Snow Business February 2025

SIMA // INDUSTRY VOICE

Finding opportunities amid challenges

I believe that by working together, embracing innovation, and adhering to the highest standards of professionalism, we can create a stronger, more resilient snow and ice management community.

As SIMA’s incoming board chairman, I am privileged to lead this remarkable organization, whose mission is to empower snow and ice management professionals for success. In our constantly evolving industry, SIMA plays a pivotal role in setting the highest standards by providing the tools, education and community that professionals rely on to navigate a dynamic environment. Through the values of sustainability, innovation, service, quality, trust and passion, we guide and support the snow and ice management sector toward excellence.

Embracing a legacy of excellence

I come to this role with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing snow and ice management professionals. Since 2014, I have had the privilege of working with GRM Inc. in Kelowna, British Columbia. GRM is a family-owned business providing snow and ice services, facility management, and project management across Western Canada since 1994. I oversee a wide range of operations in an industry that is as rewarding as it is demanding.

My 10 years in this field, combined with hands-on experience as a 20-year CPGA golf professional, has allowed me to develop a strong foundation in customer service and relationship development, which has been essential to my success in snow and ice management.

As a service-driven business, snow and ice management thrives on trust and clear communication. In a world where customers expect a timely, reliable service, cultivating strong relationships with clients, employees, and all stakeholders has been key to delivering results.

Fostering sustainability, innovation

While the snow and ice management industry has always been complex, today’s landscape is marked by several significant challenges. Global warming has produced an unpredictable climate. Rising insurance costs, labor shortages, and the rapid advancement of technology present unique hurdles that snow and ice professionals must overcome.

2025 sima officers and new directorS elected

OFFICERS (1-year term)

Board Chair: Chris Hinton, CSP | GRM, Inc.

Vice Chair: Jeff Heller, CSP | Innovative Maintenance Solutions

Secretary/Treasurer: John Janes, CSP, ASM | Caterpillar

Immediate Past Chair: Dave Wescott, CSP | Evergreen Brands

DIRECTORS (3-year term)

Dean Outhouse, CSP, ASM | Piscataqua Landscaping & Tree Service

Bob Young, CSP | K.E.Y. Property Services

Mike Bott | Frost Solutions

While these challenges are considerable, they also provide an opportunity for growth and innovation. As we look toward the future, it’s crucial that our industry continues to embrace sustainability, innovation, and quality as cornerstones for success. By integrating eco-friendly practices into our operations—whether using green deicing products, reducing carbon footprints, or implementing energy-efficient equipment—we can reduce our impact on the environment while still delivering toptier service.

Additionally, the continued pursuit of innovation will be essential for staying competitive in an increasingly digital and data-driven world. Technology and new methodologies can help improve efficiency, customer satisfaction and profitability, making it an exciting time to be involved in snow and ice management.

I am excited about the future of our industry. I believe that by working together, embracing innovation, and adhering to the highest standards of professionalism, we can create a stronger, more resilient snow and ice management community. It is an honor to serve in this capacity, and I look forward to collaborating with all of you as we continue to elevate our industry to new heights.

Chris Hinton, CSP, is the 2025 SIMA Board Chair and senior operations manager of GRM Inc. Contact him at chinton@grminc.ca.

NEW resources coming in 2025!

Over the past year, SIMA has invested in new technologies and created products to help connect the snow and ice management industry and its customers with important information, resources and solutions.

SIMA Connect member newsletter

We’re decluttering your inbox in 2025 by reducing the number of SIMA news and event emails and reminders with our new monthly SIMA Connect member newsletter. SIMA Connect will alert you to all things SIMA— member benefits and information, upcoming events, trainings, podcasts and more.

That’s the good news. The bad news is if you haven’t opted in to receiving our emails, you’re going to miss a lot. Visit sima.org/email to opt-in to receiving emails. Subscribe to the SIMA Connect newsletter, SIMA Solutions and the brand-new Test Drive (see Page 42 for more information) at sima.org/subscribe

SIMA Foundation auction raises nearly $7,000

The SIMA Foundation raised $6,750 in its first virtual auction in December.

Congratulations to the winning bidders:

Michael Anderson, CSP, Snow and Ice Pros

Ian Ashby, ASM, Arbutus Landscaping Inc.

Jon Bock, LaRosa Landscape

Christopher Clark, Cut Above Landscaping

William Rojos, WJR Landscaping

Chris Thacker, CSP, Mr. Mow it All Corp.

Terell Weg, CSP, MSNW Group LLC

Special thanks to the following organizations and individuals who helped make this event a success:

Case FMS

GRM, Inc.

Innovative Maintenance Solutions

Douglas Dynamics/Western Products

Elbers Landscape Services

Snow & Ice Resource Center We’ve made it easier for you to access the wealth of SIMA information and resources in our new Snow & Ice Resource Center. Bookmark resources.sima.org and visit often for the latest training downloads, Snow Talk podcasts, Snow Business digital editions, blogs, videos, membersonly resources, products and more.

New member directory launches in February SIMA is excited to announce the launch of a new member directory! This directory will connect end users with qualified snow and ice professionals, and facilitate networking among SIMA members. The directory will be easily accessible at directory.sima.org. SIMA will reach out to members to ensure their information is included.

Training discounts: Better than a box of chocolates

Ryan Marino

Jeff Heller, CSP Innovations Tomorrow

SIMA

Outworx Group

Outdoor Pride Landscaping & Snow Management

The SIMA Foundation is a 501(C)(3) charitable organization focused on helping grow opportunities for workforce development, new advancements in science and research, and enhanced public awareness in the commercial snow and ice industry. Check out the SIMA Foundation for past, current and upcoming initiatives, projects, research and how to become a regular donor at sima-foundation.org

In February, when we take time to celebrate the ones that we love, we want to show some appreciation for our members. As a small token of our appreciation for your continued contribution to the snow industry, we are offering 14% off the new sidewalk safety modules, and the Advanced Snow Manager and Certified Snow Professional programs. Email memberservices@ sima.org to learn more and mention Snow Business Gratitude in the subject line of your email to take advantage of the deal.

Sponsored by

Photo:

SIMA // MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Dan Colbert, ASM

Account Manager

JC

Grounds Management // Danvers, MA

Years in the industry: 9

What do you love about working in the industry? I love the camaraderie of the team. I enjoy the challenges that each event brings. Each storm can present different obstacles to overcome.

Top tip or piece of advice: Always stay positive and look at the glass half full. Not everything will always go your way during a snowstorm, but as long as you stay positive and keep operators and shovel crews motivated, it will work itself out. Proper communication to clients and team members is crucial to success.

Proud moment: “Dan has been an awesome employee to watch grow. He started as a field employee over eight years ago. Today he is an account manager embracing our systems. Dan has experienced many sides of our business from execution to customer experience to estimation. He has taken in all of this knowledge and is now an awesome resource when meeting with clients. He is a great listener who hears what the customer is

saying and finds a solution that works. Dan rocks our core values and has a great work ethic. We are proud to have him on our team and can’t wait to see what his future holds!” —

JC Grounds

CEO

Jon Crandall, CSP

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SLAMMIN’ SESSIONS

This year’s education sessions bring together industry experts and snow and ice professionals for a mix of workshops, concurrent sessions and mini-learning opportunities for multiple roles. Session details are still being finalized. Visit show.sima.org/education for updated schedules, topics and speakers!

Opening Keynote 9a.m. June 18

Sebastian

Ter Unlocking Passion, Performance and Transformation

Closing Keynote Noon June 20

Eric Termeunde Snowflakes

and Finge rints: How to A ract Top Talent in the Future of Work

From disengaged and stagnant, to purposedriven and fully-activated, Seb will unlock peak performance, deep connection and purpose-driven collaboration in your individuals and teams. Sharing his inspiring personal story as well as his framework to help Unlock Limitless Possibility, Seb’s profound and interactive keynote will create an environment for success and transformation through arming people with not only the agility to adapt to change, but the bravery to create, through reimagining what’s possible.

Sponsored by Caterpillar, Inc.

Talent shortages are impacting every industry and competition is fierce. With an entire generation on the precipice of retirement, and not enough workers ready to replace them, the situation is only going to get fiercer. More than ever before, we need to do whatever we can to attract and retain top talent—but what is that? After a decade of research on the world’s greatest places to work, workplace culture and leadership expert Eric Termuende has the answer.

Facility Tour

Our popular facility tour is back in 2025! The team at DJ’s Landscape Management will welcome attendees to their new Holland, MI facility on June 17. Attendees can choose from a morning or afternoon session.

Extra fee applies except for pre-registered SIMA+ passholders. Direct competitors are ineligible to attend.

CAN YOU DIG IT?

You won’t want to miss the biggest trade show dedicated to the snow and ice management industry. Meet with exhibitors, catch up with the SIMA staff and win prizes when you hang loose on the trade show floor!

