Phil Harwood, CSP

The snow piles have melted, the flowers are in bloom, and the grass is green, except where the salt spreader cut that corner too tight. Now what? Do we just forget about the winter for a few months and focus on our summer work? Or do we take a few proactive steps before the summer months to strengthen our relationships with our winter customers?

We all know that increased customer satisfaction leads to higher retention rates, which leads to higher profits. So, what can we do in the off-season to improve customer satisfaction? If you haven't already, implement an off-season site management process.

The simple process

The off-season site management process is very simple. There are only three elements—the site visit, the customer meeting and the recap. Despite being simple in nature, it does take time and commitment. Begin with your most important customers' sites or your most problematic sites. This will ensure a high return on your time investment.

The site visit

After the snow piles have melted and the grass has greened up, a site visit will provide a wealth of information and opportunity. Salt damage on turfgrass will be visible. Broken curbs will be exposed. Parking blocks that have been pushed around will be apparent. Plow or loader damages may be noticed.

To capture this information, make a list, take photos or videotape the items. It is essential to recognize and capture all issues and opportunities during the site visit.

All too often, snow contractors dis-appear after the last snow event, leaving behind stakes, dead sod, broken curbs, broken branches, etc. A professional is proactive and takes responsibility for damages. An amateur waits for a phone call.

Most property managers expect a certain amount of wear and tear from snow operations. Many will pay for repairs unless they are excessive. Snow contractors who ignore these opportunities are failing to pick the low-hanging fruit. Even worse, they're sending the wrong message to their customers—that they really don't care about them.

Site visits in the off-season are also a great opportunity to update site maps and capture thoughts about how to improve operational performance next year. It is invaluable to get these ideas on paper while they're still fresh in your mind.

The customer meeting

After the site visit is completed, meet with the property manager, on site and as soon as possible. If an on-site meeting can't be arranged, it's still better to meet off-site or talk on the phone than to not meet at all.

This meeting is an excellent opportunity to thank your customer in person for their business. It is also a great time to ask them for feedback about how the season went. Finally, it is the best time to review your recent site visit. Your customer will be impressed by your professionalism.

Explain that you've already visited the site and conducted a thorough review. Tell them everything that you're prepared to do or have already done, without their prompting. Perhaps you've already removed plow stakes. Maybe you've straightened the parking blocks. Get credit for your proactive stance. Then review the rest of the list—where you may have an opportunity to get paid for making repairs.

A word of caution is in order. There is the potential for disagreement, especially when discussing repairs. Know what the contract says and know your limits. As you discuss these items, make every effort to put yourself in your customers' place. The more you can understand their perspective, the more reasonable you will be when settling the score.

The goal is to display your commitment, proactive nature and professionalism. The meeting will be a failure if you "win the war" but lose a customer.

Recap it all

The final element in the process is to recap the site visit and customer meeting with your key people, to prepare action items, and to document relevant information for next winter. Follow-through is often the most difficult part of the process, but it is also a distinguishing quality for those who consistently get it done.