JUNE 2022
By Mike Rorie
Cheryl Higley
Angela Cenzalli,
Patrick White
48 Future focus
Outline expectations, role progression to show team members the possibilities By Grant Harrison
50 Guaranteed 40
Stable, full-time paychecks help slow turnover, build loyalty By Josh Flynn
52 Beyond the uniform
Assisting with non-work challenges shows concern for team’s well-being By Mike McCarron
54 Think like an owner Outdoor Pride Landscaping takes “one team” to heart with commitment to open book management By Cheryl Higley
60 Flip the script
Reviewing leaders’ performance gives employees a voice and buy-in By Josh Howver, ASM
Safety project takes center stage
By CHERYL HIGLEY
SIMA’s vision for the industry is that snow and ice management professionals, and those who benefit from their services, adhere to the highest industry standards. One of those standards lies at the heart of every successful snow and ice operation: safety.
SIMA’s commitment to safety has taken many forms over the years — in-person and online courses, downloadable documents, Snow Business stories, videos and more. We are in the early stages of what will be an exciting project that will bring many of those resources — and new ones — together in a more cohesive, comprehensive package for easier access and training.
We’ll be coming at this project from two perspectives: ownership/management and field teams.
Company deliverables
For any safety program to succeed, the desire to create a safe environment for your employees and clients (and their customers) must start at the top. We hope to make the lift a little easier by establishing best practices for implementing safety initiatives at the company level.
We also understand that promoting your company’s safety standards can be helpful for insurance and client purposes. Our goal is to establish a way to not only recognize SIMA members
How can you help?
Take our short safety survey (scan the QR code at right). We need honest feedback, so we won’t ask for company names.
SNOW TRAINING FREE TRIAL RUN
While you await SIMA’s new safety program, we’re bringing back our snow training free trial run this fall. SIMA members can access a trial run of SIMA’s All-Access Pass for no additional fee. Last year, more than 30 companies took advantage of this offer to introduce snowplow operators to basic snow plowing principles and general techniques through the Snow Plowing Safety & Preparation video.
Access for all part-time or full-time employees to this video is easy. No logins or registrations are required. Companies will receive a custom dashboard that will include quiz verification and automated reporting of results.
Request your trial run at https://bit.ly/SIMATrial or email Manager of Membership & Development Chris Dix at chris@sima.org.
who are committed to safety but also to elevate the industry’s professional image, as well. We’ll develop and/ or refresh marketing materials that companies can use to showcase to insurance stakeholders why they’re a “good risk.”
Safety components are embedded in SIMA’s Best Companies to Work for in Snow & Ice award. We’ll be creating a similar safety “report card” for companies to complete each year. Companies that meet or exceed the scoring threshold will receive recognition for their efforts.
Employee
deliverables
The foundation of the new safety
Give your time as a member of the stakeholder group that we’ll convene as we draft best practices and program details. Complete the form at www.sima.org/volunteer.and choose “task force” from the list of options.
program will be a series of short, focused training videos designed to educate and inform employees. They’ll test their knowledge and upon successful completion will receive a certificate. Management will receive results so they know who has successfully completed the program and who may need additional training. The videos will be coupled with robust resources to help employees stay safe all snow season long.
The new safety program will pair nicely with other SIMA training components, like the digital training video series, downloadable Tear & Teach documents, and even potential in-person events to teach and reinforce the concepts.
We are very early in the process; and as you can see, this is going to be an ambitious undertaking. We ask for your patience and participation if you’re able as we begin our new safety journey. Stay tuned to Snow Business for updates as our work progresses.
Cheryl Higley is Director of Education & Content for SIMA. Contact her at 262-236-9972 or cheryl@sima.org.
THE MID-SIZED CHAMPION
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Keep the lots clear and operators happy. With CASE. CaseCE.com/Snow
EDITORIAL
Director of Education & Content
Cheryl Higley // 262-236-9972 // cheryl@sima.org
Design & Production Director Lisa Lehman // 216-798-1853 // lisa@sima.org
ADVERTISING SALES & MANAGEMENT
Senior Manager, Engagement and Business Development
Kerri Joseph // 614-557-3948 // kerri@sima.org
DIGITAL MEDIA & MARKETING
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Stephanie Orvis // 262-236-9948 // steph@sima.org
SUBSCRIPTION
Subscription questions/cancellations: cs@e-circ.net
Subscription changes/updates: sima.org/subscription
EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Charmaine Allen Allen Builders
Nichole Ashton North Country Snow & Ice Management
Erin Faupel, ASM ULS Landscaping
Jim Hornung Jr., CSP Elbers Landscape Service
Tyler Jabaay Priority Landscape & Maintenance
Rick Kier, CSP Forge Ahead Consulting and Software LLC
Bob Marks, CSP, ASM emi landscape
William Moore, CSP, ASM Executive Property Maintenance
10140 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, WI 53092 414-375-1940 // info@sima.org // www.sima.org
Chief Executive Officer
Martin Tirado, CAE // martin@sima.org
Chief Operating Officer
Brian Birch, CAE // brian@sima.org
Director of Events
Heather Carew, CAE // heather@sima.org
Manager, Education & Credentials
Ellen Lobello // ellen@sima.org
Manager, Member Development chris@sima.org
Jason Ostrander, CSP East End Group
Thomas Skuta, CSP USM
Kevin Speilman Nxgen Networks Inc.
Robert Young K.E.Y. Property Services
Michael Wagner, CSP Colorado Designscapes Co.
Manager, Finance & Operations
KC Hallgren // kc@sima.org
Manager, Billing & Member Services Aimee Krzywicki // aimee@sima.org
Office Manager & Executive Assistant
Nikki Luedtke // nikki@sima.org
Business Process Analyst Nakishia Lee // nakishia@sima.org
SIMA OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
Board Chair: Jonathan Crandall, CSP, JC Grounds Management
Immediate Past Chair: Wayne Michalak, CSP, cutmytreedown.com
Vice Chair: Mark Arthofer, CSP, Skyline Construction
Secretary / Treasurer: David Wescott, CSP, Transblue Ruben Diaz, ASM, Diaz Group LLC
Connie Gaul, ASM, Brightview Enterprise Solutions
Patrick Kane, CSP, Evercor Facility Management
Chris Hinton, CSP, GRM Inc.
Danny Milligan, ASM, Strathmore Landscape Contractors
John Janes, CSP, ASM, Caterpillar Debora Babin Katz, TrucBrush Corporation
(5730) (ISSN 2155-2576) Copyright © 2022 by the Snow & Ice Management Association, 10140 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon, WI 53092 is produced and published February, April, June, August, September, October, December by the Snow & Ice Management Association. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without permission of the Publisher, SIMA – Snow & Ice Management Association. Subscribe at SIMA.org/subscribe. Periodicals postage prices is paid at Mequon, WI, and additional entry offices at 11716 S. Preston Hwy, Lebanon Junction, KY 40150-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Snow Business – PO Box 8818, Lowell, MA 01853.
SIMA STAFF
WORTH THE WEIGHT
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• Powder-coated or stainless steel options available
• LED or dual-halogen INTENSIFIRE ™ headlight options available
• 0.7 cubic yard capacity
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• Dual variable-speed control
• Accessory integration, including the 50-gallon direct liquid application kit
SIMA amps up customer service options
SIMA strives to help our members and industry stakeholders grow and be successful; and we are doubling down on that customer service in 2022!
With investments in new online technologies, SIMA will be able to be more responsive when you have questions or need help. This will happen in three major ways:
Self-service help 24/7
Using our newly launched Help Center at help.sima.org/ knowledge , you can search and find answers to many commonly asked questions, as well as find our updated policies related to event registration, privacy, code of ethics, and more!
• What are SIMA’s privacy policies for personal information?
The Help Center is organized into major categories, and all articles are also tagged with one or more keywords to make them easy to find. Each article is framed as a question, like:
• What should I expect if I am joining SIMA for the first time?
• How do I access on-demand member courses?
• How does SIMA’s Annual Training Video Series work?
• What is a SIMA Snack & Chat?
Answers are simple to follow, with videos, images and tips as needed. We will continue to create more helpful articles in the Help Center to make this resource even more valuable.
Let’s chat
We are also ramping up the use of our sima.org website chat, which we launched in 2021. You can get help from SIMA in real-time, typically during normal business hours. If
SIMA LAUNCHES EASYPAY PILOT
In mid-2022, SIMA is launching SIMA EasyPay, a new monthly membership payment option. We have heard from many customers that paying dues automatically each month would be a helpful way for newer and smaller companies in the industry to join and maintain their membership with SIMA over time. The snow industry is a seasonal business, and it may be hard to prioritize investments of hard-earned money toward a SIMA membership. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible to sign up for EasyPay and automate the monthly renewal process so that members can focus on taking advantage of the benefits of SIMA rather than worrying about whether they paid their dues.
we aren’t available, the chat can help collect a little information and automatically queue you up for a follow-up.
Since we have a variety of stakeholders, from snow contractors to snow suppliers, the web chat in 2022 will get an upgrade with a series of simple questions that will help you get the answer you need, as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Still have an issue? Ticket time!
Finally, we have implemented a help ticket feature for you to submit related to a question, technical issue or problem you need help solving. This process will be managed by several internal SIMA teams, making sure that any needs that may take a little time to resolve are addressed and completed. You can submit a ticket anytime via the Help Center or our new Customer Portal.
While these tools will be useful for you, they will also provide SIMA with a comprehensive view of your needs, challenges and requests. This will enhance our ability to be responsive, make strategic decisions about products and services, and much more.
EasyPay members will still have access to all SIMA member benefits, including:
• $200 Training Commitment: Use this credit toward our Advanced Snow Manager or Certified Snow Professional programs. It renews with your membership each year!
• Training Ready to Go: 40+ on-demand courses to elevate business and operational skills.
• Real-world Resources: Template contracts, production rates, operations & safety downloads and more to power your business.
If you are interested in being part of the pilot program, email Chris Dix, SIMA’S manager of membership and development, at Chris@sima.org.
FREE COMPASS NETWORK FOR MEMBERS
JULY 21
Business Process Efficiencies
Steve Steele, Bruce Wilson & Company
AUGUST 18
SIMA is always looking for ways to maximize benefits for our members. We don’t want cost or time to be a barrier to quality education and networking so in April we shifted strategy for the 2022 Compass Network. Thanks to sponsors Fisher Engineering, Western Products and VSI, we are able to offer SIMA members free access to all five virtual events in 2022
While the events are free, you will still need to RSVP. You can bring as many people as you’d like to each event, and switch participants based on topic. The remaining sessions, all of which include small-group interactions and takeaways, are:
Empower Your Team with Effective Leadership Skills
Laurie Brown, Laurie Brown Communications
SEPTEMBER 15
Grow Confidently using the Rockefeller Habits
Joe Kiedinger, Prophit Inc.
RSVP for the remaining events and gain access to past sessions at www.sima.org/compass-network
August 8-9, 2022
Omni Barton Creek Resort Austin, Texas
Recharge your batteries and refocus on critical outcomes that help build successful, resilient businesses — all while enjoying the company of likeminded leaders who understand the stress and challenge of snow. www.sima.org/leadership
ISSUE #2: FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY
PROCESSES > SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
Many people believe that software solves problems. In actuality, it is solid processes that solve problems and create consistent results. Implementing software without standard processes in place often results in greater chaos. As you grow, consider how the two work together as you seek solutions to expedite tasks.
Software benefits
The role of software in a business application is to increase the speed at which tasks can be completed and increase the volume of those tasks completed at the same time. Today’s software is often configurable to a certain degree, allowing it to perform certain tasks in more than one way. The greater the flexibility of the software, the more tasks it can be leveraged to automate; but the implementor must have a clear process to execute the use case for the software to complete the task correctly.
Regardless of the task (e.g., invoicing, payroll review, estimate generation, etc.), a defined standard process – not the software – creates efficiency. Without the processes in place, the software will simply increase the speed at which your team can create erroneous data.
Prep first, then implement
A lot of software companies will tell you that it will take 3-4 months to implement their software. While I agree with that timeline, it doesn’t begin until a set of defined standard processes exist. Otherwise, you will spend an incalculable number of months post-implementation cleaning up the
TECHNOLOGY GAME PLAN
mess of data that will be created by increasing the speed of tasking without ensuring everyone is doing things the same way for the same reason.
Spend the time to define how things should get done first; compare that to the ways the software might work; and then determine a final process that is compatible with the system as you begin to implement. The middle step is important for those who already have processes in place. Not all processes can be accommodated by every system. Most “off-the-shelf” solutions come with limitations to executing tasks. This means you may have to adjust your process to accommodate the system.
If you plan to adopt new technology and software in your business, don’t get caught up in flashy silver discs that promise to solve all your problems. Focus first on the process(es) within your business to standardize and document the way things get done. Then find a software that fits well with automating those processes. In the end, this approach will help you increase your team’s capacity and provide efficient, effective, consistent results.
David Gallagher is principal of Spiritus Business Advisors and has helped companies define and implement software solutions for 15 years. Email him at david@spiritusba.com.
Common areas where software solutions can make a difference:
Before investing in software, apps or other technologies, outline the data you need to track and look closely at your most redundant daily functions. A solution that will add speed, value, accuracy and financial gain to your business is worth considering. Select the top two or three areas that you would like to improve and research what products and opportunities are available to help you address these items.
Ensure your choice supports your needs and that using it doesn’t create more work instead of less. Keep in mind ease of use, customer support, availability of technology updates and availability of user training for employees. Not every solution is right for every company. Don’t jump quickly until you evaluate whether it’s a good fit and you can justify the ROI.
• Payroll
• Mobile time tracking
• Fleet tracking
• Managing and tracking remote workers or subcontractors
• Work orders
• Human resources
• Property measurement
• Customer relationship management (CRM)
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP), which ties most, if not all, of these items together
SOCIAL INFLUENCES
Build brand awareness and customer awareness online
Start with a strategy
There is no escaping the fact that today’s consumers (i.e., your potential clients) are more reliant on websites and social marketing in their decision-making processes than they have ever been. For contractors to market effectively, web presence and a social media strategy are paramount.
Your website is your chance to make the best first impression. Without a web presence, you’re missing out on opportunities to capture business as more and more customers are turning to internet searches to find service providers.
A complementary component to your web presence is your social media strategy. Here is an overview of the top platforms for newer companies and how to boost your brand and customer experience on each:
Use your personal profile to make connections and share and discuss relevant topics with like-minded snow professionals. Use your LinkedIn business page to post updates about your business and the industry. Tip: Follow SIMA’s LinkedIn page for key industry updates!
Especially for a smaller company, Facebook is a good place to start with a company page. Many local customers reach out to businesses through Facebook instead of phone or email. Promote your page and use it to showcase your company, engage with customers and build relationships. Tip: Keep your personal and your company accounts separate.
You might not think much about Instagram beyond your personal use, but as the fastestgrowing social network, millions of people are using it every day. This naturally creates an opportunity for businesses. The images and videos we capture in this industry are perfect for the platform — especially during a snow event.
This platform is ideal to provide service updates to clients and visually show your teams in action. Our industry is actually perfect for breaking news (about the weather), and interesting photos and videos (who doesn’t love big iron in action!) that are exactly the sort of things that can quickly “go viral” or get enormous exposure.
TikTok
This platform isn’t just for the latest dance-offs or TikTok challenge. Done well, it’s an opportunity to showcase your brand in a fun, entertaining way.
PROTECT YOUR ONLINE REPUTATION
Customers are increasingly searching online to find and rate their snow and ice management service provider. It is crucial that you take control of how your business appears online. When it comes to the effects of mismanaging your company’s reputation, it can be like hitting a patch of black ice out on the open road; you never see the worst coming, but when it happens, it’s out of your control. It’s not just about protecting your good name, either. Improving your rating and review scores online can dramatically increase your revenues.
Consistently solicit reviews. After every invoice, personally ask your customer to leave a review on your website or profile. The more often customers leave reviews, the less likely one poor one will hurt you.
Monitor major profiles. Getting a bad review or public complaint will happen, so it’s important that you constantly monitor what is being said about your company on your business profiles and social networks. If something negative is posted, respond in a positive, professional, pleasant manner. Invite anyone with an issue to contact you privately; and for everyone else, thank them for the insight, express appreciation for their attention and answer their questions.
Have a plan for negative reviews. Be quick with a response to any online complaints. Always look to acknowledge that the company cares and will look into the matter. Never duke it out in public with a customer. You both leave with black eyes.
Don’t forget to promote positive. Every time a customer leaves a positive review it is an opportunity for you to promote those kudos through other channels such as your website, newsletters and social media.
TIPS: IMPROVE YOUR SOCIAL PRESENCE
• Use images and videos in your posts. Content with relevant images leads to 94% more shares than similar content without images.
• Everything you share should be relevant to your company/clients, but that doesn’t mean it should be all about you. You want to be seen as a reliable information source, but that doesn’t mean only posting about how great your company is at managing snow.
RESOURCE:
4 Ways Your Digital Presence Can Clear a Path to new Customers. Learn more about website best practices, search engine optimization, business profiles, advertising and more.
https://tinyurl.com/snowexdigitalpath
TECH MAKES SERVICE VERIFICATION EASIER
Service verification…it’s a process that you can’t live without in today’s snow and ice management world. Your customers demand it; and your business will be better off for it.
Don’t mistake service verification as just service documentation. As you evaluate your service verification systems, consider how your processes drive your business forward in the following areas: client accountability, billing and payroll management, risk management, production rate/job costing, and strategic differentiation.
And before you think that service verification is too complex or costly to undertake, know that technology can make the process easier and more accurate. Following are some tech tools to consider implementing:
Photos and videos
Preseason photographs and reporting create a baseline for how the property has been maintained. They expose needed repairs and/or potential hazards, immediately reducing the risk that an incident becomes your responsibility. In season, documentation validates services rendered and demonstrates a pattern of reasonable care.
The cloud
Use the cloud as a virtual file cabinet, where multiple users can access forms, upload photos and video, and more – anytime, anywhere.
GPS
Track your team’s progress in real time, schedule and dispatch, sync to invoice systems, and allow customers to monitor progress to improve customer service and operational efficiencies. The highest use of GPS systems can even show when plows drop, spreaders engage, etc., to verify service.
