Why You Need a Plowing Service for Your Business

Here in Michigan, we like to consider ourselves tougher than average when it comes to heavy snows and cold temperatures. A few flurries aren’t going to keep us from going where we need to go and doing what we need to do!

While that may be true, it doesn’t mean you can slack on your snow removal obligations, especially if you are a business owner with a driveway and/or parking lot that will be used by members of the public.

Keeping your lot free of snow and ice is an incredibly important task for you, your customers, your employees, and frankly your bottom line.

Why You Can’t Slack on Snow and Ice Removal

We get it. Keeping your parking lot and walkways clear and dry can be a constant, frustrating battle—especially if it’s been weeks since the last day without snow or temperatures above freezing.

You may be tempted to save some time, effort, or money by only plowing or salting when conditions are especially bad. But that’s a big mistake, for several important reasons.

• Liability. In Michigan, if someone slips and falls on your property due to unsafe conditions, you can be held either partially or totally at fault, and liable for damages (including medical bills, lost income, and subjective losses). Michigan allows for “fault sharing,” so even if a court only finds you, say, 30% or 50% responsible for an accident, that could still be a substantial chunk of change.
• Approachability. Especially when the snow is falling all around, nothing says “We’re open for business!” like a clean, freshly plowed and salted lot. If you haven’t cleared the snow out, people might mistakenly believe that you’re closed—or they might simply decide to take their business elsewhere.
• Customer service and retention. A customer doesn’t actually have to slip and fall or get their car stuck in the driveway to have a lousy experience. People will notice if they have a hard time getting their car in and out of the lot, or feel unsafe walking to your front door. They’ll remember. And the next time they need a product or service you provide, they’ll start to consider a competitor who puts a greater priority on their safety and convenience.
• Because it’s the right thing to do. We’ve given you some good, self-interested economic reasons to keep your lots and walkways clear, but let’s be frank. Looking out for each other’s safety is what good people do, and it’s part of your responsibility as a good citizen.

Why You Should Consider Hiring a Service (instead of Doing It Yourself)

So now you’ve hopefully realized the importance of regular snow and ice removal for your place of business. The next questions, naturally, are how and who?

One option is to buy your own plow (or a snow plow attachment for your existing truck), and handle it yourself. That certainly can work for some people. But it does come with a lot of disadvantages:

• Personal convenience. Even though plowing is a lot faster than shoveling or snow blowing by hand, it still requires a decent time commitment—especially if it means you have to be out plowing and icing at 4 or 5 in the morning (or earlier) in order to have it in good shape by open.
• It’s not as easy as you think. You may think to yourself, “How hard could it possibly be to push some snow around?” But there’s actually quite a lot to consider—and that’s beyond simply getting a hang of driving the plow safely. For example, do you know where you’re going to put the snow? Will it block visibility from the lot or road? Will it melt into the road, or back into the lot (where it can re-freeze and become a serious icy hazard)?
• It may not be as cheap as you think. A decent plow attachment could set you back anywhere from $1,500 to almost $5,000 (or more). You usually get what you pay for if you look for a deal, and even very good ones might only have 5 years of decent service life. There’s also the increased fuel consumption and wear and tear on your vehicle to consider—and of course, if you do accidentally damage your plow or property, you’re 100% on the hook.

Even if you decide to have your own plow at the ready just so you can respond immediately to any sudden, freak weather events, we think it still makes a lot of sense to hire a service for the majority of the work each winter. The extra convenience, reduced personal risk, cost certainty, and peace of mind are definitely worth it!

 Bosch’s Can Plow Your Lot!

Well, a caveat.

We’re full up this year on snow plow clients, but if you’re looking to start a service by the 2020-21 winter season, give us a call so we can talk about your property and get you on our schedule!

We provide full-service snow removal for commercial and industrial clients, including plowing, complete removal (as in, filling up loaders and hauling it entirely off your property), and salting. Whether your job is a big or small one, our experienced crews will be sure to handle it with professionalism.

For your free estimate, give us a call today at (616) 399-6861, or connect with us online.