NEW IN ’25! NEW IN ’25!

Stop and Shop Breakfast Stations

Roam the show floor, make any last-minute visits to vendors and grab breakfast from 9–10:30 a.m. Friday, June 20.

Riverside Chats

Talk with fellow attendees on important topics facing snow and ice professionals during three Riverside chats from 9:30–11:45 a.m. on Friday, June 20.

Exhibitor Connections

Exhibit booths and sponsorships for the show are available at a variety of price points. Snow pros: Have a favorite vendor? Let them know Grand Rapids, MI is the place to be in June ’25!

• Buyer’s Dog Lounge

• SIMA Ale Trail

• Letter Scramble + Prizes

SNEAK PEEK

The Best Show in Snow will open for a Trade Show After Dark event on Wednesday, June 18 from 6:30–8:00 p.m.

RETURNING FAVORITES

Scan the QR code to view the Exhibitor Prospectus. Connect with Kerri Joseph at 262.236.9971 or kerri@sima.org to see what’s possible!

Visit show.sima.org for the latest updates and to register!

FAR OUT FUN

CONNECTIONS BREAKFAST

Grow your network in this diverse industry on Thursday, June 19. Engage and learn from others by region and role.

Receptions, special meetups, SIMA After Hours and more give you ample opportunity to connect with your peers!

Sponsored by FISHER, WESTERN and SnowEx

THURSDAY NIGHT PARTY

When in Beer City USA, it’s only fitting that you visit a brewery! We’re taking over New Holland Brewing Company for our popular Thursday Night Party. Play a game on the patio, grab a soda or cocktail in the treeroom, or chill out with live music as we close out day three of the show.

Sponsored by WESTERN

This event is free and open to all attendees, exhibitors and sponsors.

CLOSING EVENT

Cit���� BEER

Get ready for an evening in the trees! We’ll head to the Bissell Treehouse at the John Ball Zoo for networking, dinner, entertainment and maybe a surprise guest or two. Take the time to view the zoo animals or hop on the funicular railway on your way to this picturesque location that will be the perfect ending to your Symposium experience.

Sponsored by Caterpillar, Inc. Additional fees apply.

SIMA+ Pass

Enjoy extra benefits when you purchase a SIMA+ pass. The SIMA+ pass is a Full Show Pass (access to education, networking receptions and the trade show), plus exclusive extras throughout the week.

Tuesday, June 17

Choice of facility tour or sales and negotiating workshop

Wednesday, June 18

Early access and extra drink ticket to the Welcome Reception and invite-only Trade Show After Dark event

Thursday, June 19

Early access to the Thursday Night Party at New Holland Brewing Company

All Week

Private SIMA+ Pass lounge

Unlock Your Leadership Potential

Who Should Enroll?

Program Highlights

The Accelerate Emerging Leaders Program is your launchpad to becoming a dynamic leader in the snow and ice management industry. The program is designed to equip you with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to lead with purpose and precision.

• Interactive Training Sessions at the 2025 Leadership Forum and 2026 Symposium

• Access to Top Industry Experts

• Exclusive Resources and Tools

This program is ideal for new or emerging leaders, managers, and team leads who are looking to develop and grow their leadership skillset or companies looking to develop the next generation of leaders. Join the Movement. Accelerate your Future. Apply at sima.org/accelerate.

BUILDING A TEAM:

Signature Land Services’ owners Jen and Tim Schrage relied on a local network to build their business and team that includes GM Mark Robinson; Office Manager Ruth Kroon; Operations Manager Steve Mihalka; and Field Superintendents Zack Smith and Dave Cash.

PIVOT TO PAVEMENT

Navigating the unique challenges of working in The Last Frontier Page 18

Anchored in Anchorage

Property ownership experience shapes

Signature Land Services’ approach

BY PATRICK WHITE //

KEVIN HEDIN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOS BY

Many people enter the snow services industry because of a family background, or they began plowing driveways in high school and grew from there. Signature Land Services owners Jen and Tim Schrage took a completely different path, getting into the industry after having been purchasers of snow services for a number of businesses they owned in their Anchorage, Alaska market.

To put it mildly, the couple’s business pursuits have evolved over time. When they were first married in the 1990s, Jen had a career in media sales and Tim, a serial entrepreneur, operated a chain of more than 30 liquor stores and then a chain of lube and tire shops. When the couple had children, Jen decided to stay at home to raise them, while helping Tim to manage the residential/industrial real estate development operation he had started.

“We had a couple different building projects that we were working on, and had a challenging time finding contractors who would actually show up,” she

recalls. One of the things that needed to be done was clearing snow. They had a truck and plow, and she “nudged” Tim do some clearing on their properties. To speed the process, he soon purchased a used wheel loader at auction.

In 2008, they hired a few people to help maintain the properties they owned or were building, and Signature Land Services was born, expanding to outside clients in 2010—which meant expanding their fleet of wheel loaders.

“They were parked in the backyard,” Jen notes. “We lived downtown with this little alleyway, and I thought, ‘Our neighbors are not going to appreciate this—we’ve got to figure something out.’ So we bought our first site for Signature Land Services in 2011.”

In 2012, Tim exited the lube and tire business and they decided “we should really try to make a go of it with the Signature Land Services thing.” That “thing” has grown into a year-round

business with about 50 year-round employees, swelling to about 150 in the winter to service 130 sites. As president, Jen is the face of the company and the major client relations manager. Tim is vice president and focuses mainly on the operations.

Home-grown network

The couple credits some of their initial success to their Anchorage roots, and the contacts they’d made over decades in the business community. But they say it was their personal understanding of what businesses look for in a contractor that has made the biggest difference.

“Understanding the needs of retail sites, and with the business acumen that Tim had developed over more than 20 years in business, he was really able to kind of talk the language when it came to the snow business,” Jen says. “When Tim would talk from the operational perspective, they were thinking, ‘Ok, they get it. They’re talking about where the snow needs to go and what the customer experience will be like, and what a slip and fall means to a business, and how to deal with insurance and liability.’”

Continued on page 16

FOCUS ON FAMILY: Jen and Tim Schrage’s son Mason works full-time in the business; and Reese works part-time while in college. The company has grown since purchasing their first truck (shown).

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BUSINESS // COVER STORY

Continued from page 14

Tim says they took their time to set up the business exactly as they wanted it, a luxury that many getting into snow services don’t have. “When we finally made the decision to go both feet in, we were well enough capitalized that we were able to take the time to buy the correct equipment, to hire the correct people, and to perfect our craft before we went out and asked our relationships that we already had formed in town to hire us,” he says.

The “right” clients

Jen describes Anchorage as “a big, small town—so your reputation is critical.” Continually picking up and turning over clients isn’t an option. For that reason, they make sure any client is a good fit before taking them on— which has been key to their 99% yearover-year retention rate.

Signature doesn’t use subcontractors or third-party trucking services, so

NEXT-GEN LEADERSHIP: The Schrages are setting their younger managers up to get involved in the community so they can start establishing relationships with potential clients.

attracting the ideal client to maximize its internal team and equipment is key. “Our ideal client is a one-inch trigger or a bare pavement account that utilizes at least two-thirds of our services, like the sanding, the shoveling, the hauling component. If we can put those together, that’s a client we can really serve well,” Tim says.

Beyond that, size is less of a concern than the quality the client is seeking. The company’s largest retail site is

a multi-tenant retail facility with 65 acres of asphalt and its smallest is the local dentist’s parking lot. “As long as we can hit that suite of services, we can make it work for us,” he says. In keeping with only contracting with the right clients, Signature is very specific about what properties it won’t service. “We don’t do anything that has a bed—no apartments, no condos, no hotels, no residential,” Tim says.

The Schrages are focused more on

EQUIPMENT INVESTMENTS: Purchasing and shipping logistics are difficult and pricey given Signature Land Services’ Alaskan home base. That necessitates having multiple machines and stocking spare parts so they don’t get caught in a jam.

ensuring the longevity of their business than in growing it dramatically. “We have the ability to flex and take new accounts on, but we’re super cautious about how we do that,” he explains. “It cannot be at the expense of our existing clientele.”

Tim cites one example of a multiunit bank that contacted Signature early last winter, when Anchorage received 80 inches of snow in a two-week span and the bank’s snow contractor wasn’t able to keep up: “I explained to them that we could help

their contractor get over the hump, but we couldn’t take over their account during the season. We’re over-staffed. We’re over-equipped. But we’re very cautious about taking on too much work and not performing for our clients,” Tim says.

Family and the future

The Schrages have two sons, one of them working full-time in the business and the other attending college and working at Signature during the summer. “Jennifer and I are in our early 50s, and

the clients we work for, for the most part, are our same age,” explains Tim. “We all grew up in Alaska together. So now our challenge is getting our younger managers in the right places and getting them involved in our community so they can meet the people who will be our clients five or 10 years from now.”