Visit www.sima.org/startup for all Snow Startup resources
Time clock technology
No more manual timesheets that are incomplete, incorrect or crumpled on the floorboard of the plow truck. There are several relatively inexpensive solutions available that provide trusted payroll information in real-time – and can prove when your crew arrived and departed the site.
Smartphones & apps
Texts, photos and video capabilities allow improved communication and documentation. Apps can be used to improve reporting and tracking, often in real-time.
Geofencing
Consider digital mapping technologies that offer geofencing, which creates a virtual barrier that allows people to see activity on site and improve service documentation.
Visit www.sima.org/startup for all Snow Startup resources.
MAKE YOUR MARK
Everything you’ve built—your reputation—rests on the quality of your work. Protect your work and make your mark with the Drop Pro™ lineup, only from SnowEx®. Our purpose-built, patented-technology drop spreaders provide a constant flow of material precisely where you want it, the way you want it. Assuring pathways are clear, customers are safe and the reputation you’ve earned stays intact.
DROP PRO 250 & 600
• 2.5 cu ft and 6.0 cu ft capacities
• Designed for UTVs, compact tractors, and wheel loaders
• 600 model available in both poly and stainless steel options
• Variable-speed control precisely matches material delivery rate to conditions
• Purposefully designed with a 36" spread width for sidewalk applications to minimize material waste and prevent damage to green spaces
DROP PRO 1400
• 14.0 cu ft capacity with 48" spread width
• Purpose-built for tractors and compact trucks
• Features a unique material distribution shaft vibrator for maximum spreading consistency
• The variable-speed digital control allows for precise adjustment of the material feed rate and self diagnoses for simplified troubleshooting
Training & Professional Development
Martyn Church, CSP, ASM, founder of Eco Snow Removal in Colorado, shares his approach to an often-overlooked component of training – stress management and mental wellness. He believes that improved focus in this area will naturally translate to better service; healthier and happier team members; and satisfied clients.
• Training and insurance: Page 20
• Building a tailgate talk program: Page 22
• On-the-job training best practices: Page 24
Manager Effectiveness
Level Green Landscaping, headquartered in Maryland, has built a very diverse team – not intentionally but successfully, nonetheless.
Founder Douglass Delano shares the benefits of embracing inclusion, and two managers weigh in on how the industry can be more open and proactive in attracting people seeking rewarding careers.
• Trust, systems and education: Page 12
• Emotional intelligence: Page 32
• Measure great work: Page 36
Industry standouts focus on trust, training, empowerment and effective management
This issue of Snow Business centers around the four pillars of SIMA’s Best Companies to Work for in Snow & Ice award. We’re highlighting four companies doing what it takes to build outstanding cultures that consider the person behind the uniform. That focus not only benefits the team members but also helps the company succeed. Plus, several snow professionals and industry stakeholders weigh in with practical advice for building a best-in-class company.
Employee Engagement & Support
How you communicate your value proposition to potential and existing team members can set you apart in a highly competitive job market. At Rocky Fork Company in Ohio, President Amy Tincher focuses on communicating the value of benefits other than the hourly wage; and it’s paying off.
Trust in Leadership
Outdoor Pride Landscaping President Mark Aquilino encourages his team to think like an owner. It’s just one benefit of implementing open book management at the New Hampshire-based company. What started as a way to streamline a bonus structure has evolved into a transformational experience that bolsters Outdoor Pride’s #oneteam mantra.
• Assessing company leadership: Page 60 38
• Paying a living wage: Page 46
• Career ladders: Page 48
• Guaranteed 40-hour weeks: Page 50
• Life skills training: Page 52
Cream of the crop
Best of the best use trust, systems and education to rise to the top
By MIKE RORIE
SIMA has identified four key characteristics that the best companies in the snow and ice industry have in common: trust in leadership, training and personal development, management effectiveness, and personnel engagement and support.
Throughout my four decades in the industry, I’ve learned valuable, actionable steps you can take in these categories to work toward building your company to be the best.
Establish accountability and trust
Trust in those you are dealing with is the No. 1 ingredient to creating and maintaining a healthy, sustainable business. Achieving the highest level of success in an organization hinges on all employees – starting with the owners and organizational leadership – being held to a high level of trust and accountability.
As an owner or leader, ask your team questions like “Am I doing what I said I would do to support you?”
This lets the team know that you are willing to be held accountable and are interested in their feedback. In turn, leadership is able to ask the workforce and management to be equally accountable for their responsibilities. When an organization holds itself accountable from top to bottom, it becomes easier to build trust within the team and with customers as everyone understands the importance of being professional at all times and doing work they’re proud of.
This doesn’t mean that you will be perfect at all times throughout the complex sales and service cycle, but it keeps everyone on the same page. Honesty and accountability allow your team to diagnose problems and prevent them from reoccurring.
No matter whether you’re working with your team, a supplier or a customer, a high level of trust and integrity produces a greater chance of successful and sustainable outcomes.
Unlock the hidden value
The best HR dollars you can spend will be those allocated to creating a formal learning culture. A great place to start is a 30-day training program to get new employees acclimated to your organization. This helps with team building and lets them
feel valued. I recommend a mentorship program as well, where new employees are assigned a senior employee, who is not their boss, to help them develop in their roles. This helps build a culture of growth and creates a supportive workplace.
When you find people who want to contribute to your vision and work consistently toward the company’s goals, you need to invest in their training and professional development. When employees receive your attention and investment, they have the tools, knowledge and support to uphold high standards. This allows them to make a greater contribution to your organization and allows you to reward them accordingly, which is a win-win for everyone involved.
Once the team member takes on a highly accountable attitude and tries their best, the work becomes fun and very fulfilling – boosting retainment. Nobody wants to leave and be a superstar at another company while surrounded by people who do not have the same standards. The training and development you provide helps you develop 30-year company veterans who can work their way up to be leaders for the next generation.
Investing in your team at all levels takes effort and energy, but the rewards far exceed the alternative of failing to invest and dealing with constant employee turnover.
Systemize and optimize
Does your management team have the proper structure and formation to operate the company effectively? Have you provided them with the correct information that they need to be productive and proactive? Have you invested in tools to help your team succeed?
The beauty of the industry today,
unlike when I started in the ’80s, is that there are unlimited software solutions that can perform the bulk of the day-to-day heavy lifting throughout your business. They also act as a single source of truth for your company and help you review your performance and identify areas of improvement.
Once you have these pieces in place, you should be able to identify your company’s key performance indicators (KPIs). When information becomes transparent, decision-making becomes far less subjective. Then, your highly capable and committed senior-level leaders can more easily work on a business plan that aligns company efforts with meeting those KPIs.
This helps your leaders perform their day-to-day jobs more efficiently and enables them to focus on
activities that actually scale your business, such as the training and development program I mentioned earlier, or new business initiatives that can help you grow.
Start small, win big
Working toward being the best sets a high bar and a great standard for your company. Taking small steps toward implementing the ideas I mentioned here is a good way to start. What can you do today that can help your company be the best?
Mike Rorie has been a participant in the snow and ice industry for nearly four decades. He sold his company GIS Dynamics, creators of Go iLawn and Go iPave, to Aspire Software in 2021 to continue evolving both products for contractors. He remains an active participant and leader in the industry and is a board member for GroundSystems, Inc. in Cincinnati, OH.
SIMA 2022 LEADERSHIP FORUM
Mike Rorie will be a featured speaker at SIMA’s 2nd Annual Leadership Forum, August 8-9, 2022, in Austin, TX. Don’t miss the chance to network with the industry’s best in an intimate setting and prepare for the start of the winter season. Learn more at www.sima.org/leadership.
it’s ok to take 5
Meditation, healing practices guide Martyn Church to be a better leader
BY CHERYL HIGLEY
Photos by Marla Rutherford
LOOKING INWARD
Whether it’s a planned group exercise or just taking a few minutes to step away from a stressful situation, Eco Snow Removal’s team sees the benefits to mindfulness and stress management.
ECO SNOW REMOVAL founder Martyn Church, CSP, ASM, epitomizes the laidback vibe that comes from living in Boulder, CO – the city National Geographic once named the “Happiest City in the United States.”
That positive outlook has served Church well since starting a snow company in 2011 – and then it didn’t snow. Owning a small business, especially a seasonal one, is hard. Church says that after the first 5 or 6 years, he was ready to call it quits, until advice from an industry
TRAINING & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
peer and a life-changing experience with a Native American spiritual guide gave him the clarity he needed to keep going.
“It was only when I really focused on myself and looked inward did the business start to thrive,” he says. “It allowed better clarity to communicate with clients, the staff and to have a relationship with the business that wasn’t spiteful anymore.”
Since then, Church has sought to reduce the stress that comes with running a business by embracing mindfulness techniques such as meditation and sound healing.
Continued on next page
Have an open mind
Church was introduced to sound healing through his wife, Jess. She had been taking classes and asked for a Himalayan singing bowl for her birthday.
“I had no clue what that was but met a wonderful Nepali family just a mile down the road with a warehouse full of bowls. I was enamored with the energy that was there,” he says.
Church bought a book and a bowl and was hooked. He began studying under master teacher Suren Shrestha and is now a certified sound healing practitioner.
“I had tried or thought I knew how to meditate; it’s not an easy thing to do. When I read the book and how to use the bowl, it changed something for me.”
Don’t dismiss the impact
If you’re skeptical, you’re not the first. Church knows it may be looked at as a “hippy thing to do,” but meditation has been around for thousands of years. Plus, stress and anxiety have been proven to have negative impacts on your health. So, what’s the harm?
“Most mornings, I do a 5- to 10-minute meditation. But on those days when there’s a snowstorm, everything’s going a mile a minute. I’m focused on the staff, the equipment, the weather, making sure clients have what they need, etc.,” he says. “For me, it’s having the knowledge to stop yourself and say, ‘I need 5 minutes. I can’t focus.’ I take a few deep breaths, close my eyes and empty my mind. Whether it’s purposeful or a 2-minute check in, it helps me stay calm.” Taking
it to the team
Church extends his take-5 approach to his team, giving them the power to recognize when they are overwhelmed or feel an escalation of a disagreement coming.
“No one takes the time to take a pause. It’s better to walk away and then come back. If you’re struggling to work out a problem, walk away and think systematically,” he says.
While meditation isn’t part of daily training at Eco Snow Removal, the team stretches before beginning the day; and Church encourages a
Continued on page 18
THE INFLUENCERS: A shopping trip for a birthday gift transformed Martyn Church’s outlook on life when he met Suren Shrestha (left) and began learning about sound healing.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTYN CHURCH
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Continued from page 16
focus on mindfulness, visualizing the work that needs to be done. He says encouraging self-awareness by setting an example is just as beneficial.
“Watching me has helped them more than me doing meditation with them. When the staff and field people see how you interact and remain calm, they strive to be more intentional,” he says.
He uses his general manager, Abraham Hernandez, as an example of how Church’s approach has rubbed off.
“Before, if someone messed up, he’d be mad at himself and at the staff member. [Since beginning meditation practice] it’s changed how he handles those stressful situations. It allows him to reflect and think of solutions versus reacting in the heat of the moment,” he says.
Church believes that building stress management concepts into a training program is just as important as the operational training most companies tend to focus on.
When you promote stress management concepts to employees and managers, there is less frustration, less anger. There’s less rushing, fewer accidents.”
—MARTYN CHURCH, CSP, ASM, OWNER OF ECO SNOW REMOVAL
“There are so many benefits to building this into your program. You don’t have to be a big spiritual guru or master of meditation to gain the benefits. When you promote stress management concepts to employees and managers, there is less frustration, less anger. There’s less rushing, fewer accidents,” he says. “When people are more present
in what they’re doing, the job is done better; done safer; the finished product is better; and people enjoy what they’re doing. How can you not benefit from a calmer, happier staff?”
Cheryl Higley is Director of Education & Content. Contact her at 262-236-9972 or email cheryl@sima.org.
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risk reduction
Implementing training, best practices can boost your insurability
By JACK DEMSKI
Let’s talk about one of the most important topics in risk mitigation and insurance today: trainings! The knowledge base of our employees is how we can differentiate from the competition, while establishing operational standards for our best practices and building the safety culture that will enable us all to go home safely after a long day. Here is a deeper dive into some of the readily available options you have at your disposal:
Employee handbooks
This is by far the most underutilized tool that organizations have to protect their employees, set internal standards, outline common expectations, and guard themselves from lawsuits. This tool is your personalized rule book for employment.
These everchanging and adapting handbooks are often only shared once with new employees, who sign off that they read and understood the content faster than any human can even turn the pages. Employee handbooks should, however, be reviewed for compliance and alterations annually by an HR professional service or internal staff, then redistributed to the entire workforce and signed after reading. These “contract” terms are the rules for employment and will detail the working guidelines and expectations for the business’ culture.
Some great examples of policy changes that can really protect your organization are:
Cell phone use policy. Outlines when and how personal cell phones can be used for the workplace. Most commonly we want everyone to understand safe driving habits and that major repercussions can come from using a device while operating equipment.
Covid-19 testing policy. Hopefully this one will be phasing out soon, if it has not already by the time you read this article; but many lawsuits and random testing issues have arisen out of misinformed protocols and wavering standards.
Employee
standardized training
If you have ever heard the words CPR or cyber awareness, then you may have witnessed a standard training or an educational video. These are generic and can be applied to all employees and across many industries. While they
may not always be the most useful for a specialized task, they are seen as “Best in Class” in the insurance industry; and companies that take the time to onboard employees with general trainings often see a higher ROI on the employee than ones who skip over the standard trainings. Plus, cyber awareness training can help you with a discounted rate on your cyber insurance and help better protect your business by educating the workforce on the tips and tricks that cyber criminals use.
Employee specialized training
Here is where the biggest returns are utilized, and the biggest costs are incurred. These trainings are industry and career specific. Some of the best examples would be SIMA’s Certified Snow Professional or Advanced Snow Management credentials, along with other industry accreditations. These designations and advanced trainings are how we can set ourselves apart from the many competitors within the
industry. They also help to increase our employees’ value to the organization, while increasing the general commitment the employee perceives to their own development and future within the company. The many benefits of pursuing higher education and specialized trainings can include:
• Higher standards for employees by increasing the baseline knowledge level and expectations.
• Longer employee tenure thanks to a loyalty and partnership that both parties benefit from.
• Best practices and “Best Places to Work” awards usually follow companies that invest in their workforce, which then leads to a higher capacity for attracting future talent from the employment pool.
• An elevated safety culture can easily be achieved with higher education and more hands-on trainings to help employees avoid high-risk situations.
• A better customer experience is associated with higher levels of specialization and overall task training.
• Raising the bar for your competitors and making it easier to bring in new clients.
Test courses/practice training
These trainings are by far the most fun for all involved and have the best on-the-job impact. By setting up a test course or a video recording and surveillance of the overall operation, we can use a practice setting to evaluate performances and familiarize employees with equipment operations and physical tasks. Some companies even add a competitive advantage like timing or judging for safety and precautions during the training. A few great examples we have seen executed very well are:
• Ride-along driver assessments
• Vendor equipment rental training days
• Internal practice course competitions
• Video recording dash-cams for onsite operations with driver reviews post-incident
• Safety incentives for claims-free performances
While these options provide a better safety focused environment for all employees, they can also be done in fun ways with ongoing safety scores, time trials and teambased competitions that help to train the workforce on their critical tasks in an entertaining environment.
Analyze trends and adapt
No two winters will ever bring the same problems, and that is why we need to constantly improve and empower our employees to reach new levels.
Here is where an annual claims review with your insurance agent or insurance provider can benefit you the most, since they will be able to point out trends or reoccurring issues that need to be addressed, either immediately or in the off-season. They can also identify training providers, partnerships, virtual materials or additional consultants to help you get a handle on any risk management or claims issues you may be having.
Be open with them and never feel too afraid to ask for
help; it is always better to proactively analyze or plan for claims than to dig out of a hole. It also helps to encourage your insurance company to visit you and see how the operations work during the winter at a jobsite and during the off-season for trainings and high-level discussions.
Some insurance companies will even work with you to host safety events, employee education lunches and advertise their safety services for you to utilize. This all adds to your business’ marketability and can be used to create a demand for your insurance to be placed or renewed with insurance companies, which can create a very nice savings while having some fun.
Lastly, your company’s data is yours, and you have a right to ask for a loss history or claims review whenever you want. Best-in-class companies will often review their claims internally on an annual basis and again with their insurance broker or company.
Continue to compile your data and analyze it with your chosen circles so we can contribute to building and designing a better future for all.
Jack Demski is a licensed commercial insurance advisor with Ansay & Associates, specializing in risk management for snow and land contracting. Contact him at Jack.Demski@ansay.com or 414-491-5918.
HUDDLE UP
Building tailgate talks with purpose and thought adds training value
By PHILL SEXTON, CSP, ASM
Tailgate talks. Admit it; the second you read those two words, your mind went to thoughts like, “Oh my, I need to figure out what to talk about or type up for this week’s talk.” Or “BORING!”
Of course. That’s how I normally observe tailgate talks being perceived and prioritized at almost every company I work with.
The standard of policy for an effective tailgate talk program includes 1) a pre-developed 52-week curriculum, 2) pre-developed content for you and your trainers to deliver, and 3) designated trainers (teachers/ coaches) who have been trained to deliver the training. (This last category is also referred to as a “train the trainer” method of teaching.)
The recipe
The recipe for a meaningful and valuable tailgate training program requires that you prioritize these three primary objectives (ingredients): Outcome(s), Curriculum, and Content (including Verification).
Outcome(s)
Before you think about delivering any kind of training, first you need to clearly define the expected outcomes. Adult learners need to know the purpose and the expected outcome of any training you deliver.
For example: “Curb to curb” snow plowing and shoveling is a common standard I hear in the industry. To meet this standard, we first need to clearly define what it means, what it should look like and what methods are required to meet this standard of care. Too often I find people try to maintain this standard more often than is required during a storm rather than post-storm as a final cleanup operation. This creates a reduced productivity and profitability challenge.
Curriculum
Develop a list of topics that deserve consistent attention and make it a priority for these to be trained, reinforced and trained some more. This typically includes standard operating procedures, quality and productivity. Notice that I didn’t include safety, which is usually what tailgate talks are primarily geared toward.
