • What are the priority areas to be serviced?
  • When are your shift changes or delivery times?
  • When do you expect servicing to begin? First Flake? One inch? Two inches?
  • Do you expect any ani-icing services before snow and ice events?
  • What level of service do you expect: low, moderate, or high level of service? What does each level mean to you?
  • What is an acceptable accumulation of snow during an ongoing event? During a blizzard?
  • Where can and can’t the snow be piled? Will you need parking stalls cleared?
  • Does the snow need to be “stacked” off the pavement?
  • Under heavy snow accumulation, do you need snow relocation or removal?

You should have confidence that your snow professional will understand your expectations.  This is the benefit of working with a company, like Sauers.  We focus on snow and give 100% for our craft and our clients. This attention to detail is how we take the worry out of winter. If you want to experience this kind of service, contact us today.

Throughout your snow RFP process, who is actually managing your property management plan? Are you communicating with the person who is on site and performing your snow and ice maintenance? Or are you talking with someone sitting in an office miles away?

Your Account Manager

Unless you have a designated Account Manager, you have to trust that others have clearly communicated your expectations to their crew. Or, worse, your property management plan becomes a game of Telephone where someone told someone who told someone else what they are supposed to do. Clearly, this leaves way too many opportunities for communication to break down.

Sometimes, this line of communication works. More often, this process can leave you feeling insecure. When you need to decide something at 3:00 am in the middle of the storm, you need to know that you have the right manager. If in-storm communications break down, you will have to become the in-storm manager of your own snow management contractor. Do want this?

The Sauers solution to excellent communication and quality control is this single point of contact for our clients.

A Single Point of Contact

Once contracted, the Sauers sales representative will introduce you to your own Account Manager. This is your single point of contact throughout the entire winter weather season. From preseason to postseason and during every snow and ice event in between, your Sauers Account Manager’s priority is the proper execution of your custom snow and ice response plan.

Most importantly, your Sauers Account Manager is more than a foreman and not just a client rep. Each person on our team becomes a personal representative for each of our clients. They understand and execute the scope of work to each client’s expectations.

The Sauers Account Manager is the single point of contact who provides continuity through the complete property management process. Our Account Managers offer security and confidence all winter long. This critical team of professionals take the worry out of winter.

What kind of snow and ice services does Sauers offer?

Delaware Valley snow removal requires a variety of services to maximize the effort.

  • Anti-icing – Like spraying a frying pan with non-stick spray, anti-icing prevents snow and ice from bonding to the pavement.
  • Snow Plowing – We work around the clock to plow, shovel, and remove snow.
  • Deicing – Our brining mixture efficiently clears the ice on your walkways and parking lots.
  • Snow Disposal – If a storm leaves too much snow on your property, we will relocate it for you.

Why Sauers Snow & Ice Management?

We have high expectations for our plans, preparation, and work! Not only do we strive to be the most reliable snow and ice management company in the entire region, we also pride ourselves on having the highest safety standards for your employees and customers.

  • Experience – Over 20 years of experience in the snow management business.
  • Snow Only – We focus on preparing and protecting your property all year long.
  • Custom Snow Response Plan – Our sales reps listen first, before designing your custom snow response plan that meets both your budget and property needs.

If your commercial property is searching for Delaware Valley snow removal services, contact Sauers today.

We take the worry out of winter!

If snow and ice is in your name, you better be really good at it. At Sauers, we promise a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee because we work year-round to back it up.  But don’t just take our word for it, check our credentials.

The snow removal industry’s “big three” certifications that you should ask your snow contractor about are:

  • International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) SN9001 – This requires an annual audit of documentation, employee training, and adherence to operating systems and procedures. Simply put, an ISO SN9001 certification independently assures you that the contractor does what they say they will do.  This certification is the gold-standard for the snow maintenance industry, and Sauers has been ISO certified every year since 2015!
  • ASCA-Certified – An annual and multi-level certification that focuses on industry best practices and risk management.  This certification supports the ANSI Standards that standardize snow industry practices and risk management. Every Sauers employee is ASCA-Certified.
  • Certified Snow Professional (CSP) – The Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA.org) created this certification program for business owners and executives. You can count on the professionalism and industry excellence of a CSP certified snow contractor. Every CSP must participate in annual continuing education to maintain their CSP status, and Sauers has five CSP certified industry leaders running our company.

Most importantly, this is why we can offer our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee with confidence. At Sauers, we commit to hiring the most highly trained snow professionals to work for our clients. Our commitment to the highest snow industry standards are what enables us to take the worry out of your winter!

Are you curious about how a property evaluation for commercial snow removal works?

Whether you’re thinking about switching providers or looking to partner with a commercial snow removal expert for the first time, we’ve got you covered on how the whole process goes down. The first, and most critical step, is a property evaluation. After this process, you will know that your concerns will be properly addressed during every snow and ice event.

Here is what you can expect from our property evaluation:

On-Site Walk-Through

A Sauers team member will complete a thorough evaluation of your property. From steps, sidewalks, loading docks and handicap ramps to parking spots, entrances, fire exits and more. We will take note of all the unique features of your property.

Identify Your Needs

We will listen to you. You are the expert regarding your business and property, and we want to know what you need. From the type of foot traffic, to your hours of operation, we will gather an overview of your business, so we can put together a custom plan designed for you.

A Custom Snow Response Plan

Once your evaluation is complete, your Sauers rep will create a detailed Custom Snow Response Plan. This plan will detail all aspects of service covering before, during and after every snow or ice event.