Patrick White has covered the landscape and snow and ice management industries for a variety of magazines for over 25 years. He is based in Vermont. Contact him at pwhite@meadowridgemedia.com.

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Pivot to pavement and more Navigating the unique challenges of working in The Last Frontier

BY PATRICK WHITE

With beautiful views of the mountains, water and wildlife, what’s not to love about Anchorage, Alaska? When it comes to providing snow and ice management services, it can be a bit of a logistical nightmare that impacts ancillary services, material use, and equipment choices. All of this requires Signature Land Services to operate a bit differently than it might in the continental United States.

Short seasons

For starters, rather than focusing on landscaping during the relatively brief Alaska growing season, Signature primarily turns its attention to concrete and asphalt work such as paving, reconstruction, excavation, seal coating, striping and sweeping. “Basically, if you can walk on it, we can do it,” says Vice President Tim Schrage.

And there’s no time to waste when it comes to getting that work done.

“Winter here goes well into May. If we’re lucky, we get 12 weeks of summer,” he says. “Once the first of the year comes, our snow business is really handled by our management staff, and my focus turns to identifying what our clients want done during the summer construction season,” he explains.

“Because if they don’t have it on our books by March,

there’s a chance they’re not going to get it done before snow flies again.”

Keep on trucking

There’s no shortage of land in Alaska, but there is very little land that can legally be developed, which means few places to stack snow around client sites. This requires Signature to haul away snow for about two-thirds of its clients.

Recognizing this, Signature got an industrial site permitted as a yard where it can truck in and dump snow. It operates two snow disposal sites in its service area, giving them prime resources to get the job done, regardless of whether it’s an 18-inch snow season or, like 2023-2024, 136

inches (a second-all-time total).

“We’ll let other contractors in to dump snow if they’re in a pinch or they don’t have another option,” Tim explains. “But, generally, they’re for our clients, and we handle everything from the trucking to the bulldozers to managing the site.”

Signature Land Services operates mainly out of two facilities. In the winter, one becomes a materials warehouse and trucking shop, where it parks its fleet of dump trucks for hauling snow; the other is the main yard, which is where their large fleet of wheel loaders is housed when not in use. “We run the wheel loaders down the roads. We stage larger blades all

over town, and we’ve got the loaders parked in town close to our clients to ensure fast response time,” Tim says. The company also has a shop about an hour north of its main offices to service sites there.

Hold the salt

“Bare pavement” is not the standard in the Anchorage market, Tim says, noting that one of the reasons comes down to cost: salt in Alaska typically sells for about 10 times what it would in the lower 48. But there are other challenges beyond the cost to using salt.

“We have really cold ground temperatures, and by late December there will be 19 to 20 hours of darkness. We don’t see any solar gain to help with melting, so the application rates and the modifiers for the product are so high that it’s cost prohibitive for your average client,” he explains.

A few clients, such as medical facilities, opt for salt; but in most cases Signature Land Services applies a “salty gravel,” which is 3% to 5% of salt mixed with gravel to keep the gravel piles from freezing solid.

“We plow and get up as much snow pack from the day’s traffic as possible, and then we apply the blended salt aggregate,” Tim says, adding that because of the amount of gravel that needs to be applied, sweeping services are added to its snow removal accounts.

“We have a fleet of street sweepers that we run out in the spring, and then we stockpile all of that material and spend part of the summer rescreening it. We add some more fracture to it, add salt, and stockpile it, so we’re able to recycle a lot of the material we use.”

Gravel is also collected from the snow dump yards, which increase in height about 10 inches per year thanks to the material that is scooped up with the snow. After the snow has melted, bulldozers are used to push that aggregate into piles that can reach 80 feet tall.

Planning ahead

Equipment is also harder to come by in Alaska. “If you want to be successful in our market, you need to be able to plan ahead,” Tim says. “There are few places here to go get parts, and you can’t drive across the state line to get parts somewhere else.” That means ordering in advance and in bulk. And just getting equipment shipped in represents an added cost.

Continued on page 20

Continued from page 19

“For example, we order our winter cutting edges in June and have them shipped slow boat across the United States, because it’s going to take six weeks to get here by truck and that’s going to add one-third to the cost,” Tim says.

Signature Land Services owns two and sometimes three of everything it

needs, because in the event of a breakdown, it’s not easy to rent equipment. “Some of our specialty equipment, like asphalt pavers, aren’t even available. And our own fleet of wheel loaders is bigger than any rental yard here might have.”

Anchorage anomalies

Is there such thing as a “normal” winter in Anchorage? “I wouldn’t say we have one ‘normal’ type of winter in Anchorage. What we know is that we’re going to get inclement weather. We don’t know how much or when, because that is so influenced by the jet stream here,” Tim says.

In October 2024, the city got 20 inches of snow and a few weeks later faced 50- to 60-mile-per-hour southeast winds, which is not uncommon but is problematic. “When the wind comes out of the southeast, the temps come up and we get into icing situations,” he explains.

Tim says they’re at the mercy of Prince William Sound Gulf-effect weather and down-sloping winds. If the winds are coming over the mountains, it will put Anchorage in a shadow. The snow will be in the company’s other service area in the valley, and Anchorage gets nothing. Or if it stalls out on the mountains, Anchorage will get all of the snow and 20 miles away won’t get any.

“We’re in a bowl here. Right on the other side of the mountains is the Gulf of Alaska, and depending on the winds, the meteorologists, in most cases, can’t really tell us what’s going to happen until a couple of hours out, maximum.”

Patrick White has covered the landscape and snow and ice management industries for a variety of magazines for over 25 years. He is based in Vermont. Contact him at pwhite@meadowridgemedia.com.

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next-level marketing

Amplify your message with attention to the details

By DARCI KNOWLES

The first interaction with your brand, whether it’s through paid advertising, your website or your vehicles, can significantly influence a potential customer’s perception and interest in your company.

Think about how immediately you recognize national brands like McDonald’s, Nike, Target and others that spend millions of dollars to make sure you recognize them and know what they stand for.

Know your audience

Businesses must understand not only who their target market is but also their customers’ needs, desires and pain points in order to create onpoint and in-demand services and messaging.

It’s critically important to craft a strong tagline that articulates

Know your numbers

and communicates your brand promise and sets you apart from your competitors. Think about lines like “Have it Your Way,” “You’re in Good Hands,” and “America’s Most Convenient Bank.”

The best taglines (I call them positioning lines because they literally position you in the marketplace) are 5 words or fewer and get straight to the heart of your core brand promise and differentiator. This is equally as important as your logo in terms of true brand power.

Using a descriptive line like Commercial Snow & Ice Management does little to set you apart, as any competitor in your market could say the same thing. Think about what you offer that makes you unique.

Be consistent

It may seem tedious or redundant to continuously say the same things, but this is needed now more than ever. People have shorter attention spans, and it takes multiple touch points for your target customer to even notice you.

The numbers don’t lie. Be sure you are reviewing regularly (monthly, at minimum) to ensure that what you are doing is working to pull in a return on your investment. For example, here are some of the numbers you’ll want to keep a close handle on:

• Organic traffic from search engine optimization (SEO)

• Keyword rankings

• Inbound traffic from paid advertising (TV, radio, search engine marketing [display and text ads])

• Cost per click

• Inbound traffic from your e-mail marketing

• Google Business Listing hits/phone calls

• Website form fills

• Phone calls

• E-mail open rates

If you don’t have a Brand Book, consider creating one, so anyone involved with your marketing and communications strategy knows exactly how to utilize and talk about your brand. This guide should include fonts, color palette, positioning line, core values, key messaging and sample brand imagery.

Engage often

Communicating with your customers and potential customers through multiple channels (e.g., social media, e-mail marketing, paid advertising, customer service) proves value and maintains interest and loyalty.

Rely on an integrated strategy

Crafting an integrated annual marketing strategy plan allows you to gain clarity around your annual revenue goals and design a clear path to get there. Use as many tactics and outlets as possible for the greatest return on investment. These might include some or all of the following:

• Brand strategy

• Website refresh/optimization

• Television and/or radio

• Team gear

• Trucks, vans and other vehicles

• Outdoor advertising (e.g., billboards, public transport, etc.)

• Direct mail

• Social media

• Digital advertising

• Blogging

• Podcasts

• Video/YouTube

Successful marketing is both a science and an art. You need the right tactics and creativity to really move the needle. Please reach out anytime with questions!

Darci Knowles is founder & creative director for DARCI Creative. Contact her at darci@darcicreative.com or 603.436.6330.

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the power of listening & acting

Establishing a culture of communication adds a layer of value that can take you to the next level

By DAVID LAMMERS

Don’t ask, won’t tell. It’s a phrase that sums up what happens when communication is absent in an organization. However, establishing a culture of open dialogue adds immense value and positions you to move to the next level—if you’re willing to listen.

Are you ready to create meaningful change in your organization? Do you feel like you’re constantly spinning your wheels, unsure of what’s missing? Have you ever stopped to ask what your employees think—about their roles, the company, and how things could be improved?