Rather than think about safety
CURRICULUM POINTS: When developing tailgate talk training, every training should include safety, purpose, methods and techniques like RM Landscape (a WIT Collaborative Company) does in its “Daily Huddle.”
as its own topic, it should be an embedded priority that is taught in every training topic, whether it’s antiicing practices, plowing, sidewalk operations or deicing methods. Your cadence of curriculum should include four embedded topics: Safety, purpose, methods and techniques (see above).
Content
When you think about your target student or audience, consider how people learn (i.e., hearing, seeing and doing) and what motivates them to learn. Whatever training you develop
AUDIO
KINESTHETIC
and deliver, incorporate all three methods of learning.
The 2-3-5 rule. When you develop any kind of training, try to keep each topic to 10 minutes or less, as a guide. I recommend:
• 2 minutes to read instructions or ideas (auditory)
• 3 minutes to show someone how to do it (visual)
• 5 minutes to let someone do it (kinesthetic)
Develop and deliver your training in a manner that consistently connects these three ways that people learn; this will enable the training to be a) connectable, b) relatable, c) retained and, most importantly, d) practiced (implemented).
If necessary, repeat the training. My teaching experience has showed me that almost no one retains 100% of the information on the first try. There will be topics that may require more time. I recommend 20 minutes maximum will work within most people’s attention spans.
Learning motivation. Purpose + Passion = Motivation. It’s our job as the teachers and coaches to clearly identify the purpose of each training and tailor it to the learner’s passion (or sometimes lack of passion) for the topic. While the topic may inspire you, think about teaching those who would rather not be there. What are the simple rules to follow that will help keep a majority of your team motivated to learn?
1 Follow the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Silly) concept to earn people’s attention. Start with the reason(s) the training is important to understand, retain and implement.
2 Practice brevity to keep people’s attention. Keep it short and to the point. If possible, keep everyone standing to help people engage with their teammates and maintain high energy. Sitting causes us to get comfortable and pay less attention.
3 Answer the question: What’s in it for them? Does what you are teaching help them be safer, more promotable, more efficient (more free time) and more profitable (earn more $). Verification. Provide team members with an opportunity to verify that the training is understood by letting them “do it,” a form of kinesthetic learning. Provide tools to do the job and allow team members to share in the experience.
As you build your program, consider how you will assess that they retained what was taught, verify they are implementing what was taught, and check to be sure they are meeting the standard level of expectations you defined in the training. The best way to verify if what’s being taught is retained is by asking someone to repeat the process back
to you. Do this promptly (the same or next day), privately (so as not to embarrass the individual) and progressively (to reinforce and build upon the training).
In any learning environment, there will always be imperfection and opportunities to improve. Getting started and staying on task for 10 minutes a week at a minimum is a great start. Then think about how much more everyone will learn if you can work toward training 5-10 minutes a day. That would eventually equal at least 1,000 minutes, or over 16 hours, of training per person per year.
Phill Sexton, CSP, ASM has been developing, practicing and teaching Sustainable Winter Management (SWiM) standards for over 30 years. Contact him at psexton@witadvisers.com.
SIMA has several resources that can be used for tailgate talk program development:
• Downloadable Tear & Teach documents and safety cards are at my.sima.org
• Members-only courses are at train.sima.org
• Training videos are available for purchase at sima.org/videoseries
bridging the gaps
Accelerate learning retention with on-the-job training
By ANGELA CENZALLI, CSP, ASM
Finding qualified, talented staff in the snow and landscaping industry – frankly most trades – is more difficult than ever. Therefore, many companies are finding new recruits from “outside” the industry. These new recruits are widening the employment field, but that change is not without its challenges.
Not too long ago, employers only needed to “teach our way;” and now it seems that we must also develop basic life skills in addition to the technical skills needed to perform even the basic roles. Not only are new employees a challenge to train, but the younger workforce is coming to the field with less everyday life experience. The range of real-life experience that can form a baseline for skills and skills development barely exists. Bridging the needs of the employee and the employer can seem like a daunting task, and this is where on-the-job training (OTJ) can play a critical role.
OJT can be rolled out in different ways depending on the company but is most successful when combined with classroom, coaching and practical experience. Using OJT, the new employee can get to work faster and learn under actual conditions. The hands-on process can accelerate learning and the retention of tasks.
Training and working simultaneoåusly consumes less time and saves money. Finally, OJT facilitates team building and decreases the time a co-worker is considered the “new guy.”
Plan for consistency
When developing a training program, consistency and planning are critical to maximizing the learning experience. Consistency develops duplicatable habits, so classroom instruction should mirror actual field experience. Classroom time can lay the groundwork, and field work should hone the skillsets. In his article “Is Hands-On Learning Better?”, Jonathan Arnholz indicates that “by combining multiple styles of learning, the brain forms stronger overall connections and is able to store more relevant information.”
CLASSROOM + OTJ: On-the-job training should be prefaced with classroom training that reinforces the concepts. Ensuring consistency in messaging from classroom to the field is the key to success.
Documenting the training tasks and systems used to teach employees is critical to being consistent.
I recently worked with a company that was struggling to figure out why projects were not getting prepped the same way, resulting in a shortage of materials. By reviewing the projects and discussing with the crew foreman, it was impossible to identify the source of the discrepancy; however, a classroom exercise uncovered the source.
After giving each team the exact plan, the same measuring tool and asking them to provide square footage and quantities of materials, we found the source. Each team was calculating the irregular shapes differently, so the base preparation was slightly different. Although the calculation issues were small, when multiplied layer over layer it accounted for the discrepancies. How does this happen? The foremen were not working with the same formula for each phase of the project; and as each foreman taught the next person, they were perpetuating the discrepancies, instead of all working off the same formula.
Effective management tool
Gallup recently surveyed millennials and identified that today’s modern employee wants to learn and grow, and 87% of those surveyed said that professional development or career growth opportunities are very important to them in a job. OJT is a valuable practice that not only gives the trainee the opportunity to learn in a manner that is effective for them, but it also strengthens the skillsets of the trainer.
In this scenario, the trainer is your key asset. Not everyone is suitable to be a trainer; those who are have the potential to build confidence among the team and ultimately will develop skills to impart knowledge to others,
52%
of Americans listed active participation through hands-on training as the best learning method.
—LEARNING IN AMERICA STUDY, HARRIS INTERACTIVE
which can be contagious – ideally building a team in which they teach each other.
By facilitating growth for your team, you build confidence among your team. The success for this program depends on the trainers. Your best trainer may not be a supervisor. Look for attributes like a balanced temperament, positive attitude, a firm grasp on skills and, most important, patience.
OJT is a combination of coaching, instruction and experiential learning. The more confident the trainer, the more positive the experience for the trainee. Additionally, if you can rotate the employees through jobs and other trainers, the retention of information and the mastery of the skill will be accelerated even further.
Measuring success
The metrics for evaluating the retention of information and the ability to execute the tasks can be done in different ways and are truly necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the process and the trainers.
This can be as simple as observing the employee executing a specific task; a checklist; a written or oral quiz; or a more formal process with assessments, demonstrations and exams. It really is up to the company to determine the level of follow up. Evaluating the process and the individual will also highlight the need for changes, updates and retraining.
On-the-job training programs can accelerate the learning time, increase productivity and reduce friction between new employees and seasoned team members. Being part of the team and understanding the growth plan as a new employee will directly impact your employee retention and your recruitment process.
The American Upskilling Study reports that 65% of workers believe employer-provided upskilling is very important when evaluating a new job.
In today’s employment climate, the old-school methods of tossing the “new guy” in the truck and letting them figure it out must be thrown out. We must modernize our onboarding process and develop a comprehensive training program that teaches our trainers how to train, how to be effective communicators and how to engage employees from the beginning.
Angela Cenzalli, CSP, ASM, is founder of B-Mentors Consulting & Wellness Group. Contact her at angela@B-Mentors.com or 508-776-9270.
embrace diversity
BY
PATRICK WHITE | Photo by Michael Conner
LEVELING UP: Company founder
Level Green Landscaping benefits from its team’s unique perspectives and experiences
Any successful business owner will tell you that it’s their people who make the difference. With the wrong people on board, even the best business plan is doomed to fail. With the right people, the sky is the limit. So, when Level Green Landscaping goes looking for new employees, it is focused solely on finding motivated, talented team players. The result is a team of 300 employees (500 or so in the winter) who all come from different backgrounds and represent any number of races, genders and identities, but who share a similar drive to succeed.
from being open-minded, looking foremost for talent and potential, and being willing to give people a chance.
Team reflects the market
MANAGER
EFFECTIVENESS
Douglass Delano, who founded the four-season company with partner Bill Hardy back in 2002, admits that diversity wasn’t something they really thought about: “We were never really looking to be diverse; we were just looking for the best people. And I think it probably happened because we don’t really judge people.”
While it’s common to see diversity at the crew level, Level Green’s extends to upper-level management. “We have a number of women, people of color, people who are LGBTQ,” says Delano. He says he wishes he could credit a specific company initiative or program for this diversity, but that really it has just come
MORE LEVEL GREEN
Stepping up minority outreach - Page 28
Breaking down barriers - Page 29
A better fit - Page 30
Delano says he usually doesn’t think of Level Green as being much different from most landscape/snow companies, until he sees industry photos: “The landscape industry, and certainly the snow industry, is mostly a bunch of white guys.” His company’s diversity is partly due to the fact it works in and around urban areas that are themselves diverse. “We operate primarily from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, and it is a more diverse market,” says Delano. Still, he says, it takes a willingness to hire people who might be different than the “mainstream” or “traditional” snow/ landscape professional. In particular, Delano notes, more women are entering the profession in upper levels, seeing that they can build a good career. And he would like to further increase Level Green’s diversity to better represent the African American population of the communities surrounding the company’s offices.
Delano reports that there really have not been any challenges that have come from assembling a diverse team. The company administers a personality profile for new hires and is interested in finding people who will fit in based on those results rather than based on an individual’s demographics.
Delano sees Level Green’s diversity as a strength in many ways, including in the fact that the market it serves is also diverse: “When you sell it to somebody, they often like to have somebody like them…so I think that helps. I think that’s a big positive.”
Douglass Delano (right) says the company benefits from diverse perspectives and strives to mirror the diverse communities it serves.
Stepping up minority outreach
Recruiting needs to dispel the common “laborer” myth
BY PATRICK WHITE
When Level Green
Landscaping Account
Manager Anthony Fuller entered the landscape profession 38 years ago, he was one of the few African Americans working in the industry at the management or administrative level. “Certainly, I was a novelty. I probably knew of two other people in a company of about 2,000 employees,” he recalls. “I’ve seen that improve over the years, although the improvement has not been where I would like for it to be.”
For the green and white industries to really boost diversification, he says, “it needs to be made a priority.” That means active outreach to minority communities to educate them about and promote the professional career opportunities available. While that’s true generally, Fuller says the need is particularly acute if the goal is to recruit minority applicants, who might see landscaping/snow as primarily jobs for laborers.
“In the black community, the thought is that if families are paying several
tens of thousands of dollars, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, for their children to go to school and get a degree, they don’t want them planting trees. And so that’s the perspective. It’s not that those people can’t be reached; but you need to be willing to maybe take an extra step to reach them.”
Over his long career, Fuller says that he hasn’t personally encountered many instances of blatant racism: “If a customer had a problem with me because of my appearance, they never said it to my face.” But he adds that “I’ve had suspicions. You know, this person wants a new account manager, and there’s no real rhyme or reason to why they wanted to change their account manager.”
For minorities, he states, a lot of the experience, positive or negative, “obviously depends on who you work with and who you work for.”
PRIORITIZING DIVERSITY:
Fuller hopes the industry will do the work needed to educate and recruit more minority applicants. “I mean, we’re hurting for managers at this point,” he notes. Fuller says it’s a great career choice for young people to consider, because there may be faster avenues for promotion and advancement than they’ll find in other segments. And he says that individual companies and the industry as a whole would certainly benefit from adding more minority team members.
“We’ve been told for years that, because of the color of our skin, we have to work harder, we have to do more. We have to be there earlier, leave later,” Fuller observes. “So, it’s inbred in us that work is what it’s going to take to be successful. If companies and the industry can tap into that, then I certainly think it’ll be a mutually satisfying relationship.”
It’s inbred in us that work is what it’s going to take to be successful. If companies can tap into that, then I certainly think it’ll be a mutually satisfying relationship.”
—ANTHONY FULLER, LEVEL GREEN ACCOUNT MANAGER
Anthony Fuller has been in the industry for nearly 40 years and has seen some, but not enough, progress in minority recruiting.
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS
Level Green Landscaping’s field crews, like many in the industry, are largely Hispanic. Increasingly, those hired or promoted to supervise or manage the crews share that culture and language, which Founder Douglass Delano says many crew members prefer. This alleviates potential cultural or language barriers.
Level Green is alert to potential communication challenges and pays for employees to take English classes if they wish. It also uses technology to assist, including allowing employees to get pay stubs sent directly to their phones in their native language.
Delano says that making an extra effort to communicate with those of diverse backgrounds pays off. For example, the company recently sent a company-wide survey electronically and included versions in Spanish for Spanish-speaking employees. The result was a higher-than-expected response rate of over 50%, resulting in more comprehensive (and, thus, more valuable) input than would likely have been received if the survey was sent only in English.
Level Green also offers a management trainee program that helps to identify and promote internal crew members into leadership roles. “That has been especially good because it’s helped us to promote many people from our Hispanic workforce. So now we have 12 or 13 managers who are Hispanic,” he says. “Again, our focus is always on finding the best people.”
COMMON GROUND:
Level Green Landscaping helps eliminate barriers by providing resources in team members’ native languages and paying for English courses for those who want to take them.
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A better fit
The right position, company are important for women joining the industry
BY PATRICK WHITE
Level Green Landscaping’s Virginia Branch Manager Jenna Visco entered the landscape profession with a plan to be a salesperson, but soon found herself in a position as a designer with a high-end residential firm. “And I actually really disliked it,” she recalls. “Someone mentioned to me that I should look into the maintenance side of things, and that ended up being right up my alley.”
Initially, Visco was offered a position as a field supervisor at a national landscape firm, but turned it down, worried that a role installing enhancements would put her at a disadvantage physically. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to compete against men physically – that’s just the reality. And they came back to me with a different opportunity, which was awesome.” She worked at that firm for six years, before joining Level Green three years ago.
“I’ve definitely seen more women joining the industry,” says Visco. She observes that
It’s unfortunate, but you have to compete at such a higher level than your peers. When I first got into maintenance, primarily the field stuff, I had people flat out tell me that I was only hired because I was a woman.”
—JENNA VISCO, LEVEL GREEN BRANCH MANAGER
college landscape programs are now made up mainly of women, but she recently had a college professor tell her that many of these students are worried they might not have a pathway into the industry, even with a degree.
Visco feels that it’s important for anyone who might not fit the mold of the traditional landscape employee to search out companies like Level Green that are focused on “leveraging everyone’s talents and skillsets.” She also recommends looking for a company “where there are manager training programs to let people, and especially women and minorities, explore different opportunities inside the company.” These management training programs also give women and minorities “more of an opportunity to showcase your talents,” Visco advises. “If you’re interested in climbing up the career
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ladder, that’s important.”
As a woman working in what has been and continues to be a male-dominated industry, Visco says she has encountered a number of situations over the years of people skeptical about her abilities.
“It’s unfortunate, but you have to compete at such a higher level than your peers,” she states. “When I first got into maintenance, primarily the field stuff, I had people flat out tell me that I was only hired because I was a woman.” And while a man who was starting out would likely have been cut some slack with the recognition that he was new and learning, Visco said some people she encountered “were completely impatient with my training and what I needed in order to excel and learn just like everyone else.”
Visco says she seldom encounters those problems now that she has proven herself but cautions women coming into the profession that it is something they will likely encounter. And even now, as an established branch manager with nearly a decade of landscape experience under her belt, Visco says she still comes across some people who just cannot accept having a female supervisor.
She recalls one recent case of a crew leader who left because he wasn’t comfortable, culturally, working for a woman.
“It was a shame because I lost an otherwise great team member,” says Visco. “But there’s nothing you can do about that. As a female in the industry, you just have to understand that some people are just not going to acclimate to it. I can’t put that onus on me, and hopefully women don’t put that onus on themselves.”
Patrick White has covered the landscape and snow and ice management industries for a variety of magazines for 25 years. He is based in Vermont. Contact him at pwhite@meadowridgemedia.com.
strength training
Use the power of emotional intelligence to bolster your company
By MICHAEL WAGNER, CSP
It may take knowledge, experience and personal growth to reach a managerial-level position within your organization. Along with this comes the responsibility of understanding and leading people. One of the most admired skills of effective managers is their understanding of emotional intelligence and their ability to draw conclusions from their assessments and focus on the alignment of their people and processes.
Prioritize your EQ Skills
See more tips on growing your EQ.
In the realm of EQ, these four components are where you want to focus your time and energy when working to grow your skills. The tips for each skill are some of the ideas I’ve seen in action that have produced positive results. While these four components are key to EQ, everyone’s selfmanagement techniques will be crafted to that individual; and they can evolve over time depending on experiences and dedication to learning.
Take the time to understand your emotions, reflect on how you’re feeling and why you’re feeling the way you are.
While this may be difficult in its early stages, learning how to manage your feelings, time and decisions will help strengthen your EQ skills and personal wellbeing.
Guide your decisions based on your personal value system as well as your personal beliefs. Hold true to them and reflect on them frequently.
Sometimes it’s helpful to go outside your comfort zone and examine your emotions. We tend to feel and behave differently when we’re outside the norm.
Manage your time to allow for deep thinking and reflection, either alone or with a trusted mentor.
Observation is a great way to learn; and watching the emotions, feelings, reactions and body language of others in challenging situations will open your eyes. Follow this by discussing the situation and other feelings following the situation.
Watch how others interact; learn where and how people feel comfortable and uncomfortable; and be in touch with the social environment.
Focus on building relationships full of trust and honesty, as well as creating effective communication.
Learn what works and what doesn’t and focus on positivity and optimism. Learn to be proactive in your decisionmaking regarding emotionality and reasoning.
Listen to others within your environment, whether you’re having a direct or indirect conversation. You can learn a lot from just listening.
