The winter season is upon us, and the snow isn’t far behind. Adding snow removal as a service is a fantastic way to keep your lawn care business rolling in the winter months and provide slow-season work for employees. Lawn Buddy has laid out some tips your business can implement to strengthen or start your snow removal business.
1. Create Your Plans
Different properties and people have different needs. Putting together a few different plans in advance can allow customers to pick the services they need. You can start with your basics, simple snow removal and salt, and add on from there. This also means fewer questions from customers. Your plans are laid out for them to see and customers are free to choose what services will work best for them.
BONUS – Pet-Friendly Salt
Create a plan safe for pets! Salt can be dangerous for furry friends’ paws, and offering a pet-friendly option will be a relief for pet owners. Pet owners will likely pay more for this service as well.
2. Have a Snow Day Plan
Mother nature is unpredictable, and a plan for your employees will reduce potential stress. This unpredictable season also means that employees must be called in instead of having a regular schedule. Knowing what employees are available to work these random shifts can save you time—there is no need to cycle through and call every employee when you know who is available. Taking a look at the weather report regularly can allow you to give your employees a heads-up by sending a text when there is a potential workday.
Make sure to create a route for an efficient day. Plan out your jobs to prioritize properties that will face fines for uncleared snow first. Your route should also be optimized so that jobs that are closer together are completed in order. Upgrading to Lawn Buddy’s pro plan gives you access to optimized routes that are automatically updated every hour – starting at just $30 a month!
3. Create an Email Campaign
Sending out an email to your current customers with each service you provide will let them know that they don’t need to look for a snow removal service come winter. Trust has already been established, and sticking with their regular landscaping company will ease their minds and save them the hassle of finding a snow removal company. Existing customers know you and what to expect from your work. Sending out emails or texts when there is a potential snow day will allow customers to reserve a spot on your route in advance, and give them peace of mind that they will be taken care of. You can also send out any deals or discounts you may have going for the snowy season.
4. Create a Customer List in Advance
Putting together a list of customers early will give you insight into how many employees you will need and what equipment will be necessary. As customers schedule yard winterization services, you can let them know you are available for snow removal services as well. Talking to your existing customers will allow you to assess which of these customers will request your services. Making a list of these customers will make providing your services easier in the winter. No need to shuffle through every customer you have. You can leave flyers and yard signs with your existing customer to let them, and others in the area, know that you will be available for winter services. This is also a good opportunity to plug your pet-friendly options for all your customers with furry friends.
5. Create an Easy Pay System
Cash is being used less frequently than it once was. Sending out invoices is an easy way to get paid, and creates a seamless transaction for your customers. If it’s hard for customers to pay you, they won’t want to work with you! The Lawn Buddy app allows you to efficiently send invoices to your customers and keep track of pricing. Lawn Buddy even has a feature for recurring payments. When you finish your job, immediately send out your invoice and get paid.
For more tips on winter service options check out Lawn Buddy’s blog 4 Tips to Keep Your Lawn Care Business Running in the Winter.
If you would like a personalized walkthrough on adding a snow removal service to your account, call us at (316) 247-2184, or schedule an appointment.
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