The value of communication

Building a culture of communication starts with asking the right questions and being open to honest feedback. It’s not just about knowing what your employees think; it’s about

demonstrating that their opinions are valued and integral to the organization’s success.

When you prioritize communication, you’re not just managing a team—you’re empowering a group of problemsolvers. Employees can provide insights on processes, marketing, training, operations and client relationships that leaders might not see from their vantage point.

A great way to formalize this is through a SWOT Analysis—an evaluation of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This framework provides a structured way to collect and act on feedback. And if you’re bold enough, have your team analyze not only the company but also your leadership!

Getting started

Recently, we gathered a crosssection of our team—field staff and managers—in separate off-site sessions to dig into the company’s current state. See the sidebar on the next page for questions we asked.

Building categories for deeper insights

To structure the feedback we received, we organized insights into key categories:

COMPANY

Who are we as a company?

How do employees perceive us?

How do our customers perceive us?

MANAGEMENT

Is our training program effective?

How can we support professional growth? Do employees feel valued and heard?

Are managers providing the support employees need?

Do employees feel their ideas are acknowledged?

What happens next

Once you’ve gathered feedback, the real work of analyzing the data and making tangible changes begins (see the sidebar below). Be prepared for honest—and sometimes uncomfortable—truths about organizational efficiency, training gaps, technology needs, fleet condition and company reputation.

A call to action

If you’re ready to take your organization to the next level, embrace the feedback process. Implement the changes your team suggests and watch as productivity, employee satisfaction, and customer loyalty soar.

When you prioritize communication and empowerment, you gain a competitive edge that others won’t see coming. So, ask the questions, listen to the answers, and act decisively. It’s the most powerful step toward a stronger, more cohesive organization.

David Lammers is president and CEO of Garden Grove Commercial Grounds & Snow Management. Contact him at david@gardengrove.ca.

Are we equipped with the tools to succeed?

How can we improve day-to-day efficiency?

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

How can we better serve our clients?

Are we living up to our brand promise?

Are employees empowered to solve client issues?

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONS

Here are some employee engagement questions that can be used to kick off your conversation:

FIELD STAFF

What’s one thing we do exceptionally well?

What’s one area that urgently needs improvement?

Do we truly understand our brand promise as a company? What’s your individual role in fulfilling it?

Are we meeting our company standards?

How organized are we as a team? Where can we improve?

Is our training program effective? What can make it better?

Do you have the tools and resources you need to excel in your role?

MANAGERS

Strengths:

What gives us a competitive edge?

Where do our greatest assets—people, processes, or resources—lie?

How can we leverage accreditations or certifications for industry recognition?

Weaknesses:

Where are we falling behind our competitors? What inefficiencies can we address?

Are external pressures like deadlines or seasonality hindering performance?

Opportunities:

Are there market trends or emerging opportunities we should capitalize on?

How can we strengthen relationships with subcontractors or partners?

Are there underserved niches we could explore?

Threats:

What risks do competitors pose?

Are regulatory, economic, or environmental changes affecting us?

How might shifting client expectations impact our business in the next 3-5 years?

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Annual strategic planning for snow removal companies in 2025 carve your path to success

By DANNY KERR

Strategic planning. Don’t let the fancy name scare you off. This isn’t some epic novel about your business dreams. It’s a down-to-earth tool to take those big ideas swirling in your head, break them into bite-sized goals, and get your team fired up to achieve them.

A clear vision is great, but without a solid annual strategic plan, your snow removal crew might end up spinning their wheels. Let’s make this the season you plow through challenges and hit your business goals.

You know that feeling when you clear the last site of the day, take a step back and admire the perfect symmetry of your work? The salt is spread, the snow piles are precision-engineered, and your customers are smiling from ear to ear. Is that the crunch of snow underfoot…or is Mother Nature giving you a slow clap?

It’s a rush, right? Turning a winter wonderland into safe, navigable parking lots, streets and driveways is more than a job. But when your snow removal business scales up, it can start to feel like an avalanche of staff issues and endless client demands.

And yet, deep down, you still have the vision. You know what your business could look like: organized, profitable, scalable. You just need a way to dig it out and share it with your team.

ENTER: The annual strategic plan. Think of it as the playbook for your snow season—a roadmap to get your crew through the flurries and into a future where everything runs smoother.

Ready to stop winging it and start winning it? Let’s get into how to create your annual strategic plan.

Fire off your plan in an email with a subject line that says, “Please read.” Do’s & Don’ts of Creating an Annual

Go beyond numbers. Put both your heart and your mind into your plan.

Leave space for others. It might be your company, but it’s not just about you.

Treat strategy like a dance. Sometimes, you need to be the one who follows.

Turn phones off to keep the outside world from intruding on your planning session.

A game-changer

You’ve heard the phrase, “Life is about the journey, not the destination,” right? Well, in the snow removal game, that’s terrible advice. When you’re steering your business through icy terrain, knowing exactly where you’re headed—and having a clear route to get there—is everything.

An annual strategic plan isn’t a corporate buzzword. It’s your plow for business obstacles, clearing the path toward growth and profitability.

Chunk big dreams into achievable goals. Are you thinking about where you want your company to be in five or 10 years? That vision can feel as massive as the mountain of snow blocking a cul-de-sac. An annual strategic plan helps you chip away at the dream, one year at a time.

Avoid costly missteps. On-the-fly decisions are like skidding on black ice —dangerous and expensive. A clear plan helps you make smarter choices about

Confuse strategy with tactics. You need both, but they’re not the same things.

Celebrate too soon. Recognize milestones but save the big party until you’ve earned it.

Treat strategy work too lightly, or you’ll sink your plan before it’s even in motion.

big moves, like investing in a new plow fleet or hiring your next all-star operator.

Break through plateaus. Has your business hit a flat stretch where every season feels like a rinse-and-repeat routine? A strategic plan can help shake things up, injecting fresh energy into your team and operations.

Maximize your crew’s time. If you have 20 employees, each working 2,000 hours a year, that’s 40,000 hours of productivity at your disposal. Without a plan, you might as well be letting those hours melt away like snow in the spring.

Keep the team focused. A plan with KPIs and metrics acts like a GPS for your crew. Everyone knows the goal and what it’ll take to get there. And nothing motivates like watching those numbers go up.

In short, an annual strategic plan is your ultimate winter survival kit, keeping your snow removal business on course and thriving.

Creating a plan

When done right, creating an annual strategic plan can be one of the most energizing parts of running a business. Think of it as the time to step back, grab a hot drink, and dream up how you’ll conquer the storm ahead. Every artist has their process—here’s how to carve out yours:

Start with reflection

Before you fire up the plow, you’ve got to clear your mind. Take a moment (or several) to dig into these questions:

• What crushed it last year? And what made you want to rip your hair out?

• Did you hit your goals? Did you even set any?

cylinders, neither is your company. So, ask yourself:

• Did I live the life I wanted last year?

• What is my ultimate purpose as a person?

Yes, it’s deep. But your business should align with your long-term vision for life, not just the next quarter’s profits. This isn’t the time for perfect grammar or polished spreadsheets— raw honesty wins the day.

Once you have your thoughts down, share some prep instructions with your team. Ask them to reflect on the data, brainstorm solutions, and think through initiatives ahead of time. The more they bring to the table, the better the session will go.

Strategic planning is like snow removal: first, you tackle the big drifts, then you clear the smaller patches, and before you know it, the whole lot is pristine. Your why. This is your business’ foundation: the values, goals, and purpose that keep you pushing through the toughest storms. Use your earlier reflection to identify these key elements:

Values. These are the guiding principles behind every decision you make, from choosing the right clients to building a strong team. Think of them as your business’s moral compass. Whether it’s integrity, teamwork, or delivering top-notch service, these nuggets keep you on track.

BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal). This is your North Star, the ultimate destination. Maybe it’s hitting $10M in annual revenue or building a business that lets you retire early and spend winters on the slopes.

Continued on page 28

BUSINESS // STRATEGY

Continued from page 27

Dream big – this is your legacy we’re talking about.

Purpose. Why do you do this work? Beyond the dollars and cents, what’s driving you? Maybe it’s creating jobs in your community, giving families peace of mind during harsh winters, or building something your kids can inherit.

The big picture

Now, zoom in a little. To reach that BHAG, what do you need to accomplish this year?

Annual goals. Lay out three S.M.A.R.T. goals that will get you closer to your BHAG. These goals should be ambitious but achievable —something you can genuinely look back on next year and say, “We crushed it!”

Annual initiatives. These are the specific actions required to achieve those goals. If the goal is to increase revenue, the initiatives

might be launching a new service like sidewalk salting or investing in better equipment to handle bigger contracts.

Kick off with Q1

It’s time to break the year into quarters and focus on the first 3 months. Q1 sets the tone for the year.