Genuinely care about others through listening and support. Take time out of your days to learn about others you work with: their likes and dislike; how they want to grow; what they want and don’t want to do.
Don’t let relationships fade. Develop the habit of continuing to strengthen relationships, even if it takes time that you don’t think you have.
What’s emotional intelligence?
Many of us have heard of Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and maybe some of us have been working with ourselves to understand it and apply it in how we interact with others, reflect on our feelings and emotions, or draw conclusions and make decisions from events in our lives.
In the book “Emotional Intelligence 2.0” by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, four components are at the core of EQ: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. If you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend reading and rereading it.
Not only does this book cover in detail what Emotional Intelligence is, but it also discusses how to apply EQ and strategies for improving your skills in this area. Some may say this skill can’t be taught. This is false, because you can improve your skills if you’re dedicated to doing so and hold yourself accountable throughout the learning process.
Apply your EQ skills
Application of EQ skills happens daily and should happen continuously. From the second you walk in the door at work or arrive on the job site, you’re evaluating such things as:
• Work site or office conditions
• Environment for activities and feelings
• Energy levels of the staff
• Emotions and behaviors of the people you work with
• What people are doing and how they’re getting work done
It’s important to understand the people you work with, and to realize that to perform well you must align them, their duties and their strengths every day. Also know that the way you understand people and build the culture around them will help them reach their full potential.
Benefits of growing your skills
And, finally, the reason why we do it all. We wouldn’t dedicate ourselves, our time and our feelings to such an important change if it wasn’t worth it. This is all part of the Cost v. Benefit Analysis, and it’s been proven time and time again that understanding and growing your EQ skills pays major dividends.
Not only are you committing to growing yourself in the role of manager or leader, but you’re also working to grow those around you, including the organization you work for. While it takes time and an emotional evolution, you will begin to see how you can align people with the proper tasks, thereby influencing and eventually strengthening the organizational culture and performance. Focus on your interactions, conversations, feedback, listening and reactionary skills to create continuous growth and improvement.
Michael Wagner, CSP, is fleet and safety manager at Designscapes Colorado Inc. Contact him at 303-328-5554 or mwagner@designscapes.org.
SIMA 2022 LEADERSHIP FORUM
tips for growing your EQ skills
Here are ways to grow your EQ skills and influence greater success!
Take a few minutes at the start of every day to greet your teammates. Ask them: how they’re doing, how their weekend or evening was, and what they want to accomplish for the day. Look for behavioral feedback such as their tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, frustration, happiness, optimism, you name it! Take it all in so when you’re done with your quick conversations you can make well-informed and structured objectives for the day.
Keep notes, and don’t just write it down to not use it! Keep notes or a journal on conversations and interactions, performance-related observations and notes about other things happening in the company that may impact the decisions you make and the people you work with.
Be an active listener. Make sure you’re focusing on the conversations you have, and don’t let distractions interrupt important conversations. When someone needs to talk, there’s a reason they’re coming to you.
Create an environment of trust and respect. Everyone you work with should understand that there’s a general level of respect and trust that’s valued. Open up the lines of communication in a healthy and effective manner, creating an environment that allows for creativity and collaboration.
Create a Core Values Sheet, print it, and refer to it regularly. Whether you’re just starting your journey to build your EQ skills or you’ve been doing it for a while, write a Core Values sheet for yourself that lists what’s important to you, why it’s important, and keywords to remind you of the different key points (e.g., in a Core Value of Respect, list key points such as treat others respectfully, listen to others, and treat them how you want to be treated).
measure great work
Explore a different metric than employee engagement
By GARY BECKSTRAND
As companies scramble to retain top talent and boost productivity in 2022, many will seek to double down on employee engagement. They may be wasting their money. Employee engagement is not a meaningless measure. But like the standard HR metric it replaced – employee satisfaction –it’s insufficient.
Despite billions of dollars spent by employers trying to
increase employee engagement, a recent Gallup study shows that engagement has risen, on average, less than 0.5% a year for nearly two decades. In addition, our own research found that between 2020 and 2021, employee engagement actually plummeted 18%. Shouldn’t organizations have more to show for their efforts?
Recent research from the O.C. Tanner Institute indicates that engagement can be a flawed and misleading gauge of effectiveness, as it’s not a measure of the quality and impact of the work product itself. And with remote and hybrid work changing the employer-employee equation, and mass
resignations shifting the power balance, it’s clear that even the best traditional measures of workplace activity may no longer be relevant. That’s why we believe that companies would do well to home in on a different metric in 2022 and beyond. Rather than engagement, let’s measure “great work” instead.
To understand the distinction, consider the case of “Pete.”
Pete is the first one at his desk every morning. He nurtures his connections with colleagues and is demonstrably energized by the job. But charged with managing a large project that touches on areas beyond his expertise, Pete stumbles. Uncomfortable venturing beyond his inner circle, Pete leans too heavily on his closest colleagues, whose skills, perspectives and blind spots largely overlap
understanding & inspiring different employee archetypes
SOCIALIZERS
Socializers are outgoing, driven and motivated by fun and rewards. They are only 12% likely to produce great work but 55% likely to demonstrate engagement.
Socializers are nearly three times as likely to produce great work when they’re part of an inclusive workplace culture — where all employees feel they are valued and belong. My own department, for example, includes a number of high-performing Socializers. The warm, welcoming culture that brings out the best in them also resonates with the rest of our team; and during the initial stages of the pandemic, it became clear that we needed to reinforce that culture in a remote work setup. We made time to eat lunch together virtually; dropped off small tokens of appreciation at one another’s doorsteps; and developed innovative ways to celebrate our successes.
BUILDERS
Builders are warm, friendly, emotionally intelligent and diplomatic. They’re 45% likely to produce great work and 85% likely to demonstrate engagement; and they tend to be motivated by goals, fun and rewards.
Builders have an appreciation for the big picture, but they aren’t as likely to talk to an outer circle. Pete, from my example, is a Builder: a natural creator of relationships and connections whose colleagues generally come to follow his thinking quickly. Often this is an asset.
But in the context of a challenge demanding outside perspectives, it was a consequential shortcoming.
By understanding Pete’s persona, his manager could have partnered with him to preempt the issue before it became a fatal flaw. Perhaps the manager could have kicked off the project by inviting outside experts in for a wide-ranging, creativity-sparking brainstorming session.
ACHIEVERS
Achievers are driven and high-energy but can be tense and moody. Of all the groups, they have the highest likelihood of doing great work (66%) and demonstrating engagement (96%). They are motivated by fun, rewards and avoiding punishment.
Achievers, for example, work hard. But sometimes they’d prefer to tackle the next challenge rather than continue their involvement in a “finished” project that might benefit from further refining. By helping Achievers “improve the mix” and “deliver the difference,” our research shows, leaders can double and even triple the likelihood that these employees will produce great work.
One company helped their Achievers “deliver the difference” by instituting formal evaluations three months and nine months after each project. These became institutionalized opportunities to fine-tune completed projects, ensuring they accomplished what was intended.
with his own. Because he’s unaccustomed to broadening his circle of advisors, Pete’s off-the-charts engagement can only get him, and his company, so far.
Defining “great work”
If “good work” gets the job done, “great work” is exceptional, innovative and groundbreaking. “Great work” looks different in different industries, companies and functions. It must be defined to align with a company’s overall goals.
While it can be difficult to assess whether great work is happening (outside of key milestone moments), we’ve identified five behaviors, listed below, that clearly signal when it’s underway.
By looking for these behaviors, leaders can gauge whether great work is occurring in their organizations. More importantly, leaders can meaningfully increase their greatwork quotient by helping employees develop the behaviors that may not come naturally to them.
Here are the five key behaviors that employees who produce great work demonstrate:
• They ask the right questions, like “How might this task/ process/problem be made easier/faster/safer/better?”
• They go and see.
• They talk to an outer circle, gathering information and insight from a broad array of experts.
• They improve the mix, continually fine-tuning and improving upon their work.
TASKERS
Taskers are generally quieter, more composed and more resistant to feedback. They respond well to rewards but not to fun or punishment. They have a 10% probability of producing great work and a 46% probability of engagement.
It doesn’t come naturally to Taskers to “ask the right question” or “go and see.” Here, it can be inspiring to hear stories of colleagues whose orientation shifted after they received unexpected answers or made surprising observations. One example: Rob, a claims manager for an insurance company, sought the perspective of a job applicant he was interviewing for a call center position. Asked to describe the best practices she’d learned at her previous job, the applicant described how her calls seemed to go more smoothly when she first assured customers that she was there for them and could help them. That insight led Rob’s company to change how it answered calls from customers who were reporting accidents, meaningfully raising customer satisfaction.
COASTERS
Coasters tend to be pessimistic and prone to stress. They appreciate rewards, seek to avoid punishment, and have just a 3% chance of producing great work (and only a 17% chance of demonstrating engagement).
Coasters score low on all of the key behaviors. But our research shows that by strengthening workplace culture, including the addition of more employee recognition, a Coaster’s probability of great work can increase sixfold or more.
• They deliver the difference, remaining laser-focused on positive outcomes.
Five employee archetypes
To better understand what it takes to inspire and train individuals to produce great work, we categorized employees into five broad archetypes: Socializers, Builders, Achievers, Taskers and Coasters. Each group has unique needs, strengths and weaknesses (see sidebar). Each has a different probability of demonstrating engagement and producing great work. Just as crucially, each has distinct requirements for increasing their great work quotient.
The idea behind these categories is not for leaders to pigeonhole their employees but to better understand their strengths and shortcomings, so they can provide the right support. The most effective modern leaders closely observe their people, adjusting their management approach to help each individual develop and thrive. Leaders who know their people well will recognize which worker personas apply to which team members and create tailored strategies that encourage crucial great work behaviors.
Gary Beckstrand is a vice president at O.C. Tanner, a workplace culture company. He is also a coauthor of Appreciate: Celebrating People, Inspiring Greatness. Learn more at www.octanner.com.
Money talks… or does it?
Rocky Fork Company boosts retention by focusing on their value proposition beyond the hourly wage
BY PATRICK WHITE | Photos by Harry Acosta
Finding and retaining quality employees has long been a challenge in the snow industry and has only been compounded by a current labor market in which companies are now competing with others that don’t require employees to work long hours in terrible weather.
It’s hard to walk into a retail establishment or drive by an industrial site without seeing a “HIRING” sign these days, some of which have high starting salaries right on the sign. With that increased competition, it’s import-
PERSONNEL ENGAGEMENT & SUPPORT
ant for companies to learn how to communicate their value proposition so prospective employees see beyond the dollar signs.
President Amy Tincher has been with Rocky Fork Company in New Albany, OH, for 22 years, and for most of that time the company typically made two big recruiting/ hiring pushes each year: in late winter/early spring around the end of the snow season and again in the fall near the end of the landscaping season.
“Those have always been peak times for us. Following the first year of the pandemic,
RETENTION BOOST: Rocky Fork President Amy Tincher says focusing on the benefits beyond the base wage has helped the company retain its team members and build a culture centered around “family.”
we started recruiting pretty early – it was January or February; we started blasting a lot of advertisements and things like that. With one advertisement we had 75 people respond, which was pretty phenomenal. But then we had fewer than 20 actually schedule an interview. And of that I think only four actually showed up for their interviews. And we hired one. So, the odds on that were pretty grim, and the rest of the year didn’t get a lot better.”
What used to be a twice-a-year task, employee recruitment is now a year-round endeavor – and rising wages in all industries (Rocky Fork is competing for workers with local mega-employers like FedEx and Amazon, which tout starting wages as high as $24 an hour and benefits like tuition reimbursement) make it even more challenging, Tincher says.
Wage adjustments
Coming out of the pandemic, Rocky Fork undertook a major effort to look at where its wages were competitively with other landscape firms in surrounding central Ohio. “Last spring, we elevated everybody’s pay rates quite substantially. That also allowed us to increase our hiring wages,” Tincher explains.
Rocky Fork also doubled its hiring bonuses for new employees. For entry-level positions, the company offers $1,000. For skilled candidates (though not at a crew-leader level) the amount is $1,500. And for foremen, the hiring bonus is $2,000. Existing employees are eligible for matching bonuses if they refer new candidates for these positions.
In addition, this past winter Rocky Fork began offering
Continued on page 42
DEVELOP YOUR SNOW WORKFORCE
The quality and character of your workforce defines your success in snow. SIMA’s credentialing programs can become a linchpin for snow-specific skills, development and employee growth.
Pick the program that meets your needs
Advanced Snow Management (ASM) program
A core-knowledge program designed for crew/account managers and operations managers
Prerequisites: No
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A certification for owners and executives, focused on the critical elements of running a professional snow business.
Prerequisites: Yes
Annual requirements: Yes
June 2022
What does Winter Equipment do in the off-season?
IN THIS ISSUE
What does Winter Equipment do in the off-season? [P.1]
Winter Equipment Launches revamped website [P.2]
It’s that time of year again. You take the plows off the trucks, dust off the mowers, trimmers, and blowers to get them ready to kick off summer landscaping season. The snow may have stopped, but there is still plenty of work to do with the trucks and plows. Just as plow drivers and mechanics are doing off-season maintenance, our people are also busy when the weather is warm and sunny. Wouldn’t we all rather change a blade on a nice, warm summer day than in the middle of the night in a cold, wet garage during a blizzard?
It’s not just about a sale, it's about doing the right thing [P.2]
Rubber blades so tough and effective, they’re patented! [P.3]
Leading by example [P.4]
The one word that always guides us [P.4]
Hopefully, your plow blades made it through the season without needing to be changed. When our sales guys visit DOT garages, they often hear that their Winter Equipment blades are lasting two, three, or even four seasons without needing to be changed.
other thing we get a lot is “What do you guys do now that it’s summer?” That's a fair question – sure, we aren’t getting a lot of calls for replacement blades, but we manage to stay busy. Just like you, we have maintenance to do on our vehicles, as well as the machines and tools in the plant. Then there’s inventory that we need to have ready for next year, so we’ll have everything you might need so you’re ready to hit the road with plows down next season.
The folks in the office are busy, too. With a large portion of our customer base being state, county, and municipal governments, we get a substantial number of orders
when they get their budgets over the summer. So, even though winter is over, there is plenty of work to be done – catching up with maintenance, building inventory for next year, locking in contracts, finding new customers, and rolling out new marketing materials.
So, as we all transition from snow removal to cutting grass and dumping loads of mulch, remember to take care of your equipment, stay wellstocked, and think about ordering your plow blades early for next year. And if you want wear parts with industryleading performance that will save you money in the long run, order them from Winter Equipment – the only supplier in the industry with a satisfaction guarantee. We have complete blade systems and plow blades for virtually every plow and application, whether you’re driving DOT trucks, a contractor clearing parking lots, or anything in between.
Winter Equipment launches revamped website
Re-designed to look cleaner, simpler and be more responsive to cellular devices and tablets. The site will soon feature expanded ecommerce capabilities and quoting features. Product pages have been reworked to provide more information on how, where and why you could benefit from using the product in its correct application.
The site will also feature Winter’s growing catalog of videos about its products, tech tips and other content specific to the snow and ice removal profession. A product selector tool, distributor/dealer locator and a map of Winter’s DOT clients is also planned. Eventually a customer portal will be available to see order status, history and invoicing. In time, the site will become the place on the Internet for all things snowplow wear parts.
It’s not just about making a sale, it’s about doing the right thing.
A sale is single data point, a transaction between two entities. Now, if you do enough of those over time you may develop a business. If you can do several sales transactions with another entity in time they may become a customer. But Winter strives to do business with partners, not sales to customers.
Winter strives to build relationships with snow & ice removal professionals. Winter does this by not only providing the best in snowplow wearparts but in taking the time to listen and understand what your challenges are, how you want to overcome them and ultimately what your goals are. By listening to you and offering a product to help you solve problem and achieve your goals Winter does more than just sell you something. After all that, Winter’s work isn’t done. We back up our solution to your challenge, issue or problem with our satisfaction guarantee.
Our commitment to you that we won’t walk away from an unsolved problem or a goal unmet. You see, Winter wants partners for today, tomorrow and beyond. We don’t want customers that just buy a widget when the old one wears out. We call it the “Winter Way” but really it’s a fancy way of saying “Do the right thing”. Winter tries to do the right thing every day, in every way. Starting with our employees and families, from our customer service to the relationships we’ve built with our suppliers and vendors to our involvement in the community. So I invite you to get to know us and see how we do the right thing and if ever we don’t do the thing please reach out to me directly and let me know how we can do the right thing...
Not all edges are created equal
When you think of rubber cutting edges, you might think they’re best suited for just light use and clearing delicate surfaces. However, the use of rubber edges in demanding situations is becoming more common, and their hi-tech improvements could give you the edge in taming your snow removal challenges.
Due to the possible surface damage to roads, parking lots, and driveways, it’s increasingly common for commercial snow plowing contracts to restrict the use of steel cutting edges on plow blades. Municipal and government usage is rising too because road operation managers are looking for snow clearing solutions that won’t damage uneven road surfaces or reflective road markers.
Given this decreasing appetite for steel cutting edges in the marketplace, snow removal operators should consider rubber cutting edges as an alternative to steel. Improved materials and advances in blade design have led to rubber cutting edges becoming highly effective at removing snow economically.
The rubber cutting edge can remove more snow per pass than steel as its flexibility allows it to conform to surface irregularities. At the same time, a rubber cutting edge is much more forgiving than a steel edge, meaning it will not gouge or damage uneven road surfaces, raised reflective highway markers, or expensive paved surfaces.
Typical rubber blades are extruded, which can cause issues – most commonly the creation of air pockets trapped within the material, decreasing the blade’s tensile strength and rigidity. This dramatically increases the likelihood of rips and tears.
WINTERFLEX FEATURES
ALL-IN-ONE SOLUTION
Our cutting edge systems are available as a complete system including all of the components and hardware shipped in a stackable, reusable crate.
This makes it easy to inventory, stay organized, and assures you have everything you need to tackle even the worst winter season.
However, the WinterFLEX rubber blade is different, made of three layers of laminated styrene-butadiene rubber with two layers of high-performance polyester fabric vulcanized in between. This increases the tensile strength from less than 1,000 PSI for typical blades to over 3,000 PSI for WinterFlex. The layered construction of the rubber blade means increased tensile strength, without sacrificing durometer or hardness.