Assign a Field Operations Manager

After choosing to go with Sauers, we will assign you a designated Account Manager to be your eyes on site during every event. This Sauers manager will offer you direct communication and on-site access to your winter weather management.

Schedule Your Free Property Evaluation Today!

At Sauers, we take the worry out of winter!

Contact us today!

Property owners and managers know how important it is to make sure their property is well-maintained and safe. They are responsible for treating and clearing hazards, like snow and ice, to reduce the risk of a slip and fall liability claim on their property and protect your business.

While members of the public have a duty to exercise caution when walking in potentially hazardous winter conditions, all too often the legal implications of a slip and fall land on the property owner. Therefore, property owners must exercise reasonable care when it comes to keeping their areas free of snow and ice.

Slip and fall conditions are not always visible. Ice is difficult to see, especially black ice, and could even be concealed by snow. Pedestrians are usually watching for vehicles and are not typically paying attention to the walking surface for patches of ice.

The average injury claim for a pedestrian slip and fall injury on ice in a parking lot is over $30,000; and worker’s compensation claims were higher at $35,000 to $55,000 per claim.

What is the key to protecting your business from slip and falls?

The right plan, executed by the right team, with proper documentation is a welcome addition your operational processes. Your plan should protect not only your employees and customers, but your business as well.

Do you have the right contractor to protect your property?

What is deicing?

Deicing is essential. It is the process of removing snow, ice, or frost from a surface.

Why use deicing services?

Ice on your walkways and parking lots can cause your customers and employees to slip and fall. Not only is this dangerous to anyone walking on your property, but it is also a liability for your business. Ice is a lose-lose threat, and in our region, you can count on ice occurring every winter. Therefore, deicing is critical for preventing accidents caused by ice.

How does deicing work?

Simply put, deicers lower the freeze-point of water. Typically, a granular salt mixture or a liquid saline solution are applied to the pavement and walks. The deicer dissolves and mixes with the surface water, coats the surface, and lowers the freezing point below 32° F. With a lower freezing point, the water on your lots and walkways will resist freezing until significantly colder temperatures are reached.

Deicing is Essential

Sauers is an ISO certified professional snow contractor with over 20 years of experience. Our crews calculate the correct amounts of deicer to spread to ensure safe conditions and we assign field managers to quality check the spread and saturation of deicer.

Now that you can see why deicing is essential, would you like to know more about your deicer needs or about our custom snow response plans?

At Sauers, we focus on snow and ice to take the worry out of winter!

Why do accurate snow totals matter? Well, it’s important to understand expectations in order to create a comprehensive winter management plan. It’s also important to know why and when certain services were required for your commercial property.

“How much snow did you get?” Total snow accumulation too often turns to a “fish tale.” After a storm passes, everyone wants to know and share what they heard. Before long, that three inch snowfall has turned into another epic blizzard for the region.

This may be fine for neighborly bragging, but inflated numbers don’t help you manage your commercial properties. Inaccurate snowfall totals can also negatively affect your planning process.

First, you and your snow contractor must determine a third-party weather service to offer a Certified Snowfall Total (CST). This report provides you with the most up-to-date information to understand the services that you need throughout each event.

So what do you get from a CST?

Within 48 hours after an event you should receive information detailing snow and ice data specific to your zip code. This detailed information helps you understand how the storm occurred. It also helps you understand why your snow contractor serviced your property the way that they did.

This information may help you understand why it was necessary to salt in the middle of an event due to a sleet changeover. Or you may gain an understanding of when the trigger depth was reached to begin your service.  The CST will offer answers to a variety of questions that may come up.

At Sauers, we use WeatherWorks, but there are several other reputable services like The Weather Pros or Certified Snow Totals.

Be Sure You’re Getting Accurate Snow Totals

It is up to you and your contractor to decide who provides CST services. Once you decide, you will both know that you are receiving accurate snow totals.

The Importance of Anti-Icing for Your Snow Maintenance

One of the most dangerous parts of winter weather is ice. When temperatures dip below freezing, all wet areas will freeze solid, putting people at risk. Slipping is a common danger during the winter months, but you can help to mitigate this risk with a few simple tips. Let’s explore the importance of an Anti-Ice pretreatment for your commercial property.

When done properly, anti-icing helps to prevent ice from bonding to the pavement and can then melt up to the first half inch of snow that falls. In very minor snowfall events, this means there is no cleanup necessary. In larger weather events, if your surfaces are already treated, snow is less likely to freeze into a solid sheet. Anti-icing also helps vehicles gain traction by creating a less-slippery surface.

Benefits of Liquid Anti-Icing Treatments

There are three main benefits for using a liquid anti-icing pretreatment:

First, unlike granular salt, a liquid deicer doesn’t get scattered by cars or pedestrians. This makes it is a much more reliable method of ice prevention.

Secondly, liquid anti-ice is better for the environment. The premixed solution is a more precise and targeted application of deicer, which uses less salt per application than the granular.

Finally, a liquid anti-ice pretreatment can save you money through better in-storm effectiveness and less granular deicer tracked into your facility, requiring custodial cleanup.

What De-Icing Treatments Should You Use?

The amount of the application is dependent upon your facility grounds as well as the impending weather conditions. This is why you should contract a knowledgeable and trustworthy professional to do your anti-icing applications.

Sauers is a full service snow and ice management company, serving the greater Philadelphia area, that you can trust to help your business get back on its feet after a winter storm. If you would like to minimize your risk for slip and fall accidents in icy conditions, contact us for more information.

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”?

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!

Worsksite Property Type:

* All Fields Required

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

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