Quarter goals. What milestones do you need to hit by March to stay on track for your annual goals?

Quarter rocks. Break those goals into actionable steps or “rocks” that you and your team can tackle in Q1. Rock breakdown. Assign owners and deadlines to each rock. Everyone should know what they’re responsible for and when it’s due.

THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR SNOW & ICE

Critical path. Lay out the sequence of tasks in a timeline to ensure everything flows smoothly. Tech tools can help you track and organize this.

Celebrate and stay inspired

You’ve planned the work; now, plan the reward. Motivation can waver, especially in the grueling winter. Build in some incentives to keep your team energized:

The hooray. Decide how you’ll celebrate your wins. Whether it’s a team outing, bonuses or catered lunch, having something to look forward to keeps spirits high.

The theme. Choose a mantra for a year—something catchy and meaningful to your team. Whether it’s “Clear Paths, Clear Minds” or “No Snow Left Behind,” a theme helps keep everyone focused and aligned.

The one-page plan

Here’s the kicker: your annual strategic plan should fit on a single page. Why? Because simplicity wins. A one-pager keeps you from overcomplicating things and ensures the plan is clear and sharable with your team. Include the following:

• Your values, BHAG, and Purpose

• Annual goals and initiatives

• Q1 goals, rocks and key tasks

That’s it. The goal isn’t just to create a plan—it’s to execute it. Keep it concise, actionable and inspiring.

Your annual strategic plan isn’t just for you—it’s for your team, your clients, and the future of your snow removal empire. Let’s make 2025 your masterpiece!

Danny Kerr is founder of The Breakthrough Academy, created to help you evolve from a doer of all things to a builder of smart systems and a leader of great people. Learn more at btacademy.com.

data and ice management

Information can help fight litigation, uncover inefficiencies and ensure your operations are legally compliant

SBY JENNY GIRARD, ASM

now is swirling, blades are dropping, and the season's work is piling up fast. Amid all the work we perform during the event, our role as owners and managers does not end when the snow stops—it is just getting started. In this issue, we’re focusing on ice management, an essential part of winter operations. Documenting your ice management process is critical for ensuring safety and staying compliant

with regulations. I’ll walk you through the importance of this documentation and provide practical strategies for accomplishing it both effectively and efficiently.

Why is it so important to document and track your ice management data? A few key reasons to keep in mind: legal/environmental requirements and impact, litigation and financial.

Legal/environmental requirements

Every state, county, city and municipality can have different regulations when it comes to the materials used in ice management. It is essential that you know your

area’s requirements when it comes to identifying the regulations of transporting, handling and storing your materials. Each material could have a different requirement as well.

Depending on your requirements, you need to have a process in place to track this data, and store and access required documents with ease. You may have restrictions on types of ice management materials in certain localities; your team needs not only to be trained but also to be able to easily identify those areas to avoid a costly mistake.

You may also be required to

Continued on page 32

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Continued from page 30

track usage. If you do not have these documents, then it could mean fines and potentially worse, depending on the severity of the violation.

For understanding the environmental impact, SIMA is a great source of knowledge. SIMA provides resources and best practices to aid you.

When it comes to ice management, one of the biggest concerns is the potential for litigation. A crucial step in protecting yourself is proper documentation.

Depending on your company and the clientele that you

service, you may be required to provide documentation. Some clients can require different methods such as video surveillance, and proof of service via signature or photo. It’s best to align yourself with these requirements; and if none exist, consider implementing them anyway.

Date and time stamps. Photos that are date- and time-stamped can be a valuable tool to prove services were rendered. However, it’s crucial that these photos are stored in a secure and organized location. If the photos are only stored on your phone, you run the risk of losing this data if the phone is ever lost or damaged.

Cloud storage. Having designated

DOCUMENTATION STARTER QUESTIONS

Like any documentation process, the first step is to ask a few key questions:

• What data do you need to track?

• Consider the different areas of your ice management operations and identify what key information needs to be recorded.

• What are the processes for collecting that information?

• Once you know what needs to be tracked, define the steps involved in gathering this data.

• Is the process cumbersome? Are there issues with collecting accurate data?

• Evaluate whether the process is efficient or if it creates challenges. If so, why?

• Identify any difficulties in ensuring the data is correct and reliable.

• How are you storing and tracking this data?

• Consider how the data is stored, how it’s being tracked, and who is responsible for managing it. Is the system accessible and efficient for all who need it?

Ice Management Data Process checklist

• What specific data are you tracking?

• What is the process for collecting and managing the data?

• How do you ensure the data you’ve collected is accurate?

• Who oversees tracking?

• Have you trained your team on how to properly collect data?

• If trained, have you communicated the importance of data collection and shared the "why" behind it?

• Once recorded, where is the data stored?

• Are you familiar with your city and/or state regulations?

• Are you legally compliant with all regulations?

• What are the potential implications of not tracking the data?

• Do you have data to help support you in potential litigation?

• Do you have insight into what ice management is costing you?

folders within your phone that back up to cloud-based storage at minimum is highly suggested. Another simple trick is sending emails of photos. This allows for your photos to be stored in a cloud form that you can later extract into files. There are also a lot of apps as well as software that timestamp photos and videos.

GPS tracking. GPS tracking can show the exact location of your ice management application along with the exact time and date it was served. Storing this information is crucial if service ever comes into question.

Client communication. It is imperative to have some type of paper trail. At minimum you should have a signed contract that someone with legal expertise helps create. Within this contract, the scope of work should be laid out, along with expectations and responsibilities. SIMA has great tools to help navigate you through the contract and RFP process.

In your day-to-day communication with clients about services, always follow up in writing. In verbal communication, things can be misunderstood, forgotten or approved by the wrong authority. Sending an email or text message ensures that everyone agrees to the plan or requests that have been made. Within the email space, manage your inbox—have folders for clients and keep pertinent information when it comes to your communications with them. You can later utilize these emails if decisions are brought into question.

Financial

Ice management expenses include not only the material, equipment and labor involved, but also things like the corrosion of equipment as well as infrastructure. Understanding all the costs of your ice management operation starts with tracking the data.

Asset management. Review all assets associated with ice management, including the materials, storage, equipment, labor and technology. What is the cost associated with each of these assets? Review how effective and efficient your assets are.

Material tracking. It is critical that you track material usage on your sites. Review your usage over time and in different types of events. Compare your usage against best practices and rate applications as well as effectiveness. Are you placing more material than suggested or estimated? If so, why?

Tracking material usage data can show you gaps in your productivity and perhaps highlight some training opportunities. With regards to your existing contracts, are they measuring up to what you estimated? Are the clients educated on proper practices? Unrealistic expectations or going outside of scope can cost you time and money.

Equipment evaluation. While reviewing the data, overuse of materials can also lend to equipment inefficiencies. Is the equipment properly calibrated? If so, when was the last calibration? Are equipment breakdowns causing you to play catchup and use excess material?

Corrosion. Another financial implication to consider is the corrosion to your equipment and infrastructure. Review the cost and damage occurring over the season. Is there a better product or method of application or storage? Is the cost of improving the infrastructure less than the damage or loss of materials? Is there equipment in your fleet that is costing you more to maintain than it would to replace?

By taking the time to review and refine your ice management documentation process, you can ensure not only legal compliance but also greater operational efficiency. The data you collect is essential to protect your business, optimize your resources, and improve your overall service.

Keep these questions in mind as you evaluate your current system and work toward building a more effective ice management operation for the season ahead. Keep the data flowing and the snow flying!

Jenny Girard, ASM, is client success implementation specialist for The Integra Group. Contact her at Jenny.Girard@TheIntegraGroup.com or 518.231.9748.

WITH BRENDAN D. O'BRIEN

Don’t slip on faulty ice contract language

Customers vary widely in their knowledge, sophistication and expectations. It is critical that every contract specifies what type of treatment will be used, where it will be used, and when it will be used.

Although snow removal may come to mind first when thinking about winter maintenance, ice management is often more important. Most slip and falls do not happen with a foot of snow on the ground. They happen on a thin sheet of ice. It is critical to know your responsibilities for detecting, removing and treating ice at every property you service. And it is even more critical for your responsibilities to be clearly spelled out in written contracts.

Detection

Contract language regarding the detection of ice must be clear about two points:

• the area for which the contractor is responsible

• whether the contractor has any obligation to monitor the property if no new precipitation has fallen.

Service area. The area that a contractor is responsible for should be clear to every person who reads the relevant contract. If a property has parking lots, sidewalks, walkways and stairs, the contract needs to be clear about where the contractor is obligated to work. Specificity is key.

The contractor should not assume that the customer has the same understanding of what terms mean as the contractor. Any terms describing the relevant area must be clearly and unambiguously defined by the contract to avoid any potential confusion. Monitoring. Defining a contractor’s responsibilities with respect to monitoring a property for ice is equally important. Ice often forms days after precipitation as a result of melting snowbanks, dripping gutters and spilling liquids.