WinterFlexx blade system is in use by multiple DOTs and cities nationwide. It has a wide range of applications, ranging from highway and city use on front plows to clearing parking lots on snow pushers. Our WinterFLEX rubber blade is the perfect complement to our MōDUS Snow Pusher Shoe System.
NATE
DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING
Leading by example
“Nate, you’re captain,” I remember my high school coach telling me one day after practice. “You are going to lead by example, just keep being you and the rest will take care of itself.”
Leading by example is a choice to exhibit a behavior that you embrace in every facet of your life.
Fourteen years into my time with Winter Equipment and twenty years into my coaching career, leading by example is still my way of life. It’s how I prepare and present myself. It’s why I expect of others only what I expect of myself. As a father, a coach, and a manager, I promised myself never to have a “do as I say, not as I do” mindset.
Leading by example is how we teach the next generation of young aspiring athletes to act and behave. If I show up late and unprepared for a game or practice, my players will do the same. If I argue and yell at officials, my players will do the same. When you embrace that every action by those you are leading is a direct reflection of your own behavior, you understand the power and responsibility of being a leader.
Leading by example is how we manage our business at Winter Equipment. We provide a safe, healthy, and positive working environment for all of our employees to engage in their vocation and provide for their families. We deliver education and technical knowledge to the market through objective analysis and truth. We supply the very best in wear parts, then stand behind them with our satisfaction guarantee and Wear Factor rating system. We treat our customers as partners, providing the information, advice, and service they need to run their operations with excellence.
At the start of every hockey season, I tell the parents of my players that my role is to lead by example, set the pace, and exhibit the ideal. I ask when I’m not living up to that example, not exhibiting the ideal – to let me know so I can correct it. Mistakes happen, they are correctable – but only if they are recognized and have the courage to admit we aren’t perfect. I ask you, fellow leader, that in the event Winter Equipment’s team fails to lead by example and exhibit the ideals that we strive to live by, reach out to me directly. Let’s discuss where Winter is falling short and what we can do to improve.
The one word that always guides us
Value is a word that gets thrown around a lot these days. Often it’s used to make something less seem like something more and over time the meaning has become watered down. Over time, this watered down the meaning of the word. Too much attention was paid to the sizzle instead of the steak.
At Winter Equipment, we still believe that value means something, and our focus is always on delivering value to our customers and partners.
In times where money is tight and supply is short, the best businesses look to get that important usefulness out of every dime they spend – because taking a shortcut can put them into situations where they can’t recover in time.
So when thinking about your next investment, consider the long-term benefits, the bottom line costs, and not the purchase price. Once the sizzle is gone, what kind of steak are you left with?
What’s the Winter Equipment Satisfaction Guarantee?
It’s simple: We’re not satisfied until you are.
We guarantee you will be satisfied with every part of doing business with us – and if you aren’t, we’ll work together to find a solution.
KALLAY,
CUSTOM TEAM PLANS
Team training is easy with our ASM/CSP group plans.Save money while SIMA handles account management and setup. We can even help you designate a training champion and set completion goals.
OUR COMMITMENT TO MEMBERS
For use toward ASM or CSP training, the $200 AnnualTraining Commitment is available each year ofrenewal. We can help you apply it to your Team Plan.
Align your workforce with proven training and credentialing programs to grow in snow.
Email Chris@sima.org to get started!
www.sima.org
Continued from page 39
employees a $5 per hour pay increase during snow events, “which was great and a huge help,” says Tincher.
Beyond the wage
Tincher notes that the company has long had a strategy of offering additional benefits rather than trying to compete on hourly pay alone.
“We’ve always offered our associates healthcare benefits, a retirement plan, vacation pay, regular weekly pay. And what we’re finding is, more and more, that we’re advertising all of our ancillaries and not our pay,” she says. “We’ll never be able to beat the company that pays $30 an hour; but we can show our employees that we can pay $17-$19 an hour, and in addition will pick up 70% of their health care cost after 90 days, paid time off, a 408(k) retirement plan with a matching contribution.”
To further sweeten the pot, Rocky Fork recently rolled out a profit in-
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Rocky Fork Company’s headquarters sits along a busy county road, with fencing (a product/service the company offers) lining the roadside. As recruiting and hiring new employees became more difficult, President Amy Tincher decided to utilize that fencing to help promote the benefits of working at Rocky Fork. “I put seven large banners out there along the fence, and every single one of them says something other than pay,” she explains. The seven-foot-long signs are brightly colored and in very large letters convey simple information, such as “NO LAY OFFS,” “WEEKLY PAY,” “HEALTH BENEFITS,” “PROFIT BONUS,” and “HIRING BONUS.” There’s also a more standard “Now Hiring” sign out front. “It’s all about recruitment,” says Tincher.
GETTING THE WORD OUT:
Like many companies, Rocky Fork Company is seeking team members in a competitive hiring environment. Amy Tincher says they’re promoting more of the ancillary benefits than wages as a differentiator.
centives program, with all employees working toward a profit-sharing goal. Employees have an opportunity to earn $300 to $400 for every year of service with the company.
“Some of our people are looking at some really substantial profit payouts, and they’re definitely pumped up about that,” said Tincher. “And for us, it’s a way for them to really buy in to what they can contribute to or detract from our performance.”
In early 2022, Rocky Fork added another perk when it decided to convert to a four-day work week. (This policy will exclude snow work when weather can be more difficult to schedule around.)
“Employees will still work five days each week, more than likely, but will be getting overtime on that fifth day,” explains Tincher. “So instead of working six days a week and only having one day off, they can now work five days, get their overtime and still have two full days off with their families. It’s also one fewer day that they’ll have to pay for gas to come to work. All of these things add up.”
All of these factors double as retention tools in addition to being recruiting tools, Tincher notes. In fact, she says, keeping existing employees has actually become a bit easier, even in this highly competitive labor environment. “I would say that, for us, retention actually has been improved. Normally, if we can keep them for more than a year, they’re here. And they’re with us because we do offer so much more than some of our competitors.”
Show and tell
Several years ago, Rocky Fork began putting actual dollar figures to the benefits it offers and giving employees a printed end-of-year summary. “It showed them how much they earned. But it also showed the company’s contribution to them. And we converted that to an hourly amount,” Tincher says.
Employees could see that the company was actually spending several dollars per hour over their pay rate to provide them benefits like healthcare and retirement and vacation pay. “It was a real eye opener for them,” she emphasizes, adding that their payroll company was able to put together these annual employee reports relatively easily. She
adds that even for smaller companies, which may not have a dedicated HR department or even use an outside payroll service, calculating the annual per-hour value of benefits for employees is not that difficult: simply tally the total cost of the benefits provided and divide that by the hours each employee has worked.
Continued on page 44
Apply once to lubricate & seal – Easy, one step application process and your spreaders are all set for winter operations.
Lubricates drag chains – Helps prevent against costly drag chain seizure or breakage all winter long.
Seals components – Creates a protective barrier against corrosive salts and chlorides. Environmentally responsible and will not wash off.
Trusted by over 40 State Departments of Transportation.
Removes white salt residue left behind from pressure washing with detergents – use NEUTRO‑WASH after every winter storm.
Put a stop to corrosion and expensive repairs – enjoy more efficient equipment that works harder, lasts longer and looks better.
Save thousands of dollars simply by protecting the equipment you already have in your fleet.
Continued from page 43
Rocky Fork’s human resources manager, Allison McDowell, says that in addition to showing the monetary value of benefits provided, it’s important to fully explain how these benefits work to employees.
“This last open enrollment for benefits I brought in our brokers to explain everything. We also had some supplemental insurance companies, like AFLAC, that came in and spoke to the groups. And I made their meetings mandatory, not optional,” she says. The result was an increase in the number of employees taking advantage of some of the benefits and enrolling in programs.
getting personal
Rocky Fork Company gives every team member an annual benefits summary that shows the total financial investment the company made in them beyond their base pay. Doing so has helped with retaining employees when they see the total dollar value of the benefits being provided.
RESOURCE: SIMA members can access Amy Tincher’s “HR on a Shoestring Budget” presentation from the 2020 Virtual Experience at train.sima.org.
Just being personal and getting to know our employees has been a game changer. We have had some associates leave because they wanted that bigger dollar figure. And they come back because it’s not the same at their new employer.”
—ALLISON
MCDOWELL, ROCKY FORK HR MANAGER
Aspen Equipment
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Russell’s Automotive NORTH BRANCH, MN 651-674-4000
Snow Plows Plus WAVERLY, MN 763-682-5536
Younger employees, especially, might not fully understand the value of them, but as they get older and get married or have children or experience medical issues, the importance and worth of benefits becomes clearer, McDowell notes.
Stronger culture
And not all benefits necessarily carry a big dollar figure. For companies looking to attract and retain employees, “I would say my big tip is employee appreciation,” says McDowell. This goes for large companies, as well as smaller ones that may not have the budget to offer a comprehensive suite of benefits.
Small tokens, like having a pizza party or Taco Tuesdays, can go a long way. “And just being personal and getting to know our employees has been a game changer,” she adds. “We have had some associates leave because they wanted that bigger dollar figure. And they come back because it’s not the same at their new employer.”
Rocky Fork recently produced an employee recruitment video that utilized a sampling of the company’s roughly 80 associates to help spread the message. “Instead of us saying how great of a place we think this is to work, we decided to let our associates do it,” says Tincher. “I asked about 15 of them to give me one word to describe Rocky Fork and many of them said ‘family.’”
Patrick White has covered the landscape and snow and ice management industries for a variety of magazines for 25 years. Contact him at pwhite@ meadowridgemedia.com.
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more than the minimum
Living wages offer stability, less stress of living paycheck to paycheck
By JIM HORNUNG, JR., CSP
The concept of a living wage started with governmental bodies creating laws intended to provide low-wage workers with a wage rate that allows them to meet a minimum standard of living. While they have grown in popularity over the last 20 years, there are still only about 120 living wage laws in the United States.
Outside of the laws, the idea of earning what is considered a living wage has gained popularity in the last decade. The notion that pay rates should be derived at least in part from average expenses for a single person in a given geographic area is intended to provide the means necessary to live without outside support. For example, minimum wage in New York is $13.20 an hour; but the living wage in Erie County (where
my company is located) for a single adult with no children is $17.76, according to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator.
The case made in favor of living wages is that they improve morale, economic growth, reduce turnover and can help stimulate a thriving middle class. The reasons most often cited in opposition are that they negatively impact small businesses to a far greater degree than large businesses; that they do not guarantee a reduction in poverty levels; and that they can promote outsourcing.
For a long time in many areas of the country, pay on one side of town has been different from the other based on free market conditions. The concept of a living wage acknowledges that disparity; and, with the help of tools and calculators, companies can determine what the wages should be.
Living wages in action
In our industry, which has been chronically plagued with finding and
MINIMUM WAGE VS. LIVING WAGE
Minimum Wage: Mandated by U.S. federal law, employees must pay the minimum wage to keep employees above the poverty level in their area. In the United States, the 2022 minimum wage is $7.25 ($15,080 per year) and has not increased since 2009. Some states have higher minimum wages. There is no national minimum wage in Canada. Each province and territory sets its own level, ranging from C$11.75/hour in New Brunswick to C$16.00/ hour in Nunavut, as of January 2022
Living Wage: A living wage is the amount of income needed for a worker and their family to cover the cost of their minimum needs where they live, including food, childcare, health insurance, housing, transportation, and other necessities like clothing and personal care items. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator has information that can help U.S. employers determine a local wage rate that allows residents to meet minimum standards of living. Glasmeier, Amy K. Living Wage Calculator. 2020. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. livingwage.mit.edu
retaining employees, proponents of a living wage recognize that it can be a strong tool to counter those challenges.
All employers, regardless of pay scale, know the issues of managing employees who struggle paycheck to paycheck. It is not a new idea that a stable employee is a better employee and one that can begin to look at our industry as a career instead of a job.
Paying a living wage can help to reduce some of those outside work stresses that almost always find their way into the workplace. Living wage calculations are supposed to include considerations for housing, health care, food, transportation and clothing. With those needs covered, employees can consider their future as opposed to thinking only about today.
Impact on pricing
Given the current state of the employment market and the unprecedented wage increases across the country in the last 12 months, living wage rates have become even more present in employment discussions and decisions. One of the challenges that can be created by a living wage is that it can promote wage compression. As more employees are paid a “living wage,” those with higher wages have their earnings shrink, often prompting a request/need for a pay increase of equal or greater value.
Many employers have been raising wages in response to the historically constrained labor market. Everyone wants to earn more; but studies have found that pay increases have a diminishing benefit compared to stability. Forward-thinking employers recognize that finding and retaining stable employees is less expensive than the constant employee acquisition, training and inexperience created by churn.
Jim Hornung Jr., CSP, is president of Elbers Landscape Service in Buffalo, NY. Contact him at jhornungjr@elberslandscape.com.
future focus
Outline expectations, role progression to show staff the possibilities
IBy GRANT HARRISON
f you thought the Great Resignation was a 2021 phenomenon, you’re wrong.
Employee retention is still a problem. In a recent article published by the Human Resources Professionals Association, Statistics Canada reports that Canadian companies are collectively attempting to fill 915,000 job vacancies, 80% more than in 2019 and well above pre-pandemic levels.
The article noted that people are prioritizing their health and wellbeing, family issues (e.g., childcare and aging parents), and other interests; in turn, they’re really taking into more consideration who they work for, and how and why they work.
Recruiting employees in this environment is a challenge, but an equally important discussion is how to keep the great staff that you already have. It’s time to rethink how work gets done in your organization and how you can help your employees find fulfillment and satisfaction in their roles. As mentioned above, it’s not always about offering more money. Employees are wanting opportunities, growth, flexibility and the feeling of being part of something great and important. To be sure, they want to be paid fairly; but to keep employees –and keep them happy – we need to consider more than just wages.
Identifying career paths
One of the best ways we’ve found to ensure employee engagement and satisfaction is to provide a clear career path for each employee or each
SNOW CREW LEADER PASSPORT
build a Training passport
SNOW CREW LEADER PASSPORT EQUIPMENT OPERATOR PASSPORT
Another option we’ve seen recently (and are big fans of) is the idea of implementing a training passport to complement the career ladder. This is usually a booklet that outlines the different levels of training and career advancement and the requirements for each level. It allows the staff to see exactly what is expected of them to reach the next level within your organization. Most positions could benefit from a training passport; but, specific to our industry, a training passport could be created for:
• Part-time & full-time snow crew members
SALT TRUCK OPERATOR PASSPORT
DIVISION MANAGER PASSPORT
SALT TRUCK OPERATOR PASSPORT SNOW DIVISION MANAGER PASSPORT
CREW MEMBER PASSPORT SNOW CREW LEADER PASSPORT EQUIPMENT OPERATOR PASSPORT
• Part-time & full-time snow crew leaders
• Part-time & full-time equipment operators (skid steer, loader, truck)
• Part-time & full-time salt truck operators
• Full-time area snow managers
• Snow division managers
SALT TRUCK OPERATOR PASSPORT SNOW DIVISION MANAGER PASSPORT
position. By offering your staff a plan for their growth and development, along with a clear picture of where their role can take them within your organization, you make it easier for them to take their role more seriously; to be more invested in the results of their work; and to find more fulfillment and purpose in their work. Our industry has often been seen as a good place to start, but not one that
provides a long-term career. Yet there are many great career paths within the industry. It’s our job to show people how great a career in this industry can be. And if you’re not thinking that way, you can be sure your team members aren’t either. Take some time to consider what a career in this industry can look like from the perspective of someone just starting out.
What’s a career ladder look like?
Merriam-Webster defines career ladder as “the series of progressively higher positions that can be attained in one’s working career conceived of as a ladder to be climbed toward greater responsibility and financial success.” It is basically a road map that indicates at what point staff will be promoted to a higher position with higher wages.
A good career ladder is clear, specific and attainable. For example, do you require specific certifications to advance an employee? Include that in the career ladder. Do you want them to have worked a certain number of hours to transition to the next level? Include that in the career ladder. In addition to the requirements for promotion, your career ladder should indicate what can be expected regarding pay increases and other benefits.
Your staff should also know when evaluations for advancement will take place. Do you evaluate your staff annually and determine at that time if a promotion will happen? Or are the evaluations triggered by a specific event or target reached? Perhaps it’s a combination. Regardless, include it on the career ladder.
Business finance education
Employees often don’t have a clear picture of the cost of doing business. They generally think a company is more profitable than it is simply because they don’t see where all the money goes.
While providing your staff with a career ladder so they can have something to work toward is important, if you don’t compensate your staff well, you’re still likely to lose them. And if your employees don’t have a clear understanding of the costs of doing business, they may think you have more money to offer them than is reasonable.
At the same time, it’s important to provide fair and regular pay raises that line up with their advancement on the career ladder and inflation.
Providing even a basic education on business finance will help your employees understand where the money goes. In addition, offering incentives when targets are met or exceeded, giving everyone a stake in the company’s success, is a great way to build culture and a sense of unity and common purpose.
To be sure, the way we hire and advance people within our companies has changed and is continuing to change. What hasn’t changed is that when we treat people with respect, fairness, honesty and generosity, they will respond by giving the best of themselves to see your company (which, in turn, they consider “their” company) succeed. And that’s a win-win.
Grant Harrison is president of Nextra Consulting, based in Ingersoll, Ontario. Contact him at (519) 868-6398 or www.nextraconsulting.ca.
guaranteed 40
Stable, full-time paychecks help slow turnover, build loyalty
By JOSH FLYNN
There aren’t many conversations these days among contractors that don’t end up touching on how hard it is to find and retain team members. Each season it becomes more difficult, and many employers are faced with difficult decisions when it comes to the future of their business.
The future of the industry itself depends on our collective ability to drive recruitment and grow the overall workforce, while also retaining and showing appreciation for those who have stuck with it. One way of doing that is by eliminating the seasonal feel of the business and making an employee’s paycheck that much more stable. We’re doing that by guaranteeing 40-hour work weeks year-round to our employees.
How did we get here?
