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Episode #173
In this episode, Phil Harwood joins Marty to talk about snow and ice services as a profit center, the challenges snowfighters face, and what resources are available for companies to run better snow operations. They talk about the difference between companies who make money in snow and those that don't, the systems that reduce chaos, and how to plan ahead so that snow operations run well. This is Part 1 of a two-part series with Phil.
Resources Mentioned:
BOBYARD is an AI-powered takeoff and estimating platform that automates the most time-consuming parts of bidding work. Contractors report up to 65% reduction in takeoff time and 3-5x more bids submitted per estimator.
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Key Learnings
Snow Is a 12-Month Business, Not a Winter Job: The best snow operators start planning for next season the moment this one ends. If you go dark for three months and wake up in September, you are already behind.
Snow Should Be Your Most Profitable Service Line: If it is not, something is broken. The leading snow pros have figured out how to be profitable no matter what. Pricing, budgeting, sales, and operations all have to work together.
You Are Selling an Intangible: Snow is not encyclopedias. You are not selling a pile of snow or a truck with a plow on it. You are selling peace of mind, risk mitigation, and insurance. That takes a different skill set and different training.
Grab the Free 52-Week Visual Timeline from SIMA: This tool maps every month of the year from both the contractor's and the customer's perspective. It shows exactly what should be happening each month and where the danger zone starts.
Snowfighting Is Emergency Service, Like Firefighting: Nobody loves fires. Nobody loves being away from their family in a blizzard. But there is a reward that comes with keeping your community open. When you tie the work to purpose, the mindset changes.
Order Equipment Now, Not in October: Coming off a good winter, undercapitalized operators are buying up inventory. Lead times are real. Set a drop-dead date, work backward, and meet with your team every week to track progress.
You Have a Relationship With Your Equipment: Consistent operators paired with consistent machines learn every nuance. Skid steer, Snowrator, pickup truck, even a $50 spreader. Every piece has a quirk. Learn it before the storm, not during.
Carry the Dumb Stuff: Cotter pins, hoses, backup tires. The dumb little parts are what will kill you in the middle of the night. You are not buying a cotter pin at a 24-hour Walmart at 3 AM.
Get Escalators Into Every Contract: Salt is a commodity. Fuel is a commodity. Do not sign contracts without protective language, no matter how small you are. Everything is negotiable.
Fire Your Worst 10-20% of Customers: Do the math on every account. If they want zero tolerance but will not pay for it, or if you cannot fix the pricing, let them go. Do it professionally and leave the door open. Some come back at market rate.
Kill the Trigger Depths: Contracts that say "start plowing at 2 inches" treat you like an idiot with a ruler. What clients really want is zero tolerance. Educate them, take it out of the contract, and be the professional.
Bill for What You Actually Do: Blizzards, drifts, snow off awnings, snow pushed off cars into your clean lot. Get scope details right or you are working for free.
If We See It, They Pay. If They See It, We Pay: Bob Grover's rule for maintenance applies to snow too. Point out the issue before the client does and you keep the leverage.
The Best Customers Get Taken Care of When Supply Tightens: Order early. Pay early. Answer the phone. Vendors take care of their best customers first. Be one.
Reflection Questions
Additional Resources:
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