Every contract should specify the exact conditions that trigger the contractor’s responsibility to go to a site. If a contractor is required to go only after a certain amount of precipitation falls, the contract should clearly state that fact.

It is also critical that every contract state whether a contractor is obligated to monitor and/or inspect a particular property for icy conditions when there has not been any recent precipitation. If the contractor’s

obligation is not well-defined, it could result in a claim despite a slip and fall or other accident occurring weeks after the last precipitation.

Removal

Any contract should also be clear about the contractor’s responsibilities with respect to ice removal. As anyone who lives in a colder climate knows, removing all ice from a property is often impossible. To the extent that a contract requires a contractor to “remove ice,” such a requirement should clearly define when, how and from where. Any language requiring a contractor to remove “all ice from the property” or using any similarly broad phrase should be avoided since satisfying such an obligation is often impossible given the many ways in which ice can form.

Treatment

Defining exactly how ice should be treated on a property is also critical. A contractor should not assume that every customer has the same understanding with respect to this issue. Some customers may want only sand to be used. Others may want salt to be used, but only in certain areas. Still others may not allow certain treatments (such as salt and/or brine) given local regulations or environmental concerns.

Customers vary widely in their knowledge, sophistication and expectations. It is critical that every contract specifies what type of treatment will be used, where it will be used, and when it will be used.

Defining the scope of a contractor’s responsibilities with respect to ice management is crucial to protect the contractor. Contractors need to remember that if a slip and fall happens, the contract’s language will be painstakingly analyzed by attorneys and insurance professionals. It is crucial that the relevant language be clear and easily understood by anyone reading the contract.

Brendan D. O’Brien is an attorney with Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC, based in Manchester, NH. Contact him at bobrien@ primmer.com.

THE ULTIMATE PUSHER.

proper technique

Scan the QR code to view a short video on how to remove an ice dam with steam.

up on the roof

Ice dam removal requires the right equipment, people and technique

BY JOE PALUMBO

Ice dam removal is tough, whether this is your first year of doing it professionally or you’ve done it for many years. That is inevitable, given that the job involves steaming thousands of pounds of ice off of a roof. Even so, you need to make ice dam removal easier and more sustainable.

We’ve removed ice dams professionally since the mid-1990s, before there even was an ice dam removal industry and before we made steam the industry standard. But we still run into challenges; and it’s our experience that helps us navigate each tricky new situation. The temporary paradox is that you can’t benefit from experience if you don’t gain experience in the first place. Your time in the ice dam removal space may be very brief if someone gets seriously injured, a customer’s property is damaged extensively, you’re overwhelmed with cancellations or refunds, your company is sued, you fail to turn a profit, or you can’t hire enough technicians.

Many business owners make an already-tricky wintertime profession

HIDDEN DANGERS: Snow covering an ice dam is a recipe for disaster. Experienced technicians will use multiple tools to uncover and treat the problem.

even trickier by skipping steps. That’s true of specialists in snow and ice removal and of non-specialists (e.g., roofers who start offering ice dam removal services). They may skimp on researching and buying the proper equipment, hiring technicians to reasonable standards, training, proper insurance, or effective communication or fulfillment. The results are one rocky job after another and an ice dam removal season that nobody cares to repeat.

If you take your time to build your team and establish good processes over a few years, you’ll be safe enough and profitable enough that you can do

ICE DAM EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

• Poly-edged roof shovels (2)

• Heavy-duty metal grain shovel

• Steamer wands (2)

• 100’ high-pressure steamer hoses (2)

• 100’ garden hose (2)

• Heat gun

• 100’ extension cord

• Climbing harness

• 100’ section of climber’s rope

• 24’ extension ladder

• 8’ step ladder

• Roof rake

• Fire extinguisher

• Roll of thread tape

• 5-gallon antifreeze bucket

• Gallon of CLR

• Empty 5-gallon bucket

• 50 lbs. of granular ice melt

• Box of assorted O-rings

• Small toolbox

• Small tote of spare steamer parts

• Flashlight

• Headlamp

• Digital camera

• 5-gallon diesel cans (2)

• 5-gallon fuel can

• Traffic cones

• Roll of “Caution” tape

• Proper PPE

it again next year.

As you accumulate that experience, though, what specific challenges can you lessen? If you consider adding ice dam removal as part of your snow removal business, how can you make ice dam removal a little easier, without sacrificing safety or quality? Here are a few processes and common sticking points that can become non-issues with just a little work on your part:

Avoiding some customer types

It’s unlikely you can satisfy a caller who insists you guarantee a certain number of hours, quote a certain dollar

Continued on page 40

You don’t need five of everything, but you do need backups. All that gear may sound excessive, and often it is, but it’s better to have it and not need it.

You’ll have fewer day-ending breakdowns and frustrated customers if you adopt a checklist like this. As you get more and more jobs under your belt, you may consider modifying the checklist until it’s just right for you.

Learn more about ice dam removal at icedamremovalguys.com/learning-center/

ICE MANAGEMENT // SERVICE

Continued from page 39

amount, promise when the roof leaks will stop, or promise that the ice dams won’t come back later in the season. It’s also unlikely you can help someone who seems not to understand that you may have other jobs scheduled, or that snow removal is a prerequisite to steaming the ice dam, or that you can’t know how big the ice dam is until you’ve removed its blanket of snow and sized it up.

It’s not hard to identify these customers over the phone, but it’s still hard to say no (politely) to them. Saying no is especially difficult if they seem to need help now and may be short on options. Still, you need to explain in your own way that you’d rather turn them down than let them down.

You can help these callers by explaining that if they can simply keep their roofs mostly snow-free (at least along the overhangs), there’s a good

PREVENTIVE SERVICES: Roof raking or shoveling can help prevent ice dams from forming or serve as a method to uncover dams for removal.

chance that they will never need ice dam removal. At that point you can offer tips on raking or—for larger buildings— shoveling the roof. You can suggest your own snow-clearing service or refer them to a trusted third party. Whatever you do, don’t make promises in your cozy office that your technician can’t keep on the icy roof.

Ice dam removal techniques

You can save a lot of time and pain by committing not to steam ice dams topdown, but rather to cut off one smallto-medium chunk of ice at a time, nudge it off of the roof, and repeat. Start the chunk-cutting technique at the edge of the roof and work your way up toward the ridge, rather than the other way around.

If your technicians consistently apply that technique (or possibly another one) rather than improvising or “winging it,” they’ll complete more jobs in a timely manner, the process will be less frustrating for them and for customers, ice dam removal will be more cost-effective for customers, and your word-of-mouth referrals and online reviews will grow accordingly. The word-of-mouth factor is especially powerful when you do commercial jobs, because business owners tend to know each other and trade recommendations.

Expanding outside your market

If you want to offer ice dam removal far beyond your home base, you will need a smattering of technicians who live in other parts of the country. Even though your main crew may be willing and able to travel far, eventually they will run out of time or energy, or simply won’t be able to camp out in two winter wonderlands at once.

To fill in the gaps, you will need a few technicians who don’t need to drive as far. Finding good technicians all over the country can be tricky, but you only need to get lucky a few times. As you put out feelers and pick up a tech here and there, you’ll develop more of a system, and you’ll take pressure off of your other technicians to drive great distances.

Meanwhile, if you routinely encour-

age customer reviews, you’ll have an online paper trail of happy customers. Those happy customers and their reviews will help you attract more customers the next time your crew returns to the area. You’ll develop a relationship with the place and the people. Your history there will serve as an advantage over would-be competitors who aren’t familiar with the terrain.

Retaining the best technicians

It’s usually easier to keep a reliable, customer-friendly technician than to cultivate a new one. It’s also easier to keep good people when they know that you have low turnover and want to keep them rather than try to replace them.

Whether it’s an issue of pay, workload, days off, latitude to turn down excessively dangerous jobs, or last-minute requests to pack up the truck and travel far, think of what’s most likely to keep this technician wearing your jersey for more seasons.

The fewer techs you need to spend time finding, hiring, training, getting to know and learning to manage, the more time you and they can spend on helping customers, making solid money along the way, and enjoying the journey.

As the saying goes, “Experience is the best teacher,” but it doesn’t need to be your experience 100% of the time. What

someone else has learned from years of professional ice dam removal can help you string together a few good years, and then some even better years.

Joe Palumbo is president of Ice Dam Guys, LLC, a subsidiary of Palumbo Services, Inc. in Forest Lake, MN. Contact Joe at joe@icedamguys.com or icedamremovalguys.com.

WATER POOLING: Water collecting behind an ice dam adds another layer of trouble.

TEST DRIVE >>> TRENDS

ice management innovations

Four technologies that can help your operations become more effective and efficient

BY CRAIG SANDMANN

Snow and ice management technology has come a long way since the days of keeping paper logbooks, relying on the television or radio for the latest weather updates, and not being able to communicate effectively with drivers on the job. Today, most contractors have adopted some form of technology for record keeping, weather tracking, communication and other business functions— even if it’s just using a smartphone.