In our market, there are several common practices used to pay field employees, many of which are highly unfavorable to the employee. You could salary them, giving them a consistent paycheck but probably cheating them out of overtime pay. You could lay them off in the winter, bringing them back for short stints when there is actual snow to move, but forcing them to rely on unemployment benefits to keep themselves afloat. You could run a winter loan program, where employees are “loaned” additional hours to get to a full-time paycheck, then repaid with OT when it became available.
Up until this past winter season, we had gone through several iterations of
the winter loan program with varying degrees of success. Yes, it made sure the employee got a full paycheck; but when it was time to repay the balance, it was often perceived as “paying” your employer to let you work. This certainly wasn’t the case; but perception is reality. We went from loaning up to 40 hours if there was truly no work (generating massive balances at times) to guaranteeing 25 hours and loaning up to 15.
Needless to say, it was fairly successful but a little confusing; and we would still lose several employees each fall to a company that was “guaranteeing” pay through a salaried field position.
All of these varying types of pay structures can make the seasonality of snow work unappealing to those looking to get into the industry. The work itself is difficult enough with long, cold hours; the last thing you want your employees worrying about is when and in what form their next paycheck is coming. Last March, we decided enough was enough.
The guaranteed 40 program
After weighing the pros and cons and analyzing the outcomes from a financial
perspective, we decided as a team that the best thing to do for our employees and our business was to offer a guaranteed 40-hour paycheck, no matter the weather. If we get three storms in a week and work 60 hours? You get your 20 hours of overtime. It really is as simple as that. No more loan balances, tax calculation hoops or confusion.
We announced the change at our all-hands meeting to close out the winter season; and admittedly, our employees’ initial reactions were mixed from excitement and appreciation to speculation and doubt.
The idea was to try to utilize the non-weather weeks with volunteering opportunities, something we had worked on the prior winter; for additional training; and, frankly, for some rest between stormy weeks. We wanted to make sure that our employees felt secure in their employment situation and that they were getting a fair deal when it comes to what the work requires: a 24/7 oncall commitment for 5 months.
Season 1 lessons
With it being our first season trying this model, we expected some lumps, bumps and unintended consequences. How’d it go?
Turnover was down. The first outcome we saw was that the almost predictable exodus of 5-7 employees every fall for a salaried position at a competitor stopped. We lost one to this type of situation, and you still can’t convince me how that particular case made sense.
Juggling tasks. The program proved easy to administer but created some taxing situations for our operations managers. We didn’t want to drag people into the shop to wash the same truck 6 times just to “get our money’s worth;” but we did want to make sure checklist items were getting done and we were utilizing our time effectively. Planning for the unpredictable. The biggest challenge was in trying
to avoid unnecessary overtime while facing unreliable weather forecasts. This was especially true when starting a week that had weather predicted for the back end and we were trying to save our allotted hours for real winter work, often sacrificing training or maintenance items to avoid unnecessary overtime.
Our managers did a fantastic job of wading through this past season and going forward will have a much better sense of how to prioritize the time we have to make sure we’re utilizing it effectively. We had a pretty busy winter season, so there was a lot less time for the ambitious goals of volunteering one day a week and training one day a week; but we did get some valuable training scheduled and completed.
Unexpected costs. It was a little more financially taxing on the business than we thought; but this is a longterm approach for us that can be
mitigated by price increases going forward.
Will this continue?
Yes, and it has to. Every year our teams are asked to sacrifice so much of their time and their families’ time to service our clients and keep the public safe. The least we can do is make sure they are financially secure and don’t have to choose between taking a different job and staying in the industry.
It seems that each year fewer and fewer people are interested in this line of work, regardless of how necessary and essential it is and will continue to be. Making these types of commitments to our workforce is how we’re facing this challenge and it helped contribute to our most well-staffed season to date.
Josh Flynn is CEO of Seabreeze Property Services in Portland, ME. Contact him at jflynn@seabreezepropertyservices.com.
beyond the uniform
Assisting with non-work
By MIKE McCARRON
During a Monday morning all-staff meeting, one of our field crew members casually mentioned that he couldn’t work past 5:30 p.m. because he needed to buy ice for his apartment. Puzzled, we probed a bit further and learned that his refrigerator had been out of commission for over seven weeks. He was running home at 5:30 each day to fill his cooler with ice so his food wouldn’t spoil. What?!
He hadn’t brought it up before
challenges shows concern for team’s well-being
because he was embarrassed that he didn’t know how to resolve the situation on his own. His landlord had told him it wasn’t his responsibility to fix appliances, and he would need to purchase a new refrigerator. This didn’t sound right. We asked him for a copy of his lease. The landlord was, in fact, responsible for repairing or replacing appliances; and we accompanied him to the leasing office the next day to help him sort things out.
Because we took an interest in his wellbeing and went to bat for him, the refrigerator was repaired the next day; he was reimbursed for his ice purchases; and he received a 25% rent reduction for the previous seven weeks. Our employee was
FOCUSING ON FINANCIAL LITERACY
More companies are providing access to life skills training, especially financial literacy. Helping team members understand basic financial concepts, from budgeting to retirement planning, is another example of an intangible benefit that shows owners care about their team’s well-being. Eco Snow Removal President Martyn Church, CSP, ASM, says he’s helped team members by providing budgeting templates and walking them through the process.
extremely grateful for our help because we saw him as more than an employee who wore our uniform each day. He was a human being and valued team member who needed some help.
Did it take a few extra hours to help him? Yes. Did it make a difference to him? Indeed. Was it worth our time? Absolutely! Turns out, the extra care and time on our part meant a lot to him and likely made him a more committed and loyal employee. We focus so much on training and supporting our teams in their professional roles; but giving them the tools to succeed off the field can yield powerful results, too.
Banking assistance
Another area of constant struggle for our workers, often those from other countries, is navigating and trusting the U.S. banking system, which is not
“We have to consider what’s affecting them outside the business to help them do their job better. If they have better control over their finances, it can ease stress they might be bringing to work with them.”
Outdoor Pride Landscaping President Mark Aquilino says he realized there was an opportunity for the company to introduce these skills when a crew leader, who is almost 40, brought up financial literacy and said he didn’t really understand it. As a result, the company will be bringing in a 401K financial planner and plans this summer to offer 1-on-1 help with any employee and their significant others to create budgets. That personal education will translate to a better understanding of business financials. (Learn more about how financial literacy plays into Outdoor Pride Landscaping’s open book management philosophy on page 54.)
“We have to listen as leaders to what our teams want and need,” he says.
— Cheryl Higley
like those in their home countries. They often need help safely navigating through it since trust is low and most transactions occur in English, which is often not their native language.
To assist with this, we have a local banker attend our all-staff meetings from time to time to answer questions and to explain how accounts, direct deposits and credit cards work. We also always have someone available to translate at all our all-staff meetings. This approach builds trust between our team and the local bank, and helps our team feel comfortable about using the bank’s services.
Afterward, employees often stop by the bank to ask questions, and they have even started using direct deposit instead of asking for their pay in cash/ check. Again, a little education and proactive care goes a long way.
Community support
Many community groups, including churches and community service clubs (e.g., Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.), offer programs to help community members learn more about successfully navigating our U.S. community systems such as housing; banking; affordable food sources; and even learning to speak, read and write English.
Look for clues that your team members may need some extra help. Listen to what your team members say and how they say it. Listen to what they don’t say. If appropriate, to learn whether a team member is struggling and could use some help, probe a bit with consideration for the team member’s privacy. Consider how you might be able to help them outside of work.
Build trust
Renowned author and leadership guru Simon Sinek says: “A team is not a group of people that work together. A team is a group of people that trust each other.”
In our company, we believe that taking the time to help our team members become more educated about things outside of work that they may not fully understand builds trust and,
ultimately, a stronger team at work. We have also found that going the extra mile by taking a little extra time to care about our team members “beyond the uniform,” builds a more loyal and committed team. I encourage you to give it a try…you will be surprised by the positive results you see.
Mike McCarron is president and founder of Image Works Landscape Management, a commercial landscape maintenance and snow removal firm in the Northern Virginia market. He has 20+ years of industry experience. Email him at mike@imageworkslandscaping.com.
#ONETEAM: President
Mark Aquilino, NH Area Operations Manager Degen Kelly, Vice President of Client Relations & Sales
Billy Butts, and Business Coordinator Brianna Parr tout the benefits of open book management.
THINK LIKE AN OWNER
Outdoor Pride takes “one team” to heart with commitment to open book management
BY CHERYL HIGLEY
Photos by Jo SmithHeadshots Photography
Outdoor Pride Landscaping President Mark Aquilino began implementing the open book management concept in 2019 as a simple, straightforward way to develop a bonus structure for the Manchester, NH-based company’s employees.
In OBM, you’re not sharing every financial detail; rather, the company educates its employees on how their production impacts the business’s bottom line. Using gross profit as the key performance indicator, Outdoor
TRUST IN OWNERSHIP
Pride’s field teams have to hit or beat the estimated hours every project should take to complete. If quarterly benchmarks are hit, bonuses are paid to all full-time employees.
“We see it as a team sport. We quickly found that it literally tells all of our employees how they can win and contribute as a team. Making them more aware of their daily tasks and what they mean to the overall picture has been great,” Aquilino says.
Continued on next page
lessons from an obm journey
Following are some lessons the Outdoor Pride executive team has learned during open book management implementation:
Communicate. It’s important that you get the message out in multiple ways so that the team knows where things stand – in good times and in bad. “You can’t just pop it in place and run. It has to be consistently talked about,” says President Mark Aquilino, noting an early misstep was not communicating with the team after a fourth quarter with no snow put bonuses in jeopardy. “It would have been better to explain about why we weren’t hitting the numbers and how to prepare for that.”
Celebrate the wins. Don’t get so focused on the numbers that you forget about the people who are achieving the goals.
Be patient. As with any system change, give it time. Gather the data, be analytical and make necessary changes to make it successful.
Dedicate the time. Business Coordinator Brianna Parr says it takes a lot of time to implement open book management, so prepare for that time commitment with your administrative team.
JUST REWARDS: When the company’s metrics are met or exceeded, Outdoor Pride Landscaping team members reap the benefits with bonuses paid each quarter.
Be honest with your financials. “If you look at your business and there’s a division not doing well, don’t gloss over it. Figure it out,” Parr says.
CONSTANT WATCH: In OBM, companies keep a close eye on the numbers to ensure metrics are being met; if they aren’t, course corrections can be made more quickly.
Continued from page 55
Business Coordinator Brianna Parr says implementing OBM really opened everyone’s eyes to exactly what the business does and the margins for each line item. It’s key information to share since the field team’s efforts control about 67% of the company’s costs.
“Being able to talk about it at a level the field teams could understand and get them into that business mindset financially has made our company better,” she says.
Eye-opening experiences
Beyond establishing bonus benchmarks, management quickly identified other benefits, such as improving time management skills, identifying inefficiencies, and building a “one team” culture.
New Hampshire Area Operations Manager Degen Kelly, ASM, calls OBM “planning on steroids” and says that it has made team members much more in tune to the metrics that need to be hit on each site.
“The teams get together in huddles and plan out to the T who’s doing what, and what’s next. There’s very little downtime,” he says, adding that people became much more aware of non-billable tasks (e.g., fueling on the job, sharpening mower blades) that were
OBM COMMUNICATION:
Outdoor Pride Landscaping brings open book management into training whenever possible.
Smaller companies can benefit from OBM
Think implementing open book management is only for bigger companies? Outdoor Pride President Mark Aquilino believes any size company can reap the benefits, and that smaller companies can achieve a faster return on investment.
“Open book helps you get more in tune with your numbers and become more systematic,” he says. “It forces you to think of the future; and if you aren’t because you’re too busy dealing with dayto-day operations, you’re letting a lot of risk into your business.”
costing them valuable production time and money. “Prior to open book, they were really dialed in on providing quality work, outdoing the competition. The team still has that, if not more so, now that they understand how their work affects revenue.”
Team sports are competitive; and depending on the players’ personalities, conflicts can arise. But Kelly says he’s seen the reverse: “That competitive nature brings out the best in everyone here.
Being proactive in reviewing your numbers and interpreting them in real time can prevent unwelcome surprises.
“Snow is so volatile. When it’s good, it’s great,” says Billy Butts, Vice President of Client Relations & Sales. “Open book management allows you take the guesswork out of the business. When you’re looking at your numbers week over week, it’s easier to make changes so you’re not getting stressed about something unnecessarily.”
Everyone is here for each other. When people finish early, their first thought isn’t ‘we’re done’ but ‘where can we go to assist others.’”
Open book in action
Aquilino says open book helps every employee to “think like an owner,” and he’s seen it in action. During a recent client meeting, Aquilino and Operations Manager Jacob Howard presented a proposal with a 28% price
Prior to open book, they were really dialed in on providing quality work, outdoing the competition. The team still has that, if not more so, now that they understand how their work affects revenue.”
—DEGEN
KELLY, ASM, NH AREA OPERATIONS MANAGER
increase. Aquilino was ready to jump in with his “softy sales voice” when Jacob spoke up.
“He said, ‘I get it, and we are sympathetic. But we know our hours; and I know every time this is what it’s going to take. We are so dialed in we’ve taken our history and learned from it. We don’t have any flexibility, and if someone is telling you they’re doing it for less, they’re cheating,’ ’’ Aquilino says. “I was so proud of him. He gets it and didn’t bend. They came back and took the entire increase. It was super powerful to see Jacob thinking like an owner.”
OBM as a differentiator
The industry’s track record with employee turnover isn’t great. Billy
Continued on page 58
Continued from page 57
Butts, Vice President of Client Relations & Sales, believes that OBM is elevating the culture, which contributes to making Outdoor Pride a desired workplace.
“In the years I’ve been in the industry, I’ve come across great people that have shown they can stand the test of time. It isn’t always about being a great technician, it’s about being a great businessperson,” he says. “If we can build up the Outdoor Pride armor with business-minded technicians, we should be unstoppable.”
Besides the benefits to the company and the team, Butts says sharing the philosophy with clients is a strong selling point.
“We 100% tell our customers about it,” he says. “Having a program that rewards people for being
smart, cooperative and business savvy is key for the customer. The benefit to them is that we have retained employees who are motivated to do quality work and not make mistakes on their property.”
OBM has been a transformative experience for Outdoor Pride, but Aquilino believes the best is still to come.
“It’s an unbelievable tool that helps us run our business,” he says. “We always have to be thinking ahead. [Open book] makes everyone better. It makes us honest. We’re just starting to hit our stride, but I know that the time and energy we’re putting into this will separate us.”
Cheryl Higley is SIMA’s Director of Education & Content. Contact her at 262-236-9972 or email cheryl@sima.org.
Ins and outs of economic engagement
Dan Foley, who practiced economic engagement (i.e., open book management) before he sold his landscaping/snow company, D. Foley Landscape, and is a long-time industry consultant, is helping Outdoor Pride Landscaping to implement the concept. He and Shannon O’Neil, former chief financial officer for IL-based RYCO Landscaping and practitioner of economic engagement (and who is a certified open book coach), shared some of what economic engagement is, what it isn’t and the benefits of implementing a system that encourages winning as a team and having employees think like owners.
Economic engagement is a concept that can not only improve your snow
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PILLARS OF ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT
Customer Engagement: This is the starting point, since customers define the economics of the business. Obtaining customer/client feedback validates and informs planning.
Economic Understanding: Establishing goals and educating team members on the company’s economics align all employees on what success means to the company. This facilitates and reinforces goal clarity.
Economic Performance: Weekly forecasting and review encourages companies to always be looking ahead. Transparency – for good and bad – shows employees how the company is measuring up and identifies areas that need to be addressed to right the ship. It is important and helpful to get curious and learn together as a team.
Economic Compensation: Tying rewards (e.g., bonuses) to hitting or exceeding established performance metrics gives all employees a shared stake in the company’s success and aligns the company’s and team member’s interests.
Employee Engagement: When team members feel like a trusted partner in the success of the company, it encourages better relationships, effective communication, establishes a better culture, and leads to continuous improvement, growth and profitability.
business but also the lives of the employees who drive those results,” Foley says. “It recognizes, highlights and supports the concept that business is a team sport.”
When you practice economic engagement, you’re not providing every financial detail of the company. It’s not just an incentive program, and it isn’t a cure-all for bad business habits.
“What it can do is educate your team members on how to understand, track and forecast the company’s key numbers; create a culture of engagement and commitment to achievement; and show clients and employees that [you] are transparent about the company’s performance,” O’Neil says.
READING RESOURCES
“Partners on the Payroll” by Bill Fotsch and John Case
“Open Book Management” by John Case “The Great Game of Business” by Jack Stack
flip the script
Reviewing leaders’ performance gives employees a voice and buy-in
By JOSH HOWVER, ASM
With today’s labor hiring challenges, it’s become fairly obvious that snow contractors need to re-evaluate how they hire and retain employees. The competitive wages for jobs in other industries that would demand much less from our employees are enticing for anyone who’s currently working in a winter environment. Such jobs are offering equal (or more, in many cases) money to work a consistent schedule without the rigors of battling the worst weather conditions at all hours of the day or night.
As our snow director, it makes me nervous to know that any of our outstanding employees could leave for a job that pays equal and gives them “better” working conditions. So, how do we address this? It’s been my philosophy for as long as I’ve been a manager that receiving and understanding feedback from my employees is paramount for me to succeed in my role, and also for the team to succeed as a whole. Our company truly believes in that same philosophy, which has made it very easy for me to grow in my roles over the years.
Check the pulse
Feedback from every level of your company will tell you a lot about what’s going well and areas that might need improvement. Our field staff is a mix of year-round labor (we perform landscaping in the green months) and labor that works for us only in the winter. This staff group is the backbone of our snow operations,
so it’s vitally important that we understand their thoughts and feelings. Preseason check-ins. Every fall, we have a snow meeting with our field staff to go over the upcoming season and refresh on standard procedures as well as new implementations. These new implementations are generally things that we learned from the previous year and are almost always the result of suggestions from the prior year’s team. When the crews see that we take their suggestions seriously, it engages them much more and they are far more willing to share their honest opinions. In-season adjustments. There is constant dialogue with the crews after each event to get their feelings on how we did. Did we come in too early or too late? Did the new equipment work well? Did the new route seem to be more efficient or was there no im-
provement? Because we ask our crews constantly, we can make small adjustments all the time; and it really gets the crews to buy in. It allows them to feel comfortable telling me, our other snow managers, or even the owner their outlook without fear of being punished for their honesty. Usually when the crews talk among themselves and “outnumber” the managers, you get better feedback. When I ask one crew, they generally are standoffish to start. If I ask two or three crews together, they start speaking up because they feel a bit safer.
While this approach is very effective, it’s very informal; so, route managers and their employees have a more formal conversation at the end of the season as well. Once they feel safe and know there’s no negative repercussions for bringing ideas to the
HOW ARE WE DOING?: Cornerstone Partners Horticultural Services’ Snow Director Josh Howver, ASM (left) and President Jim Turcan, CSP, ASM, have built a culture that encourages respectful and open feedback about company leadership from the crews. The results often lead to improvements in company operations and processes.
table, they’re much more willing to talk openly in a one-on-one setting.
Transparency is key
We hold quarterly reviews to really drive home the fact that we care and want to know how we can improve. We try to talk as little about compensation and wages as possible and really focus on questions that elicit conversation about what the company can improve, what our managers could do better to support them, and their thoughts on what works and what doesn’t.
To get ahead of the inevitable talks about compensation, we allow the crews to see our wage scale for all field staff. This helps to eliminate the typical “he makes this much and I’m more skilled than him” conversations that we used to have. Now the crews can see their pay range based on the skills and certifications that they have.
The quarterly reviews give us a leg up on our competition (snow or any other company) when they try to recruit our employees. When our crews have a good relationship with their managers, it allows them to come forward about any potential opportunity to leave for any number of reasons. The crews feel comfortable laying out their offers and seeing if we have the ability to match or close the gap. Many times, they’re willing to take less money because they know they’re in a good environment with our company.
This same system carries over to our salaried employees. Our owner sends a quarterly review via a questionnaire that we fill out and submit. We track the number-based scale responses and bring up areas of concern in our team meetings. There are also open-ended questions that allow for a written response to directly address feelings about our managers or the company’s direction. I always feel great after submitting my review because I know I can be honest and don’t have to fear being blackballed or punished for my thoughts. And most times, at least a portion of my suggestions get implemented in our business.
I highly recommend setting up a review system that drives conversation
about the work environment instead of always about the individual employee and wages. It’s brought us a lot of great ideas and allowed us to invest in new technology and equipment with great buy-in from our staff because they’re involved in the process. In a time where the market for employees is competitive,
make it easier on yourself by investing time and energy into your workforce and understanding the view of the company through their eyes.
Josh Howver, ASM, is snow director for Cornerstone Partners Horticultural Services in Elgin, IL. Contact him at joshh@cphort.com.
RESPOND TO CHANGING WEATHER IN UNDER FIVE MINUTES
Aspire: Transforming a snow business
BY ABBY HART
For Signature Landscape, snow wasn’t the only thing piling up during the winter season.
“We had paper processes and a lot of data entry,” admits Samantha Wilson, operations trainer. “We had a lot of information that didn’t communicate with each other.”
Signature Landscape, based in Kansas City, KS, is a $30 million company specializing in commercial maintenance and high-end multifamily sites. The company used all-paper processes to run the business, with a single administrator entering in-house and subcontractor data.
Because of this, snow events could take three to four weeks to close out; and the lengthy, manual processes led to billing errors and took a toll on the administrative staff during the tough winter months.
the company to roll out a comprehensive training program, including in-person training demonstrations for each position and process. The company became almost completely digital, employing an administrator at each branch to manage data, and Wilson now serves as the in-house Aspire expert and lead trainer.
Ease of use: Crew Mobile, the subcontractor portal, and the schedule board are key features in Aspire that help Signature Landscape keep pace with hectic snow seasons.
positive effects inside and outside the business.
Laying the foundation
Signature started working with Aspire in January 2018 to consolidate their systems into one platform.
Making the shift to Aspire required
The benefits
During the 2019-2020 snow season, the team was able to bill much faster with Aspire – a shift that has had
Billing cycle: Signature Landscape continues to grow its business and cut billing time after snow events from a month to a week using Aspire.
“We were able to go from billing one month after a storm to billing one week after a storm,” says Wilson. “By going paperless and streamlining our processes, we’ve reduced errors and we’re better able to accommodate our clients’ needs.”
Streamlining the billing process also allowed Signature’s administrative staff to cut down from 60-70 hours a week during snow season. “Now, the company is saving on overtime, and admins are able to complete their work within their 40 hours while also keeping up with their non-snow duties,” Wilson says.
The company has also improved its ability to collect, measure, and report data with Aspire’s customized reports and dashboard, which now help Signature prepare more informative reports for its parent company, HeartLand.
Samantha Wilson, operations trainer, Signature Landscape
Scan or click to watch how Signature Landscape uses Aspire.
Room to grow
Looking back, Signature’s first snow season with Aspire was a success, with the company seeing improved client relationships, boosts in staff morale, increased cost savings, and improved gross profit margins, Wilson says. But they’re not stopping there. Here’s what Signature aims to accomplish with Aspire in the future.
More accurate forecasting. Signature hopes to improve the client-renewal process by using Aspire’s estimating templates to produce more accurate forecasts. Aspire pulls existing historical labor, material, and expense data for each contract to deliver forecasts in just a few minutes – rather than the hundreds of hours of data entry it used to take. “This is going to be crucial to our ability to manage more and bigger clients,” says Wilson.
Managing growth. “By running everything through Aspire, we have confidence we can take on a lot more business, which obviously leads to profitability,” she says. In early 2020, Signature acquired a large snow operation, growing its snow business by 250%, and relies on Aspire to manage that expansion.
CONTRACTOR FEEDBACK
“By going paperless and streamlining our processes, we’ve reduced errors; and we’re better able to accommodate our clients’ needs.”
— Samantha Wilson, operations trainer
Improved routes and better fleet and inventory management. Signature Landscape has implemented more of Aspire’s features into its everyday operations. With the equipment module, it has started to track new equipment purchases, inventory, and fleet service and maintenance. Looking ahead, it plans to use the route optimization within Aspire to decrease drive time and conserve fuel; expand Aspire training and continuing education for employees; and take advantage of the Crew Mobile and subcontractor portal to manage its workforce – paper-free. Increased efficiency. The visibility and efficiencies that Aspire has helped create are transforming how the company works – and transforming its bottom line. “It used to take us a crazy amount of time and labor to complete a job – from data entry, production, field work, etc.,” says Wilson. “With Aspire, we cut our labor time in half, which has ultimately saved the company a lot of money. Aspire is changing how we do things.”
Abby Hart is a senior content marketing specialist for Aspire. Contact her at marcom@youraspire.com.
TOOLS
Altoz, Inc.
BOOTH #115
Altoz outdoor power equipment featuring tracks continues to set new commercial standards for value in product and operator efficiency. The all-new 2023 Altoz Switch compact utility vehicle and attachments exceed boundaries as a new class standard for versatility and multiseasonal usage. www.Altoz.com
Machineries Pronovost
BOOTH #415
Pronovost will be showcasing its new Cyclone 72” model (C7224), now available from stock. Designed for subcompact tractors with 25 to 40 hp, the C7224 comes in at less than 1000 lbs.
The Cyclone features a galvanized finish, increased visibility and a better-balanced weight distribution.
https://pronovost.qc.ca/en/
SPOTLIGHT ON SYMPOSIUM EXHIBITORS
& SPONSORS
These companies and many more will be showcasing their products during the 25th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium trade show in Milwaukee, WI, June 23-24.
Giant Loaders - North America
BOOTH #1121
The G2700 Xtra HD + compact articulating wheel loader is powered by a Kubota 50 hp turbo diesel engine. This model comes standard with a 2-speed gearbox providing a top speed of 18 mph. Optional road lights, 21 gpm hydraulic flow, pro-inching and boom suspension make it the perfect machine for snow removal. www.giantloaders.com
Hilltip Corp.
BOOTH #839
Hilltip’s Sweepaway rotary brooms can be installed on 2.5- to 5.5-ton trucks, tractors, skid steers and utility vehicles. Available in three sizes with a 20” diameter, these brooms operate at 1x hydraulic function at a minimum 11 gpm. Options include a wide range of mounts, deflectors, sprinkler kits and hydraulic power units. www.hilltipna.com
SPONSOR
SPONSOR
New Holland Construction Equipment
BOOTH #649
New Holland C Series compact wheel loaders are the right tools for the tough jobs you do every day. The W80C or W50C are compact in size, yet deliver big power, high performance and outstanding stability. Manage everything from lifting heavy loads of pavers to scooping buckets of snow. https://construction.newholland.com
Hyundai Construction Americas
BOOTH #1021
The A Series Hyundai wheel loader provides unmatched power and durability. Hyundai has a powerful Cummins engine, ZF transmission and axles, standard air ride and heated seats and 5 years of Hi Mate remote monitoring free. The HL930A will be on display at our booth with a Teamco Snowblast snowblower, which can be raised and lowered to accommodate high drifts. www.hceamericas.com
SPONSOR
SRM-Kodiak
BOOTH #1039
The SRM-Kodiak CleanPower Electric Loader Mount reduces its users’ carbon footprints by operating on John Deere electric motors. All the horsepower you need to tackle your toughest jobs – just like our non-electric loader mounts. Everything you are used to with a Kodiak will be retained, but carbon will be reduced – a win-win for snow removal and Mother Nature. www.srm-kodiak.com
Vermeer Corporation
BOOTH #1135
Vermeer compact articulated loaders are designed to meet the need for a highly maneuverable, versatile machine while having an added benefit of low turf disturbance and a telescopic boom. The compact articulated loaders are able to complete jobs such as snow removal, tree care work, landscaping projects and more. www.vermeer.com
HitchDoc
BOOTH #941
Located in the Midwest, HitchDoc proudly manufactures professional grade snowblowers, plows and spreaders from American steel.
From hydraulic blowers for wheel loaders and tractors to Eagle Plows that mount to ATVs and UTVs, HitchDoc has the right attachment to keep your business going strong all winter long. www.hitchdoc.com
InvertedSnowblowers.com
We are the largest distributor of Normand snowblowers in North America. These blowers are built from Hardox 450 steel and come in a variety of types and sizes. Normand represents quality, sturdiness and reliability. https://invertedsnowblowers.com/
SPONSOR
TrucBrush Corporation
BOOTH #133
Grow your business with TrucBrush, a newer attachment to clear snow and icy debris off trailer, truck, bus and intermodal container rooftops. It removes snow fast (approximately 30 seconds), effectively and safely. The TrucBrush is powered by a front-end loader’s hydraulics and quickly couples on and off to change out for other snow attachments. www.TrucBrush.com
SPONSOR
Trelleborg Wheels Systems
BOOTH #233
The CRT-800 Rubber Track takes you further with Trelleborg’s new all-season track for compact track loaders – engineered with superior traction to perform in all conditions, all year long. Designed with increased turning ability, sharper braking and a smoother ride, the All-Season outlasts and outperforms other tracks in its class. www.trelleborg.com
TOOLS // SYMPOSIUM SPOTLIGHT
Normand Co. Ltd.
BOOTH #849
Normand Co. Ltd. introduces a new generation of inverted snowblowers: 5 models (60, 74, 82, 92 and 100 inches wide) for tractors 20-140 hp PTO. Designed to increase efficiency and cost savings, offering a quicker process and a cleaner job. Rugged construction with Hardox 450 steel. www.cienormand.com
AccuSalt Systems
BOOTH #616
The AccuSalt is a truckmounted deicing material monitor that records application information for each of your sites. Site name, start/stop time, tons/gallons, application rate per acre and GPS location are being recorded while the dashboard module displays real-time information to the driver. All data is uploaded remotely to the office for billing and operations review. https://accusaltsystems.com
Cryotech Deicing Technology
BOOTH #444
Cryotech Deicing Technology is the industry leader in acetate-based deicing alternatives. Ideal for use on bridges, roadways, parking structures and sidewalks, Cryotech pavement products deliver superior performance while reducing chloride load. Each 25-kg. bag of NAAC 40, when used as directed, can save approximately 130 pounds of chloride load from entering the environment. www.cryotech.com
Camion
BOOTH #439
The Brine Master is an over-built, plug-n-play brine maker built around a straightforward workflow. An all-in-one, premium machine at an affordable price, the Brine Master comes pre-wired to approved standards with complete electronics. This unit comes in two sizes, both featuring our iconic poly and stainless-steel construction. www.camionsystems.com
Scraper Systems by Rite-Hite
BOOTH
#217
Scraper Systems FleetPlows automate rooftop snow removal from trailers, trucks and buses. Designed for fast, effortless, low-maintenance operation in winter conditions, our snow scrapers clear 24 inches of snow in less than 30 seconds. Reduce risk and liability, prevent injuries, protect your brand. Solutions for varied fleet sizes. www.scrapersystems.com
Cargill Road Safety
BOOTH #621
The AccuBatch brine maker is capable of producing up to 800 gallons of brine per batch and features a conductivity sensor for automatic brine concentration measurement. The simple plug-andplay design allows for easy setup, maintenance, operation and cleanout. Make what you need when you need it.
www.cargill.com
ConservFS
BOOTH #211
We are the leading supplier of bulk and packaged ice melters in the Milwaukee and Chicago markets. Incorporated in 1928, Conserv FS is cooperative, owned and democratically controlled by its members. Our goal is to always provide our customers an unbeatable experience. www.conservfs.com
Chapin International
BOOTH #321
The Chapin 97408E EZ Mount ATV/UTV Sprayer is designed for spraying brine to pre-treat and deice walkways and steps. Features include a 25-gallon chemical-resistant tank, wide tank opening for easy filling, 2.2 gpm 12-volt diaphragm pump, 15 ft. reinforced hose, and a triple filtration system. www.chapinmfg.com
Natural Alternative
BOOTH #539
Snow and ice professionals depend on Natural Alternative for safe and effective ice melt options. With our ice melt, you’ll use less product than traditional ice melters. Use safely on driveways, parking lots and sidewalks. Our 100% CMA is LEED compliant and proudly made in the USA. www.icemelter.com
Cleveland Vibrator Company
BOOTH #448
Promote consistent material flow in spreader and small hoppers with DC vibrators. A fully enclosed design ensures maximum uptime even in the harshest of environments. Made in the USA. www.clevelandvibrator.com
ICL Europe
BOOTH #936
ICL is a leading supplier for some of the largest markets for deicing salt. Meeting both European and American standards, we offer logistical solutions through our deep seaports in Spain and the United Kingdom. www.icl-roadsalt.com
Michigan Chloride Sales
BOOTH #820
MCS is the largest producer of calcium chloride brine, providing over 50 million gallons that can be used for direct application and stockpile treatment. This season we introduce De-Ice Master + with Ice Ban, a premium anti-icer that is DOT tested and melts to -26°F and below. www.michiganchloride.com
TOOLS // SYMPOSIUM SPOTLIGHT
INSERV, Inc.
BOOTH #829
IceBan is a clear, corrosion-inhibited liquid anti-icer and deicer. Choosing IceBan for a snow and ice fighting tool takes your program to the next level by reducing labor, fuel and material costs while improving customer service. www.inserv24-7.com
Seneca Mineral Co.
BOOTH #543
Naturally occurring, this chloride-based liquid deicer is effective to -16°F. Trusted by DOTs and private companies throughout the Northeastern United States. www.senecamineral.com
Lowe Mfg. Co. LLC / Spiral Metals, LLC
BOOTH #325
Spiral Metals manufactures many custom augers, sectional and helicoid flighting. www.spiralmetalsllc.com
Reinders, Inc.
BOOTH #939
Meteor Melt, made in Wisconsin, is a custom blend of sodium, calcium and magnesium chlorides. Grounded in Midwest values, it does what it says it will do: gets to work fast and keeps working to -20°F. Consistent particle sizes make it a great choice for reliable, calibratable spreaders such as PCD36S or 82088 www.reinders.com
NSC Minerals Ltd.
BOOTH #648
NSC Minerals is a leading supplier of salt mineral crystals in Western Canada, with reach throughout Canada and the USA, specifically the Midwest. Natural Rock Salt crystals are mined 3,000 feet below the Canadian Prairies. Unlimited supply. High purity in excess of 98%. Low insoluble levels. www.nscminerals.com
OxyChem
BOOTH #610
Melt 3 times faster, using 40% less, while being kinder to the environment when using Peladow calcium chloride versus magnesium chloride. In 30 minutes, melt 1,000 square feet of ice with only 28 pounds of Peladow compared to 50 pounds of magnesium chloride. Choose to Melt Responsibly and make the switch today. www.MeltResponsibly.com
WI Salt Wise
BOOTH #952
WI Salt Wise promotes smart salting practices that reduce damage to infrastructure and protect our lakes, streams and drinking water. As a coalition of non-profit and governmental organizations across the state, we provide free training opportunities and educational materials to contractors, property managers and residents. www.wisaltwise.com
SPONSOR
Sno-Way International, Inc.
BOOTH #421
Sno-Way has designed a drop spreader for the RVB10 and RVB500, allowing you to use your spreader as a drop spreader or broadcast. Attach the hood to your spreader short chute and you have a 30” to 60” spread. Easy on and off with no tools. Comes with a built-in carrier. www.snoway.com
Spyker Spreaders
BOOTH #723
Spyker Spreaders’ Ergo-Pro Ice 100-lb. or 50-lb. push spreaders offer patent-pending variable deflector systems and are ideal for tough winter jobs using bagged salt and ice melt. The stainless-steel carving blade can work through any material clumps. It features a stainless-steel reflective frame and lifetime warranty metal gear system. www.spyker.com
Skyline Salt Solutions
BOOTH #729
Skyline Salt Solutions is the newest salt company in the game, specializing in treated salt, all made possible by our patented mobile Sky-link Mix Master. With capabilities of up to 300 tons per hour, we make short work of any amount of salt using the treatment of your choice. www.skylinesalt.com
Tillson Brands, Inc.
BOOTH #426
JetBlue Ice Melter is made with Smart Melt deicing technology. JetBlue’s unique formulation allows for faster and longer lasting ice melting capability, while sparing your vehicles and property the corrosion found when using traditional road salt. Its low application rate, bright color and superior ice melting ability will give you an edge on winter’s worst storms. www.jetblueice.com
Turbo Technologies, Inc.