What’s even more impressive is how these technologies have become so integrated that they can practically automate ice management, making the work easier for drivers to complete jobs safely, efficiently and profitably. Considering the challenges of hiring and keeping workers in today’s labor environment, it may be time to start putting these four technologies to work in your operation:

materials or rates are used, and the application doesn’t work, then the contractor could be exposed to a slipand-fall claim. This fear causes many drivers to err on the side of caution and overapply material.

This can eat into profitability, as the wasted material usually comes out of the contractor’s pocket. Even more, using excessive salt means more trips back to the shop to refill, which costs extra time and fuel. These negative effects don’t even consider the environmental harm caused by using too much salt.

and they lock this in for every application. This may be somewhat reliable, but it’s not that scientific.

One of the biggest challenges for contractors is understanding which materials to spread and how much to apply. People get even less confident when it comes to liquids for pre-wetting, anti-icing and deicing. If the wrong

Equipment controllers that automatically adjust the spreader and sprayer settings to achieve the correct rates on a property can help solve this problem. As a driver speeds up, the controller increases the material application rates to compensate. The opposite happens when the driver slows down. Additionally, each jobsite can be geofenced so that the equipment will not apply material outside of the set boundaries.

But the benefits of automated application technology go beyond these abilities. With traditional spreader or sprayer controls, the operator would turn a numbered dial to a preferred setting for an assumed application rate. Perhaps their sweet spot is “6” or “8” based on experience,

With today’s more advanced controllers, it’s not a matter of selecting a number on a dial, but rather plugging in exactly what the site requires based on suggested application rates or what the customer has requested. Let’s say the needed application rate is two pounds of material per 1,000 square feet. The operator can simply enter this into the controller and, properly calibrated, that’s what will be distributed.

Not only can automated material settings increase profitability, but this technology can also significantly improve driver safety. Since the controller does all the work, drivers can focus solely on driving without having to make any manual equipment adjustments. They don’t have to worry about the spreader vibrator, either, since some controllers have an auto vibrate feature that can be enabled.

By making the job easier on drivers, contractors may find it easier to hire workers. Automated technologies reduce the skill level required of new employees, potentially expanding the talent pool. Also, employees may be more likely to stay at a company if the work is simplified.

Many people fall into habits of using the same materials and rates they’ve historically used, taking somewhat into account the current weather conditions.

Technology has become so advanced that it can often make better material recommendations than an experienced operator.

Some spreader controllers are equipped with sensors to monitor surface temperatures, humidity and other real-time conditions. At the same time, they download site-specific weather forecasts. They analyze all of this information, along with historical spreading data, to recommend which granular and/or liquid materials to apply—and how much to apply—to calculate the best, most efficient method of treating a site effectively.

Contractors with multiple drivers will also appreciate the advancements of GPS tracking. Multiple systems are available to track the locations of drivers; but the biggest benefits come from integrated solutions that use GPRS technology, which is a two-way communication channel. When built into a spreader or sprayer, a GPRS controller can let contractors know the location of each driver, what material and how much they’re applying, and other data. Additionally, contractors can use a computer, tablet or smartphone to remotely geo-fence properties and adjust material application rates while drivers are on the job.

automated reports when using some of today’s integrated systems. Contractors can save time, since they no longer need to pull data from multiple sources. This often results in improved accuracy since the information is pulled directly from the equipment controllers, rather than from manually entered data.

Of course, accurate reporting is key to minimizing liability. The amount of information presented in today’s reporting software provides excellent protection by proving clients’ properties were properly serviced according to weather conditions at the time. Contractors can even drill down to specific areas of a worksite, showing the amount of material applied at the location of an incident.

Although it’s important for contractors to understand the effective temperature ranges and application rates of ice melting products, technology can make these decisions easier.

The weather monitoring capabilities work in conjunction with the automated material application technology. As a result, drivers simply need to accept the material recommendations and start driving. The equipment does the rest.

GPS mapping technology can go a step further by recommending driver routes based not only on distance from one jobsite to another, but also predicted refill intervals. As a result, contractors can experience lower fuel costs and quicker route completions.

Another improvement in snow and ice management technology is more sophisticated reporting. Equipment settings, weather conditions and GPRS data can be pulled into

The common thread of these four advancements is integration. GPS trackers and reporting software, for instance, have been available for some time. But what really makes these things click is if they’re all connected. When this happens, contractors can save time, make better decisions, service clients more efficiently, alleviate labor challenges and reduce liability exposure. And—perhaps most importantly—all of these capabilities can lead to happier clients.

Craig Sandmann is managing director of Hilltip North America. Learn more at https://www.hilltipna.com/en/.

TEST DRIVE >>> ICE MANAGEMENT

> western products

The all-new MARAUDER poly hopper spreaders from Western Products are purpose-built to control ice more efficiently than ever. They’re available in 1.5- and 2.2-cu.-yd. capacities with either a pintle chain delivery system for thick, heavy deicing materials, or the all-new HELIXX shaftless auger for precise rock salt application. Add the Tri-Shield system accessory for the ability to spread, pre-wet or spray all with one tool. www.westernplows.com

> Cargill Salt - Road Safety

ClearLane enhanced deicer is our premier road salt solution that is a fast-acting alternative to road salt. It works quickly and is free flowing, making parking lots safer, with melting capabilities even below 0° F. It can reduce cost with less application scatter compared to standard deicing salt.

www.cargill.com

TEST DRIVE TAKES A NEW APPROACH IN 2025

Each e-newsletter will focus on a specific product category and include features on trends, stories and products. Each issue of Snow Business will complement the Test Drive newsletter with additional products and a bigger presence for advertisers who support the Test Drive. Don’t miss out, subscribe to the Test Drive newsletter at sima.org/subscribe.

> Hilltip Corp

Hilltip’s 8000CM is a 12V electric, 8-cu.-yd./370gallon combination chain spreader capable of applying bulk and liquid materials. Options include pre-wet kits, spray bars, hose reels, asymmetry adjustment, lights, strobes, tarps, ladders and leg-stands. The 8000CM comes standard with Strikesmart controllers with ground speed control and Hilltip’s HTrack 2-way tracking/control system. www.hilltipna.com

> Buyers Products

Pair the power of your truck’s hydraulics with the durability of a SaltDogg PRO Series Spreader. An auger or chain driveline provides consistent coverage with a high velocity spread. Designed with contractors, property managers and municipalities in mind, PRO Series Spreaders offer high-volume performance at an aggressive value. www.buyersproducts.com

> BOSS Products

Revolutionize snow and ice management with the VBX+. Designed for modern contractors, it offers precise material distribution, seamless job site tracking, easy maintenance, and powerful performance. With LED lighting, advanced safety features, and intuitive design, the VBX+ ensures efficiency and reliability. Elevate your operations with the VBX+. www.bossplow.com

> SnowEx Products

The SnowEx Liqui Maxx spray system is purpose-built to deliver highly effective brine application for anti-icing and deicing jobs. Featuring 3-zone spray capability, the standard control and pump system have toggle switches that individually turn the spray zones on and off for simple, no hassle operation. Available tank capacities range from 300 to 1,250 gallons and fit truck sizes from class 2B to 6. www.snowexproducts.com

> Fisher Engineering

The WB-100B and WB-160D are the perfect tools for broadcast spreading across wider areas or drop spreading along narrow walkways. The 13” pneumatic tires provide enhanced mobility on icy and rough surfaces, and a stretch-fit cover keeps material dry and visible. These professional poly walk-behind spreaders are built tough to keep in step with you, storm after storm and season after season.

www.fisherplows.com

ICE MANAGEMENT TEST DRIVE

Ghadan Company

Ensure maximum safety on icy roads this winter with Ghadan Company’s high-quality bulk rock salt for deicing. Our capabilities go beyond expectations, delivering exceptional performance and reliability in ice and snow management.

Sourced from Egypt’s finest deposits, ensure your roads remain clear and safe. Trust Ghadan for superior quality and performance.

www.ghadan.co

Custom Plastic Fabrications (CPF)

CPF designs and fabricates durable polypropylene brine tanks tailored to your needs. From small side-mounted tanks to bulk storage or wedge tanks paired with your tailgate spreaders, CPF delivers reliable solutions for municipalities and highway departments, ensuring effective brine road treatment for snow and ice management.

www.customplasticfabrications.com

Innovative Surface Solutions

Unlock unparalleled winter maintenance performance with Innovative’s ProMelt line of liquid deicers. Formulated with magnesium chloride and calcium chloride-based solutions, ProMelt liquids offer premium flexibility for anti-icing, deicing, pre-wetting, and salt brine enhancing. Maximize your winter maintenance efficiency and achieve more with ProMelt liquids! www.innovativecompany.com

OxyChem

Melt more with less with PELADOW Calcium Chloride

Ice Melter. Less time. Less cost. Less waste. Melt 3X faster than magnesium chloride. Reduce application rate by up to 40%. Lower your costs and increase your profits. Decrease environmental impact. Melt responsibly.

www.MeltResponsibly.com

HLA Snow

Designed for large skid steers and compact to mid-size wheel loaders, the HS200 features dual hydraulic drive stainless steel spinners and self-loading features. This salt spreader is the solution for utilizing the power unit already onsite for snow plowing. Also available in 3-point-hitch configurations to be used on large ag tractors.

www.hlasnow.com

Frost Inc.