BOOTH #1020
Turbo Turf’s BM-450 brine maker offers a proven and economical solution to making brine. Available with gas engine or 220V singlephase electric motor. www.icecontrolsprayers.com
Vortex Granular Systems, LLC
BOOTH #901
We offer air-driven granular spreaders for application of granular deicer and much more. www.vortexadvantage.com
SPONSOR
SPONSOR
TOOLS // SYMPOSIUM SPOTLIGHT
SPONSOR
Buyers Products Company
BOOTH #1011
Put a powerful V-plow on your ½-ton pickup truck: Introducing the stainless-steel SnowDogg VMXII. Optimized for your ½-ton pick-up, the Floating A-Frame allows the plow to contour to the pavement, and the chain lift makes for easy stacking. Comes standard with a poly-deflector and plow shoes. www.buyersproducts.com
SPONSOR
Fisher Engineering
BOOTH #711
The FISHER XLS – the only expandable plow with independent wing control and trip-edge protection – delivers a new level of versatility, efficiency and performance. The XLS comes equipped with flared wings and is available in two blade sizes ranging from 8’ retracted to 10’ expanded and 8’6” retraced to 11’ expanded. Both blade sizes come in stainless steel and STORM GUARD powder-coated steel.
www.fisherplows.com
HLA Snow
BOOTH #1127
Back up your HLA Snow equipment with a Quick Attach Snow Blade Mount. Relying on the rear mount, force is pushed through the drawbar from the front of the mount, providing incredible pushing strength. Parallel linkage keeps the blade level throughout the range of motion. www.hlasnow.com
Daniels Plows
BOOTH #1122
Turn your pickup into a year-round workhorse with the Daniels Dump Insert & Dragon Plow. Inserts come standard with Cab Guard & Tarp Kit. Dragon Plows are available in truck and tractor models and offer incredibly efficient snow removal with a rear-mounted plow. Truck mounting allows full use of OEM tailgate and rear camera.
SPONSOR
Arctic Snow and Ice Products
BOOTH #403
The all-new Arctic Sectional Sno-Wing is an adjustable wing plow with the advantages of a Sectional Sno-Pusher and Sectional Sno-Plow in one. No other wing plow offers Arctic’s patented, unmatched features allowing the plow to contour to pavement, trip over obstacles and sheer-off hardpack snow and ice, scraping down to bare pavement in a single pass. www.arcticsnowproducts.com
Caterpillar, Inc.
BOOTH #429
Don’t wait for cooler temperatures to warm up business. Add CAT snowplows and snow pushers to your operation and get ahead of the winter season. Show snow, sleet, slush and ice who’s boss with attachments for your CAT equipment. www.cat.com
SPONSOR
www.danielsplows.com
Argonics
BOOTH #927
Argonics’ Tundra Tamer products last 4 times longer than rubber snowplow cutting edges. Argonics’ Kryptane polyurethane has been trusted in the mining industry for years, where it’s known for its superior abrasion-resistant qualities. Snow and ice are no match for it. Argonics products are proudly made in the USA.
www.tundratamer.com
Hiniker Company
BOOTH #611
The patented Hiniker C-Plow blade converts from a conventional plow into a backdrag plow with the push of a button, letting you remove snow quickly and easily from garage aprons, curbs, loading docks and tight corners. Then touch a button again to flip the blade upright and push the snow away.
https://snowplows.hiniker.com
Metal Pless BOOTH #821
Metal Pless is now offering the patented Live Edge technology on our hydraulic wings, to help you attain the highest efficiency and productivity. This unparalleled technology is offered as an option on Maxxpro models. Be sure to preorder your “Full Live Edge Maxxpro” immediately. Quantities are limited. www.metalpless.com/en
TOOLS // SYMPOSIUM SPOTLIGHT
SnowWolf
BOOTH #1140
Choose the American-built heaviest plow in its class with the FreedomPlowHD. The 180° powered wings can easily shift
SPONSOR
Western Products
BOOTH #1001
The Western Enforcer V-plow with trip-edge design is constructed of high-strength, low-alloy steel that is both strong and lighter than conventional steel, and the ideal weight for half-ton trucks. The Enforcer V-plow is engineered with the features and performance of full-size Western V-plows, brought down into a lightweight design. www.westernplows.com
SPONSOR
BOSS Snowplow
BOOTH #139
With a powerful 26.5-hp electronic fuel injected engine, electric throttle body and a range of optional attachments, including V- and straight-blade plows, a snow thrower, spreaders and a broom, the all-new BOSS SR MAG brings next level power, performance and versatility to managing snow- and ice-covered surface areas. https://info.bossplow.com/mag
SPONSOR
SnowEx
Products
BOOTH #601
SnowEx HDV heavy-duty V-plows are available in durable powder-coated mild steel or rust-resistant stainless steel with 8’6” or 9’6” blade widths. They boast 16-gauge flared moldboards and are reinforced by two robust angled power ribs. Tall, flared wings, double-acting angle cylinders, trip-edge protection, adjustable center cutting edges and responsive direct lift round out the many advantages.
www.snowexproducts.com
SPONSOR
Pro-Tech
BOOTH #701
The Live Edge Sno Pusher features industry leading Live Edge Technology composed of spring-loaded carbide steel cutting edges for maximum surface outcome. It also features a floating coupler design for ease of use and constant contact with the plowing surface. The Live Edge Sno Pusher is an efficient and superior containment plow for your snow removal operation. https://snopusher.com/
Ariens Company
BOOTH #311
The Ariens Mammoth 850 is a stand-on multi-attachment snow removal vehicle. All controls are located on the dashboard, right at the operator’s fingertips, allowing one hand to drive the vehicle and the other to work the attachment joystick. Available attachments include a snow head, blade, brush and brine spreader. www.ariens.com
BOOTH #932
For 55 years, EarthWay has engineered precision lawn tools and snow and ice solutions in the USA to solve turf and garden problems. Professional landscapers and turf scientists trust us to provide consistent performance. At EarthWay, we are committed to manufacturing accuracy and excellence for experts in lawn care and snow removal.
www.earthway.com
The Snowcaster
BOOTH #541
Perfect for snow removal, this heavy-duty wheeled contractor model is 50% more efficient than traditional snow shovels. The bi-directional, angled blade is perfect for windrowing snow, and blades are constructed of heavy-duty material. All of the Snowcaster’s products are made in the USA using earth-friendly materials and processes; they feature a limited one-year warranty. www.thesnowcaster.com
Snowbot
BOOTH #640
Snowbot S1 Pro is the autonomous snowblower that will remove snow from your driveway, yard, and sidewalks. You will never have to shovel again. Just enjoy the winter and stay inside where it’s warm. Say no to cold weather and burdensome snow removal work.
www.thesnowbot.com
Get control with Yeti snow and ice management software
Let Yeti manage your entire snow operation this year so you can sit back and watch your business grow
Yeti takes care of clients, sites, events, equipment and materials, crews and sub-contractors seamlessly—on one reliable platform. We know it works, because we’re snow contractors too. Not only that, it’s easy to use and very affordable whether your operation is small or giant.
TOOLS // SYMPOSIUM SPOTLIGHT
Attentive
BOOTH #1028
Attentive’s AI-based automated takeoff software vastly simplifies the estimation process, eliminating time spent endlessly clicking on outdated online maps. It delivers 98+% accurate takeoffs on high-resolution 2021-2022 imagery, reclaiming 80% of your sales team’s time. Imagine the possibilities when you have the time you need to grow your business! https://attentive.ai
BOOTH #314
We transformed the world of residential snow removal thanks to an innovative management system designed specifically for snow removal operations. Increase your operational efficiency, customer service and bottom line. Not sure? Use it for the whole season and if you think it’s not worth it, we’ll make it right. www.follosoft.com
Modeco Systems
BOOTH #721
TimeScape, a best-of-breed field productivity production tracking system, squeezes inefficiencies out of tracking critical information while empowering both field staff and management/ownership with better business decision making capabilities. TimeScape is selected by snow professionals for its ease of field use, configurations for unique operations, onboarding services, bilingual capabilities, GPS and integration with other business systems. www.gettimescape.com
Aspire Software
BOOTH #1033
Eliminate the guesswork and uncertainty of snow and ice season for your business. With Aspire, you can manage every aspect of an event – all in one place – providing you the real-time visibility needed to streamline subcontractor management, close events out in days versus weeks, and reduce invoicing errors this winter. www.youraspire.com
DTSI Software
BOOTH #612
FieldVision is a work tracking and processing system for your mobile phone. Track crew work, visually document services with before and after photos, and obtain GPS coordinates and timestamps. Generate invoices, customer and vendor reports and realtime notifications. www.fieldvisionapp.com
Include Software
BOOTH #638
SPONSOR
Prospect, sell, manage, communicate and deliver powerful results for your team and your clients with Include Cloud, the industry’s only fully integrated single vendor software solution. For web and mobile, it works when you have an internet connection, and when you don’t. Effective. Affordable. Include Cloud. Coming Fall 2022 www.include.com/soon
CrewTracker Software
BOOTH #523
Built on 18+ years of input from industry professionals, CrewTracker Software provides an automated digital services platform to manage and grow operations at optimal performance. CrewTracker is designed to increase profits, improve productivity, expedite invoicing, automate customer communications, streamline operations and more. www.crewtracker.com
Follosoft
SPONSOR
Landscape Management Network
BOOTH #221
LMN is the most comprehensive business management software built by landscapers for landscapers. The company was founded by former landscape business owner and now LMN CEO Mark Bradley in 2009. The software constructed and developed in North America currently serves over 85,000 skilled tradesmen and tradeswomen worldwide in the green and snow industries. www.golmn.com
Yeti Snow + Ice Management System
BOOTH #840
Vaisala
BOOTH #614
Vaisala Wx Horizon is now available for use in parking lots and distribution centers. The solution includes Wx Horizon, solarpowered camera and weather sensors. Combining Vaisala industry-leading surface condition forecasts and observations, the solution delivers actionable insights enabling informed treatment decisions and a verifiable record of the actions taken.
www.vaisala.com
Designed by experienced snow contractors, you can trust Yeti to take care of your entire business. With our award-winning snow management software, you can easily communicate with crews, subcontractors and clients. Yeti manages your sites, events, equipment and materials, invoicing and reporting all on one reliable platform. www.yetisnow.com
THIS SEASON,
SPONSOR
TOOLS // SYMPOSIUM SPOTLIGHT
PlowOps
BOOTH #1128
Built specifically for the modern snow fighter, PlowOps revolutionizes the vehicle tracking industry. Already have an AVL? Replace it with an android tablet and empower your drivers. Not currently tracking your fleet? Digitize your operations and greatly improve efficiency, transparency and safety with digital route maps, driver observations, analytics and much more.
https://plowops.com
Quality Truck & Equipment
BOOTH #1100
2022 Ford F600 4x4 Diesel. Power Stroke 6.7L V8, under CDL 22000 GVW, 10 speed automatic transmission, power equipment group, telescoping mirrors heated, engine block heater, snowplow package, trailer brake controller, fog lamps and cruise control. This unit has the Palfinger HAD 129. Lifting capacity is 12,900 pounds. Hook height of 36 inches and will haul containers 10’-12’ in length. www.qualitytruckfab.com
ClearSpan Structures
BOOTH #851
ClearSpan Structures designs, manufactures and installs superior storage solutions for sand, salt and commercial equipment. ClearSpan’s buildings feature high clearances and designs with no internal support beams, allowing operations to easily store equipment and aggregate piles of any size. Built to last, ClearSpan offers year-round protection from inclement weather conditions.
www.ClearSpan.com
Greystone Construction
BOOTH #549
Greystone Construction has designed and installed thousands of fabric buildings across the USA. We can help you find the most economical, efficient and safe storage solution. We are trusted by DOTs, municipalities and private firms.
www.greystoneconstruction.com
FrostyFlake
BOOTH #430
Let snow call you! The FrostyFlake service watches the weather in real time so you and your team can rest. Monitoring nearly 20,000 towns in the US for snow and rain, FrostyFlake sends alerts when it actually happens. No more guessing with forecasts and manually watching out the window or cameras!
https://frostyflake.com
Timbren Industries Inc
BOOTH #545
There are over 450 Timbren SES upgrades designed to fit the front and rear of virtually every truck. Easy-to-install SES upgrades replace the existing bumpstop, adding maximum stability and superior ride quality under load. Every SES upgrade comes with a lifetime warranty and customer satisfaction guarantee. www.timbren.com
Visit the Snow Business Tools Online page at go.sima.org/tools for more in-depth product information. Check out videos of the latest products and services in the industry. Research products and services by category. Save on purchases with SIMA Deals and search the SIMA Supplier Directory for manufacturers and dealer information. Suppliers can submit free product spotlights, too.
Weather Command
BOOTH #923
With over 75 years of experience, we bring a long and proud tradition of innovation in the weather industry. We eliminate “weather hype.” Our warnings help you to be proactive, not reactive. We provide forecasts, snow and ice warnings and certified snow and ice totals. www.weathercommand.com
SuperSprings International
BOOTH #411
SumoSprings are the ultimate suspension solution to remove the front-end sag and stabilize your truck’s load when adding a snowplow and other winter equipment. Stay level and keep all the control on winter roads with our zero-maintenance, lifetimewarrantied, USA-made solution. It’s time to Plow Better.
www.superspringsinternational.com
AccuWeather For Business
BOOTH #134
Build your business year-round with the most respected name in weather. Warnings and forecasts are delivered with Superior Accuracy and backed by more than 125 expert meteorologists. Operate more efficiently with our premium Snow Warning Service, SkyGuard weather warnings, authenticated snow totals, short- and long-range forecasts, and more.
Business.AccuWeather.com
TOOLS // SYMPOSIUM SPOTLIGHT
SPONSOR
WeatherWorks, LLC
BOOTH #622
When your billing is on the line, rely on the best to reduce conflict and increase your competitive edge. WeatherWorks Certified Snowfall Totals has become the industry standard for 35+ years and the most trusted third-party service for accurate and reliable snow and ice totals. Get $50 off today with coupon code: SIMA22 www.CertifiedSnowfallTotals.com
Plow Right
Marking Stakes
BOOTH #349
Plow Right Marking Stakes introduces its new Polymer Blend, which increases rigidity and allows for better rebound action. Also new this year will be our Reflective Snow Stake option. Our patented installation tool allows users to install stakes up to 75% faster than conventional methods. www.Plow-Right.com
Discount
Snow Stakes
BOOTH #511
Discount Snow Stakes' PRO Line are the highest quality snow stake on the market. These driveway markers are 5/16”, boast our trademark Armortech Cap, have extended 9” Xtreme Viz reflective tape, and are arrow-tipped to pierce the ground with ease. These driveway markers are the premier product for contractors. www.discountsnowstakes.com
MCS
BOOTH #1038
MCS brings over 35 years of dedication to the property services industry. We provide comprehensive coverage of snow and ice management solutions. Our team of experienced snow and ice professionals will handle your properties with care. We are committed to keeping your properties clear and safe while Making Communities Shine. www.MCS360.com
PeoplEase
BOOTH #949
SPONSOR
Maintaining a safe workplace, managing workers’ compensation coverage and claims and meeting OSHA standards can be a daunting task for most business owners.
PeoplEase can assist companies in minimizing hazardous exposures, reducing employee injuries and helping to improve or enhance a safety culture in your workplace. www.peoplease.com
Allin / Rose Consulting, Inc.
A genuine thank you to the Founders of SIMA: John Allin, CSP, Charles Glossop, CSP, Rick Kier, CSP, Jeff Tovar, CSP, Kyle Hansen, Bill Milbier, Marc Young, and the late Phil Christian. It is truly impressive what SIMA has become because of your vision and hard work together. Congratulations! www.AllinRose.com
SPONSOR
EMCOR Facilities Services
BOOTH #644
SPONSOR
EMCOR Facilities Services (EFS) provides over 325,000 snow services annually covering nearly 8,800 properties across the nation. Local contractors perform as much as 80% of the work for which EFS is responsible. We continually seek professional contractors that are committed to providing quality service. Join our network of service providers: ProcurementExterior@emcor.net. www.emcorfacilities.com
SIMA // MEET A MEMBER
Stephen Pifher & Derek Burke
Owners // Royal Blue Property Maintenance Oshawa, ON, Canada
Years in the industry: 7
Why did you join SIMA?: To take advantage of training for growing staff as well to stay informed in the industry.
Best thing about snow: While snow can be stressful, it provides lots of time to make adjustments and plan for the next year.
Tell us about your team: We have a really great team. They are loyal, hardworking and many of them genuinely want to consistently improve.
One piece of equipment you can’t live without: 3/4-ton truck.
Best SIMA resource you’ve used since joining: The training videos
Favorite business book: “Traction” by Gino Wickman
Who is your mentor?: Shawn Morgan, Jeanette Hiddink, and our parents.
Lorenzo Puopolo
Owner // L.A. Puopolo Services, LLC Stoneham, MA
Years in the industry: 5
Craziest snow story: When I first started out in 2016, I was doing driveways in my town. Underneath 4” of snow on a really steep drive was a glazing of ice. Heading up the hill, we lost traction, slid down the hill and got stuck about 12 inches off the side of a house. Luckily, we came out with no damage to the truck or the house!
Tell us about your team: Everyone is dedicated to ensuring our customers’ wants and needs are exceeded. It is awesome to have a group so dedicated to our customers’ satisfaction.
One piece of equipment you can’t live without: Caterpillar 906M
Who is your mentor?: My father, Arthur Puopolo. He has always been a supporter of mine and helped me get my dream started. We work great together and always like to think big.
Are you a new member interested in sharing a little bit about you to your fellow snow professionals? Email Manager of Membership & Development Chris Dix at chris@sima.org!
Lightweight Plow with a Heavyweight Attitude
RapidLink™ Attachment System
Mount and dismount in record time
Floating A-Frame™
Contour the road for clean scraping
Municipal Style Chain Lift
Stack high, and adjust easily
Fully Enclosed Hydraulic Power Unit
Gain easy access via large maintenance panel
304 Stainless Steel Moldboard & 3/8"
Steel Cutting Edge
An investment that will last