The Sea-Mix is an efficient liquid brine station loaded with benefits! The salt hopper is made for convenient loader bucket filling. Each batch of up to 500 gallons can be made in under 20 minutes by using the Automatic Salinity Control with auto on/off. Be ready for any size fleet with the Liquid Ice Control brine station.

www.frostserv.com

ICE MANAGEMENT TEST DRIVE

Natural Alternative, Inc.

Our 100% C.M.A is LEED-compliant, chloride free, and can be used on 30-day cured concrete. Our Natural Alternative ice melt has 3X the melting power, works to -16° F, and can be used on one-year cured concrete. Our products are proudly made in the USA and are safer for the environment.

https://icemelter.com

Bobcat Company

The Bobcat spreader attachment spreads sand and salt for snow and ice removal to minimize slippery surfaces during freezing and thawing. The operator can use the hopper as a bucket, filling the spreader from a pile. It resists corrosion and stands up to tough sand and salt combinations. www.bobcat.com

Holms Attachments

The Holms Spreading Bucket offers precise material control and is galvanized for corrosion protection. A 3-year anticorrosion warranty is included. The rocking mixer breaks up material and distributes it to the sifting roller, eliminating the need for a protective grill to make loading easy. Three sizes are available. www.holms.com/en

Kage Innovation

The LiquidRage Sprayer is a 150-gallon sprayer that is great for small batch brine applications. There’s no need for adaptors to switch from skid steers to 3-point hitches, and it’s even compatible with some UTVs. Spray up to 30-foot swathes or spot spray with an optional 50-foot hose and wand. www.kageinnovation.com

Systems

The Brine Master includes an integrated mixing tank and

giving you everything you need to jumpstart your in-house brine production. And it’s built tough, with a stainless frame and no finicky automated sensors to go down when you need it most. www.camionsystems.com

Michigan Chloride Sales

MCS Calcium Chloride Mineral Well Brine cuts salt usage by up to 40%, boosts snow plowing efficiency, and reduces bounce and scatter. Pre-treatment prevents snow and ice from bonding, performs at temperatures lower than rock salt, and outshines other chlorides—saving time, labor, and costs while keeping roads safe. www.michiganchloride.com

SIMA LEADERSHIP

Chief Executive Officer

Martin Tirado, CAE martin@sima.org

Full SIMA staff contacts are available at sima.org/about-us

EDITORIAL MANAGEMENT

Education & Content Director

Cheryl Higley 262-236-9972 cheryl@sima.org

Design & Production

Lisa Lehman 216-798-1853 lisa@sima.org

Product Submissions

Ellen Lobello products@sima.org

ADVERTISING SALES & MANAGEMENT

Engagement & Development

Senior Manager

Kerri Joseph 614-557-3948 kerri@sima.org

Supplier Services Manager

Aimee Krzywicki aimee@sima.org

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Charmaine Allen

Allen Builders & Landscape

Nichole Ashton, CSP

North Country Snow and Ice Management

Jim Hornung Jr., CSP

Elbers Landscape Service

Rick Kier, CSP

Forge Ahead Consulting and Software LLC

William Moore, CSP, ASM

Executive Property Maintenance

Dean Outhouse, CSP, ASM

Piscataqua Landscaping

Jason Ostrander, CSP

Frost Solutions

Thomas Skuta, CSP USM

Robert Young, CSP

K.E.Y. Property Services

Michael Wagner, CSP, ASM

Colorado DesignScapes Co.

//

// www.sima.org

SIMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS

Board Chair

Chris Hinton, CSP, GRM Inc.

Immediate Past Chair

David Wescott, CSP, Evergreen Brands

Vice Chair

Jeff Heller, CSP, Innovative Maintenance Solutions

Secretary / Treasurer

John Janes, CSP, ASM, Caterpillar

Directors

Mike Bott

Ruben Diaz, ASM

Tom Fitzgerald, CSP

Connie Gaul, ASM

Robert Miller Jr., CSP, ASM

Dean Outhouse, CSP, ASM

Chris Thacker, CSP

Robert Young, CSP

Shown in picture

LAST WORD WITH JOE KIEDINGER

Building a culture of accountability

Building a culture of accountability is all about understanding the unique strengths and struggles of each individual, giving feedback that keeps everyone on track, and showing a level of care that makes people want to give their best

Accountability can be elusive. It’s one of those things that everybody expects from others all the time, but it doesn’t always come as expected. From a leader’s perspective, accountability remains one of the most important aspects of an individual’s and team’s ability to produce results. It’s universally expected for a reason—things don’t work without it. Very often, the difference between an accountable team and an unaccountable team comes down to leadership. There are some exceptions, where you may find people and teams who won’t display a desirable level of accountability no matter who is leading them. But, generally speaking, a leader can make all the difference.

A common misconception about accountability is that it is a purely intrinsic characteristic that can only be displayed if someone “has it in them.” The truth is that everyone has the ability to hold themselves accountable. It’s a skill that can be taught when expectations are set. As a leader, your role is to bring the best out of your people and tap into the things that will help them be accountable to their goals, the team’s goals, and the company’s goals.

A high-accountability workplace will have higher morale, better engagement, reduced turnover and a high level of trust. So, let’s dive into four critical steps that all leaders can take to build a culture of accountability within their teams!

Understand your people’s dignity

When you understand your people’s dignity, you’re going to have most of the work done. If you can lead somebody by honoring and respecting who they are, you can unlock their potential. One of the most critical components of someone’s dignity is what motivates them. Are they people-oriented? Task-oriented? What are their main traits? Are they organized? Are they consistent? A born leader? Maybe they’re unique and fun, like me! Whatever their traits may be, your goal is to create a structure that supports them and motivates them based on who they are. Allow your people to work in ways that complement their motivations, and watch the results flow in as accountability becomes less of a chore, and more of a joy.

Give and receive feedback frequently The feedback loop is where accountability truly flourishes. When you set expectations, the best way that you can ensure they are being met is through consistent check-ins with your people. Giving feedback can be difficult at first, but the data is on your side—96% of employees agree that regular feedback is a good thing. With consistent, constructive feedback, there are no surprises. Your people know where they stand and what they should start or stop doing. You have an outlet to understand whether your expectations are being met. In addition, allow your employees room to express any feedback they may have for you as a leader. Many people are reluctant to share their thoughts on their peers and leaders, which leaves lots of valuable information lost on the leaders who need it. Give them a platform to express those thoughts and let them know it’s safe. Don’t leave feedback for end-of-year reviews. Don’t even let it be quarterly. We find that a monthly cadence of mutual feedback works very well for our employees and those of our clients—try it out!

Demonstrate empathy

Show your people that you care about them, and they will show that they care about you. When you notice someone falling behind on performance or failing to meet the expectations you’ve set, there’s always a reason. Noticing it is the easy part; the hard part comes after. Offer support to them, have a candid one-on-one, and find out what’s going on. You might find that they are dealing with something personally or professionally that’s getting in their way. Identify the roadblock and do what you can to alleviate it.

The bottom line

Accountability doesn’t happen on its own—it’s something that effective leaders actively cultivate. When leaders approach their teams with empathy, consistency and respect, they create an environment where accountability is less of a mandate and more of a shared responsibility. The result? A team that doesn’t just meet expectations, but blows them out of the water, with passion and purpose driving every step.

Joe Kiedinger is founder and chief executive officer of Dignify. Contact Joe at joek@dignify.com

IceStriker™ 1200-8000 AM/CM Combi spreaders for trucks

SPRAYSTRIKER™ 500-3250 HFE-SERIES

DE-ICING SPRAYERS FOR TRUCKS

• Liquid tank capacity: 500-3250 gal

•Fully electric 12V & 24V

•Dual Hi-Flow pumps with spray bar output of 20-40 gal/min

•StrikeSmart™ controller with GPS speed control, standard

•HTrack™ 2-way online tracking and control system, standard

• Automatic pre-treat and post-treat

• Poly hopper capacity: 1.2-8.0 cu yd

•Fully electric 12V & 24V

• StrikeSmart™ controller with GPS speed control, standard

•HTrack™ 2-way online tracking and control system, standard

• Integrated liquid tanks, 120-370 gal

StrikeSmart™ Plus control system

Real-time weather forecast & spreading rate recommendations